Comic book superheroine Wonder Woman has traded in her spangled hot pants for urban leggings and upped her street smarts in a 21st century make-over for the 69 year-old character.
J.Michael Straczynski, the new writer for the DC Comics series, told the New York Times he wanted to “toughen her up and give her a modern sensibility” and change the outfit Wonder Woman has been wearing for almost seven decades.
The new costume features dark leggings, a studded denim jacket, spurs on her heeled boots and gloves in a new look designed by Korean-American artist Jim Lee of “X-Men” fame. Gone are the star-studded hip-huggers, undersized bustier and knee length, red go-go boots.
“She was stuck in 1941. And as female friends of mine kept asking, ‘how does she fight in that (bustier) thing without all her parts flying out? How does she carry her stuff?,” Straczynski told video game and entertainment website IGN.com in an interview.
“So my requests were pretty specific: toughen her look, make it more dynamic, more serious,” he added.
Wonder Woman, one of the few female superheroes in a world dominated by Batman and Superhero, has also seen her character given greater depth and more intellect as she debuts the new look in Issue 600, which hits comic book stands on Wednesday.
“Growing up, I always felt that she was a better character than her books…the stories tended toward being a bit precious, and definitely edged into being more about getting her into provocative poses…than really getting into her character,” Straczynski said.
“We will be making her stronger, favoring her smarts and her resolve and her resourcefulness, and making the remains of the world she once knew special by incorporating them into a more vital, unpredictable world. We take her very seriously,’ he added.