Lynda Carter has nothing to worry about…

Updated on March 18, 2011 By Ken Begg 35 Comments

What the hell is up with that lipstick? Yikes. I don’t know, to me she has the generic look of a model wearing a Wonder Woman costume in a Halloween catalogue.

Plus, David E. Kelly is doing the show, so expect lots of plots about how eeeeevil Republicans and ‘gun nuts’ and probably Tea Partiers are. I think the biggest hurdle the show will face is that it will inevitably be all super serious and such, and thus contrast badly to our memories of the old series, which could be goofy but on the whole was pretty fun. All in all, I think this will quickly go the way of the Bionic Woman redo, which at least was kind of decent.

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  • RogerBW

    Absolutely agreed about the costume thing – she looks like someone dressed as Wonder Woman. Maybe that costume is just too iconic at this point?

  • fish eye no miko

    Why are the bracelets silver? I don’t think that’s canon (though in fairness, in comics, “canon” can change drastically from month to month), plus everything else being gold makes them clash terribly…

    it will inevitably be all super serious and such

    Yeah. I’m kinda over the “dark and gritty reboot” nonsense. Yes, it has worked for some things (BattleStar Galactica is an good example, and V, to an extent), but that doesn’t mean EVERY remake needs to be all GRIMDARK and srs bzns.

  • Not really. I just don’t think she has the attitude to carry it off. Does that look like a fierce warrior to you? Check out her posture; she mostly seems like she’s trying to jutt out her boobs. All in all, she reminds me of the cast of Young Guns, who couldn’t carry off period clothes to save their lives and who got blown off the screen by friggin’ Patrick Wayne.

  • Fish Eye, the bracelets are silver now because Hollywood types ARE ALL CREATIVE GENIUSES WHO KNOW BETTER. That why whenever there’s a big bidding war over a purportedly perfect script, you can bet it will be re-written a dozen times by a dozen different guys before it makes it to the screen (10% of the time) or gets stuck away in a drawer (90% of the time).

  • Gamera

    Can’t say I care much for the pants.

  • Ed

    I KNEW that costume looked familiar…

    http://twitpic.com/4ask5e

    ;-)

  • Man, that costume is so cheesy that I actually wondered if that was real.

  • Rock Baker

    The lipstick doesn’t bug me. That’s the ONLY THING that doesn’t bug me. (When you draw a super-female, or any female, you instinctively draw red lips, so I have no problem with bringing that over into flesh and blood.)

    The obvious problem is that this just looks so CHEAP! WalMart special for costume parties? The pants also throw off the look because WW’s uniform is so iconic. If this were something brand new, it could work. As “Wonder Woman” it just isn’t happening.

    (They should really put ME in charge of a Wonder Woman series. Not only do I have experience telling stories about super-gals, but I’d try my hardest not to make it stupid! I doubt I’d ever get the offer, but I honestly think I’d be a better choice than whatever idiot okayed this publicity shot.)

  • Rock Baker

    By the way, Ken, check your inbox!

  • David Fullam

    Yikes. Not only is she goofy looking, she has a costume that can’t compare to many homemade con costumes.

  • Gamera

    Not only does it look cheap but has any version of WW other than the present one worn pants? Nothing I like better than a great pair of legs. Carter wore those panties/shorts and every comic book version I’ve seen had pretty much the same.

    Wonder Woman doesn’t wear pants!!!

  • Rock Baker

    Briefly in the early 70s, she was stuck in a pantsuit to make the character more appealing to women’s libbers. They were the ones who protested! After the backlash, WW was back in her bathing suit until this new version.

  • Gamera

    Thanks Rock! I’d heard the new version with the pants was designed to be more attractive to female viewers. Still I don’t see the point of giving her pants while still showing that much cleavage.

  • Rock Baker

    What I heard was that they changed the costume because her sexiness was being viewed as a handicap to telling compelling stories, like readers were less engrossed in the story and character issues than they were just admiring the art. (That raises the question to if DC actually WANTS to hurt sales numbers, since, even if they’re just there to admire the legs, they have strong readership in this age when the comics industry is in danger of dying for good.) If that’s true, it means DC has a poor stable of writers, and no problem other than that. I somehow found the notion that a story isn’t as engrossing or mentally stimpulating because it features a sexy girl to be a deeply insulting one (and I imagine I’d be even more ticked if I were a woman). What’s kept Femforce on the shelves for over 25 years is that the scripts are stronger than the art, and the art is just a hook to get readers to have that first read. My personal experience has shown women respond to my artwork better than males. DC is circling the drain, while Marvel pushes ahead to become the new standard in the field. DC hasn’t caught on yet that the more PC it becomes, the less enjoyable the wares (and I’m speaking strictly of their movies and cartoons, since I’ve never been a big reader of comic books).

  • fish eye no miko

    To follow up on the whole “pants versus bikini” thing: I consider myself a feminist, and honestly, as long as the bottom part isn’t cut so high and tight you can it’s a thong and you can see a “camel-toe” (which can happen with pants, anyway), I don’t see the point of giving her pants. Aren’t we past the point where bare legs are taboo?
    Plus, the top of the boots having a design, then the outfit continuing with the pants in the same color and material looks weird. If they were a different color, maybe (think Superman’s red boots and blue leggings), but the design then bare legs would look good, as well.

  • I give it one season, if that.

