Nerdgasm week for pop culture geeks the world over has just come to an end. Yep, Comic Con International 2014 happened over the weekend. Having travelled to San Diego for the epic 5 day adventure in 2012, I keep a close eye on the happenings at Comic Con every year.
One of the most talked about reveals of the convention this year was the unveiling of a solitary image of Zack Snyder’s Diana Prince (better known as Wonder Woman) from the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice flick. Gal Gadot, a mostly unknown Israeli actress, has landed the role as the most powerful and well-known female character in pop culture history.
Gadot has been upfront about her despair at the representation of women in most films being the “damsel in distress”, so it’s nice to see her cast in a role where she can live and breathe the feminist icon. However, this, and the excitement of Wonder Woman’s return to the big screen has been largely overshadowed by commentary about Gadot’s physical appearance and Prince’s costume. In this case, yes the outfit is worth talking about; but only in terms of its disparity from most iterations of Wonder Woman. There is no need to describe this woman as “thigh high boot-clad” or “too slim”; she is a strong, powerful being whose worth is much greater than that which you can see.
Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot. Image from Vogue.com, originally courtesy of Zack Snyder
It’s true; comic books are as much about the art and visual representation of characters as they are about the stories. Comic book purists will say that the costume and appearance of Wonder Woman is of utmost importance, and I’d like to point out she didn’t always wear bloomers, a busty top and black leather boots. In the early days, her outfits were practical and allowed her to get on with the job of bringing peace and justice to the world – I just can’t imagine that flying in a hyper-sexualised male-dominated society.
Much literature has been written about the fact that there is no singular, well-known storyline for Wonder Woman. This is all too common for women in superhero stories (and in fact, film and popular culture in general). They’re defined by their role in the male superhero’s story; their sex appeal; their relationships. I’m hopeful. I can only hope that Snyder and his team do this feminist symbol justice.
Despite the shallow, judgemental comments that are still seeping out, I think Gadot looks strong and formidable as Wonder Woman. The image shows determination and grit. Fingers crossed.
Don’t let her fade into the background as a silent prop in a story of men; let her tell her story – not because she’s a hot female super-character, but because she’s a character of worth, with a story of strength, resilience and power.
