Everyone Gets This Major Thing Wrong About Wonder Woman (And The DCU Better Get It Right)

by

Wonder Woman is a truly iconic and impactful superhero, blazing a trail as one of the first popular female heroes and setting the standard for what a top-tier character should be. As part of DC’s core trio, she represents the very best qualities of a hero. Since her debut in 1941, she’s consistently redefined expectations for both superheroes and women in comics. Despite her immense popularity and significance, a key aspect of Wonder Woman is often misunderstood, particularly when her story is adapted for different media. The truth is, Wonder Woman should embrace a sense of fun and silliness, and that’s something the DC Universe needs to recognize.

Wonder Woman is often portrayed as a deeply thoughtful character, exploring complex ideas like equality, redemption, and the struggle against negativity. Her stories frequently confront the worst aspects of humanity, aiming to highlight goodness and prove that love can triumph over hatred. She’s even willing to challenge the gods themselves to defend these beliefs, leading to some surprisingly philosophical narratives. While Wonder Woman’s serious side is important, it’s equally vital to remember her joyful and lighthearted nature – it’s a core part of who she is.

Wonder Woman Is Funny

From the very beginning, Wonder Woman has had a lighthearted and playful personality. While humor was common in comics of that era, Wonder Woman’s comedy was intentional and built into her stories. A lot of the humor came from the classic trope of someone unfamiliar with a new place – Wonder Woman often found herself in bizarre situations and reacted in equally outlandish ways, creating funny moments as other characters, like Steve Trevor, reacted to her behavior.

This playful dynamic has continued throughout Wonder Woman’s history, but it’s developed along with her character. As she became more accustomed to the human world, she stopped being surprised by everyday things, though she never lost her sense of humor. Growing up in a perfect island paradise taught her to find joy in the small things. Instead of a stern, humorless fighter, she became a woman who actively sought out and loved to laugh. There are even comic book moments – like when she playfully sticks her tongue out at lizards (Wonder Woman 2016 #12) or stops a terrible movie adaptation with talking gorillas (Wonder Woman 2006 #25) – that showcase this side of her. Wonder Woman can be serious, but she should always be engaging and fun.

Superheroes Are Supposed To Be Fun

Superhero stories are often seen as just for children, and it’s easy to understand why – kids love imagining themselves with superpowers and saving the world! Because of this, writers sometimes try to make these stories more mature and deal with tougher subjects to appeal to adults. But they can go overboard, trading the fun and lightheartedness for overly serious and cynical plots. This is especially true for female superheroes, who often face extra pressure to prove themselves as both heroes and women. As a result, characters like Wonder Woman are sometimes written to be as serious as possible, focusing on heavy storylines with no room for humor.

It’s a mistake to think superheroes need to be either silly or serious. They’re supposed to be imaginative and entertaining, but that doesn’t prevent them from exploring complex issues. What makes superheroes special is their ability to find hope even in difficult circumstances, without becoming overly pessimistic. They connect with our inner child, and when stories focus too much on adult themes, they lose the sense of wonder that makes superheroes so appealing.

Wonder Woman will always have a unique, slightly quirky charm, and trying to make her darker or more serious would miss the point. She needs to embrace her inherently lighthearted nature, as it’s central to who she is and what she represents – a beacon of honesty. Trying to change that would be a betrayal of her core values. Essentially, Wonder Woman is a fun character, and letting her be funny is important. Characters who are always serious can become dull, losing the spark of what made them special in the first place. Hopefully, the new DC Universe version will recognize and celebrate this truth.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/comics/list/10-most-important-dc-characters-who-arent-superman-batman-or-wonder-woman/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-23 00:13