I need to rant about the Wonder Woman (WW) costume “makeover” that DC Comics just put out for it’s 21st century version of this superhero.

In yesterday’s NY Times George Gene Gustines gives the impression that this change in wardrobe is a great leap forward for the modern woman. But that’s hogwash. It represents more of the same old-boy pandering to the male gaze and fantasy. In the Boston Herald today Lauren Beckham Falcone is more on target: “OK, I get it. It’s probably a challenge to save the world when you’re going strapless, but a cropped jacket? Biker gloves? Shoulder pads? Boot spurs? That’s a whole lot of costume to chase villains in.” Also reference the current online articles at Women’s Media Center and On The Issues Magazine, as well as my previous WW article for OTI.

I’m really peeved that DC Comics had an opportunity to make WW over as a feminist symbol of strength and justice, and instead kept her as a bullet-breasted male fantasy, more violent and cruel than in her 1940′s persona, when she never killed. Using WW in my art as a visceral way to help bring parity and empowerment to women (and men), I want to fight this silly DC Comics makeover on every front I can. I’m so angry and disappointed that neverending sexism prevents us from having even one non-objectified female superhero. I don’t know of any. Do you?

Below (click on thumbnails) are some images showing how I use WW in my art.

These ceramic tiles are for commissioned walls with some of my make over ideas on what Wonder Woman would say today:

This sculpture (Wonder Woman 632) is one that Gloria Steinem is donating to Smith College:

This sculpture shows my Wonder Woman wearable art:

This is what happens at my interactive performance events:

So you probably know by now that I’m writing, lecturing and making sculpture (The Fluidity of Gender will travel for 3 years) addressing my current fascination with the connection between Steig Larsson’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo of 2009 and William Moulton Marston’s Wonder Woman of 1941-1947.

Got into a big discussion with a woman last week who thought Lisbeth Salander was “empowered” by having breast implants prior to the start of book 2.

I have the opposite take; in fact I think that this breast part of the book was certainly written by a man, but I question whether the really empowering book parts weren’t written by his girl friend!

Salander’s image of herself is critical to the strong feminist thrust of the story, and critical to why so many viewers feel her revenge is cathartic and empowering and even “ethical.” An eye for an eye?–as a peacenik it’s hard for me to get my arms around this. What do you think?

Like all cathartic morality plays Larsson’s story appeals to a primitive sense of justice. It doesn’t get caught up in the nuances of right and wrong, only the visceral big picture.

I will ponder the strength, moral judgment, mobility and access to self-protective devices of both Wonder Woman and Lisbeth Salander in terms of their role-model value.

Are you a Salander fan? A WW fan?

Linda