Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are DC Comics’ “Big Three.” They are the company’s trio of iconic heroes, superior in strength, smarts, and star power. However, whether or not Wonder Woman is genuinely a part of DC’s holy trinity has become a recent debate. Is Wonder Woman getting the non-comic content she deserves? I (and plenty of fans) think not.
While at one point Diana may have been more prominent in DC’s non-comics content, nowadays, the media created around her character is scarce. The success of Absolute Wonder Woman, her most popular comic run right now, is a good sign, but it has not yet had any payoff on the screen.
The Trouble with Diana
Since she was created in 1941, Wonder Woman has continued to be featured as an essential, founding pillar of the Justice League. Still, she has not quite stolen the spotlight in an actually empowering way. Her two blockbuster movies starring Gal Gadot were definitely steps in the right direction, sure, but they just weren’t enough to make the public call for more Wonder Woman, at least not fully.
If Wonder Woman is such a DC staple, why has she continued to be so under-appreciated in non-comics media? Many fans claim sexism is driving this issue. Batman and Superman, the other two-thirds of the DC holy trinity, have plenty of content coming out. I have found no clear, recent statistics on the readership of DC Comics or comics in general. However, it is safe to say that women are reading comics, too—and more than previously expected. That, and not only women are interested in reading about strong female characters.
If not sexism, or not just sexism, why? Whether it was her shallow characterization in the Injustice series or many other weak portrayals, Diana has had it rough. This has not gone unnoticed on the internet, either.
Despite the clear interest in Wonder Woman, with Absolute Wonder Woman sales going exceedingly well, and not to mention the popularity of the 2017 live-action movie, Diana has never received her own animated series. She has made appearances in plenty of Justice League content and series headlined by other heroes. However, never as anything more than a side character. This is not the treatment Superman nor Batman has received. She got close to tasting glory with a video game announced in 2021, but Warner Bros. killed that project in 2025.
This is not to discount her many popular and well-thought-out comic runs. However, onscreen, Diana faces a lot of issues when she finally does get included in DC content. However, I believe Absolute Wonder Woman answers just about every problem she has experienced so far. Let’s go down the list.
Quality as a Main Character
Almost every significant female character seems to face the trope of becoming nothing but a romantic interest at some point, a crutch for the main male characters. Even Wonder Woman, who is dripping with main-character qualities and potential, is often reduced to a side character. Instead of serving as a worthy teammate to Batman, Superman, and the other Justice League members, writers reduce her to one of the other main characters’ love interest. This also reinforces the fact that, for some reason, not always but often, female characters can’t seem to exist professionally in the same space as male characters without there being romantic undertones.
Of course, not having a love interest shouldn’t become the hallmark of being a strong female character. They should, too, be able to have those relationships. The problem is when those relationships become who these characters are, the only reason they exist. Absolute Wonder Woman may have found a love interest in Steve Trevor, but it doesn’t become the centerpiece of who she is and what makes her powerful.
Steve Trevor has proven to be a… problem in other iterations of Wonder Woman. In Gal Gadot’s 2017 portrayal, he manages to outshine the titular character with, I would venture to guess, more lines than she has. (The less said about WW84‘s weird bodily-possession subplot the better.) The 2009 animated movie, Wonder Woman, managed to introduce possibly the worst-written and most misogynistic character I have ever encountered, and certainly the worst Steve Trevor.
AWW‘s version of Steve Trevor is a love interest, but he is without question a supporting character. That’s all. More than that, he is a supportive friend to Diana throughout the story, but the story itself belongs entirely to her. I could harp on about the fact that it always should have been this way, but I choose to be glad that it is now.
Weak Character
Even in her own live-action movie, portrayed by Gal Gadot, Diana isn’t presented with much personality. She has a backstory detailing cherished loved ones guiding her through her childhood and teenage years, but I found myself caring about and understanding them more than the movie’s namesake.
Every conversation this Diana has with Steve Trevor, who is historically a significant friend, ally, and lover to her, is either overtly romantic or sexual, and doesn’t drive their relationship or her character anywhere. Ryan Syrek from The Reader said it best:
“In the first hour of the first massively-budgeted movie centered on a female superhero, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) brags about his d**k as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) ogles it before he takes her to buy dowdy clothes because her outfit is too “distracting” to men.”
I won’t continue to waste time trashing the movie, but I will say it is not her best portrayal. That said, there were some saving graces, from badass battle scenes (mediocre CGI aside) to an accurate level of otherworldliness in Diana’s character and her way of moving through the world.
Superheroes tend to have defining attributes, things they fight for. Batman has vengeance. Superman has justice. Wonder Woman has truth and kindness, and AWW portrays these better than any other portrayal I’ve seen. She shows kindness to creatures of all kinds. She is not grim in her strength, but compassionate. Other Diana portrayals have missed the mark somewhat when it comes to this. From her relationship with her mother and how she was raised, both strong and kind, to the wrath she directs toward those who harm the innocent, she is just incredibly interesting.
Wonder Woman’s Physique
Last and definitely least—the other items were definitely much more important—Absolute Wonder Woman having a physique that reflects the warrior she is is such a bonus for me. She is not stick-thin, reflecting modern (Euro-centric) beauty standards; she is unapologetically buff and looks like she could beat your ass, because she could. Sure, she doesn’t need to take up physical space for her powers to work (neither does the ever-yoked Superman), but man, is it cool. Her musculature reflects her hard work, her training, and the comic refuses to size her down.
These comics also bring back her wavy hair from the days of yore, and I think it adds so much to her character. She is wild and untamed, growing up on the Wild Isle in Hell instead of Themyscira. I hate to sound so cliché, but allowing her to have natural-looking hair does reflect that just feels so right.
Absolute Wonder Woman: The Answer to Our Prayers
Not everybody has the time to geek out on comics, but movies and shows can much more easily become mainstream. This is why I believe it is important that Wonder Woman gets more love on the TV/film side of things.
James Gunn has announced that a Wonder Woman movie is in the works. It will be a part of the “new DCU,” Gunn is working on, which also contains Superman, Supergirl, and Lanterns. Matt Reeves’ The Batman is unfortunately set in an alternate universe. Getting a new Wonder Woman on screen from the same director/producer who crafted a comic-accurate Superman with such care definitely sounds promising.
Wonder Woman has had her few standalone movies, but never an animated series. Absolute Wonder Woman is solving every issue the DC fandom has ever had with portrayals of Diana of Themyscira. With DC confirming Absolute Batman will be getting an animated series, why should she not be next in line?
The Absolute series brings about brand new backstory concepts and plenty of badass weapons. Not to mention, the magic and color of her world are perfect for animation. This version of Diana is a sorceress, which is a really cool, rare choice for Wonder Woman. This adds more to her character, especially knowing it was borne from her relationship with her mother, Circe. It was a cool way of turning the classic Circe versus Wonder Woman trope on its head.
Speaking of her weapons, Diana’s traditional Lasso of Truth now takes the form of three individual lassos. One is red, menacing-looking, and called “Nemesis.” It reflects the “pain [one has] wrought on others.” There is nothing more just than that. The second is Thusia, and it has transformational powers, though its use does come with risk. Thirdly is Troika, which uses the secrets of those whom it binds and leaves them changed fundamentally. This one is more mysterious than the other two thus far.
Everything about Absolute Wonder Woman is a sorely needed upgrade, from the creativity of her mythological background to her dark yet emotionally moving adventures. If any version of Wonder Woman deserves an animated series, this is her, DC. The fans are begging to see more, and the comic sales are proving it.
The post ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN Could Solve DC’s Diana Problem appeared first on Nerdist.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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