I wish everyone a delightful Canada Day. As for the Wonder Woman makeover, why did they make the costume so dreary?

DC Comics: Wonder Woman: pre- and post-makeover (from Salon.com article)

The earlier version is bright which signals optimism; this new version is sombre signaling a dystopic view of the world. I miss the brighter, more optimistic super heroes. Their numbers are shrinking and I miss the important counterbalance they provided to the more pessimistic, sombre or even anti-super heroes that we’re being graced with now.

(I have chased down a few other commentaries one at Salon.com [where I found the image] by Mary Elizabeth Williams and here’s another by Jen Doll at the Village Voice.)

Sure, the character was a little heavy on the flag waving (she even wears it) but the reference to ancient Greece (she’s an Amazon woman) and ideals was an important part of her mythology. Yes, they’ve changed her mythology too. As per the New York Times article by George Gene Gustines,

In the reimagining of her story, Wonder Woman, instead of growing up on Paradise Island with her mother, Queen Hippolyta, and her Amazon sisters, is smuggled out as a baby when unknown forces destroy her home and slaughter its inhabitants.

Apparently the new Wonder Woman doesn’t really remember her past. For anyone who’s familiar with the series,  that past in Paradise Island featured heavily in some stories and was often referenced in others (the ones I read as a child).

I hope the creative team (Jim Lee and J. Michael Straczynski) reconsiders the sombre colours they’ve used to clothe our heroine and return at least a little of her brightness and optimism.

On that note, Happy Canada Day!