Wonder Woman’s Comic History Needs Respect as DCEU Falls Short Compared to MCU’s Potential ( Photo Credit – Facebook )
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Right off the bat, I have to say: that Wonder Woman’s presence on screen was huge, but how she’s been treated in comics and fandom has been all over the place for way too long. Unlike Superman and Batman, her history hasn’t gotten consistent respect. That gap was glaring to me. DC’s two biggest heroes had iconic, reprinted stories from every decade. Wonder Woman, not so much. This isn’t just a rant; it’s my frustration over how DC, creators, and fans have handled one of their Trinity’s brightest stars. She deserves so much more.
When I look at Superman and Batman, I see creators like Siegel and Shuster, Alan Moore, John Byrne, Frank Miller – names attached to their decades-long legacies. They created must-read runs that keep getting celebrated. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman’s defining stories only really started with George Perez after Crisis on Infinite Earths. Other runs came along – Messner-Loebs, John Byrne – but nothing as historic as “Kryptonite Nevermore” or “The Ra’s Al Ghul Saga.”
And from the ’50s through the ’70s? Frankly, I can’t name a single Wonder Woman story from those decades that stands up. Even that ’70s era where she lost her powers was more of a headache than a highlight. So yeah, I get why people are frustrated.
Time to dig deep: Wonder Woman’s legacy needs proper archival respect and consistency
I think DC really needs to mine its archives and put out solid reprints of Wonder Woman’s best stuff, decade by decade. Superman and Batman fans have had that for years, but Diana hasn’t. The hope was that the movies would kickstart this overdue celebration. Sure, some reprints happened thanks to the big screen, but it’s still a drop in the ocean.
Diana’s backstory also felt like a moving target. Batman’s origin is classic – orphaned kid who vows to clean up Gotham. Superman’s is simple: alien baby sent to Earth and raised by farmers. Wonder Woman, was she born from clay or a god? How do the Amazons reproduce? Was she an only child? well, it felt like every writer rewrote her origin just to leave their mark. That shaky foundation, I believe, really hurt her iconic status.
Her power levels too were all over the map. Sometimes she’s almost Batman-level, other times she’s Superman-lite. And I always found it funny, if you can call it that, how in “Batman beats the Justice League” stories, Diana’s defeat always hinged on some random, broken trick. In Tower of Babel, a hallucination nearly killed her. In a Jokerized Justice League story, Batman uses a magic artifact to fool her. It’s almost like writers didn’t want to give her full credit.
I have to say, I really agree with the frustration. Diana deserves better. If Batman and Superman get their legacies endlessly celebrated, why not Wonder Woman? She’s an incredible character with massive potential. It’s just frustrating to see that legacy diluted by inconsistent storytelling and lack of proper archival care.
To wrap up, I think Wonder Woman’s rise on the big screen was a step forward, but her comic legacy desperately needs the same love and attention. DC has to fully commit to honoring Diana’s rich, complex history. And I think the MCU should be paying close attention – here’s a hero who’s ready for iconic storytelling, if only someone would give her the chance.