  • zombiewhacker

    What we really need now is an Isis reboot.

  • fish eye no miko

    zombiewhacker said: “What we really need now is an Isis reboot.”

    Yes.

  • Jay

    Glad I’m not the only one who was instantly turned off to this atrocity.

  • Mr. Rational

    Huh. This looks bizarre. I’m confused. Ken, since when did you start posting advertisements for fantasy escort services?

  • John Nowak

    I hate to say it, but she looks like a toy that needs some dull coat.

  • “Huh. This looks bizarre. I’m confused. Ken, since when did you start posting advertisements for fantasy escort services?”

    Well, since I’ll be losing that Amazon Associates money…

  • Mr. Rational

    Well, then, a little tip for you: When posting such ads in future, it’s always wise to make sure there’s a contact number.

    Which reminds me — and that would be… ;)

  • wjl2

    The costume is actually better than what I was expecting. It at least has some resemblance to both the comic strip and Linda Carter versions. Pants were almost inevitable for the current market. The vinyl/latex look does bother me. But what I’m really concerned about this their claim that this is going to be serious. I’ve always had a hard time visualizing any super hero movie done seriously.

  • fish eye no miko

    wjl2 said: “I’ve always had a hard time visualizing any super hero movie done seriously.”

    I’m not sure how that’s relevant, seeing as this is a tv show.

  • Food

    Random thoughts:

    – I’m not sure a WW series would survive no matter how neato the costume is. Lynda Carter’s show only lasted three seaons (and two of those seasons were half-seasons), and it’s ratings were never exceptionally good, and rewatching a couple episodes makes me realize that its goofiness today comes off as more embarrassing than charming.

    – This new lady might not be able to look too appealing in the costume, but it shouldn’t be hard for her acting to top Lynda Carter’s, because she couldn’t act for shit.

    – And who really cares about WW anyway? Everybody can name at least one or two Batman villians or Superman villians and their origin stories, but very few non-comic fans can do the same about WW.

  • GalaxyJane

    Sigh, and another one of my childhood icons is trashed.

    In all seriousness, what really bugs me is how much less practical it is that the glorious Ms. Carter’s. At least satin breathes a bit. Can’t imagine a tough super-athlete Amazon gal sweating her tender bits off in plastic pants while chasing bad guys. And how are you supposed to climb walls or kick bad guys in the head while wearing something that looks likely to prevent you from so much as bending at the knees.

    The absolutely vapid look of the actress (am I supposed to have any idea who this is?) is also a stark contrast to my conception of what a super-heroine should be.

  • P Stroud

    Wait. They are remaking Wonder woman and they are worried about plot and character issues? (Shaking head sadly). There was only one reason for the WW TV series’ success. Lynda Carter. Period. No one watched it for plot. We watched it to see a skimpily dressed Lynda Carter kick butt.

    Leave it to Hollywood to “PC” the concept and muck it up.

  • P Stroud

    Oops. I meant the original series’ very limited “success”. But I guess with an inability to come up with anything new the supply of series and movies to remake is getting to be in short supply.

  • Luke Blanchard

    The above costume is based on the current look she has in the comics, introduced last year. Her old costume had been taken in a very sexualised direction by at least some artists. When the new costume was introduced I assumed the new creators wanted to move away from this kind of depiction, and perhaps give her a less “costumed” look. But it may be the new costume was really connected to the TV show’s being in the works.

    Incidentally, the writer involved with the makeover was J. Michael Straczynski. Apparently he’s co-writer now. Her current look can be seen on the covers of her most recent series (the 2006 series) from #600 (one cover variant) or #601. The covers can be seen at the Grand Comics Database.

    WW’s bracelets became silver when her continuity was restarted in the mid-80s. They were given a longer, sleeker look in the mid-90s. Apparently they’ve become gold wristlets as part of her recent makeover.

    All comics struggle to maintain their sales these days, and one way the publishers raise them again is by starting a new volume. Sometimes the old numbering is later “restored”, so the numbering of her current series jumped from #44 to #600.

  • Luke Blanchard

    (Ken, please pardon this double post. I accidentally posted the first version using my full first name, so I believe it’s awaiting moderation.)

  • Ericb

    Unless you’re indestructible like Superman I don’t see the advantage in not wearing pants.

  • The Rev.

    “We watched it to see a skimpily dressed Lynda Carter kick butt.”

    And constantly get tied up.

    Or was that just me?

  • R. Dittmar
  • PB210

    “And who really cares about WW anyway? Everybody can name at least one or two Batman villians or Superman villians and their origin stories, but very few non-comic fans can do the same about WW”.

    Food said this on March 20th, 2011 at 7:10 pm

    Actually, Superman’s rogues gallery has received short shrift in many adaptations. George Reeves’ film and show used none of them. Christopher Reeve’s films used no additional rogues gallery members after the first two entries. Gerard Christopher/John Haymes Newton’s show used some-however, it has not appeared in reruns due to the impasse between the Salkinds and Warner Bros.

    As for people who care about Wonder Woman, unfortunately, it seems that the Lynda Carter show had quite some coattails in reruns, so that the following groups seem to concern themselves with Wonder Woman:

    Latino/as: Due Carter’s Mexican ancestry, many Hispanic organizations have honored her

    Ms. Magazine: WW has appeared on the cover of this magazine three times

    http://www.lycos.com/info/lynda-carter–hispanic-woman.html