Wonder Woman Just Exposed Why Her Controversial 60s Reboot Was Doomed to Fail

Wonder Woman has gone through many different looks over the years, but few provided such drastic changes as when she was rewritten as a fashion-forward, jet-setting secret agent in the 1960s. While a bold shift, the change in tone was not well-received, and for good reason; now, contemporary issues of Wonder Woman decisively prove that Diana's trendiest redesign never needed to happen and was, in fact, redundant at every level.

Wonder Woman #13 by Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, Leonardo Paciarotti, and Clayton Cowles is one of Diana's best moments of 2024. Not only does Wonder Woman reunite with and rescue Steve Trevor, she does so with panache and style in an incredible display of strength.

Despite lacking her powers, Wonder Woman deflects enemy bullets and successfully stalls for time long enough for the captured heroes to escape before making her exit - all while passionately kissing her long-time love interest, Steve Trevor. It's a jaw-dropping moment that calls to mind the bravado of the secret agent genre.

Wonder Woman Completely Redefines Her 1960s Secret Agent Era

Remember Diana's Mod Makeover?

Wonder Woman underwent a drastic makeover in 1968. In an attempt for DC to capitalize on the popularity of the secret agent genre, Wonder Woman loses her powers in Wonder Woman #179 by Dennis O'Neil, Mike Sekowsky, Dick Giordano, and Milt Snapinn when the Amazons are forced to depart the mortal plane to recharge their magic. With her title now branded as "The New Wonder Woman," Diana subsequently adopts a mod fashion style and is immediately sought out by I Ching, an elderly blind Chinese man who trains her in martial arts so they can together combat the forces of the villainous Dr. Cyber.

This period of Wonder Woman comics is rife with all the standard secret agent tropes. Now infiltrating secret underwater bases and going up against hordes of uniformed henchmen, Diana arms herself with a classic array of disguised gadgets, like a grappling hook bracelet or explosive earrings. While early issues emphasize Wonder Woman's mod fashion, she quickly settles on an iconic white dress as her mission attire for the majority of the reboot. Meanwhile, an endless parade of strong-jawed detectives flit in and out of her adventures, acting as Diana's "Bond Girls" for the story arc at hand.

Diana's adventures as a secret agent end abruptly just five years after they began: I Ching is randomly slain by a sniper in Wonder Woman #204 by Robert Kanigher, Don Heck, Giordano, and Snapinn, and Diana suffers amnesia in the scuffle. Compelled to return to Paradise Island, Diana has her memories restored and reclaims the mantle of Wonder Woman, with the entire period of "Diana Prince, the New Wonder Woman" dropped without ceremony. This marks the end of a tumultuous, oft-forgotten period in Wonder Woman's history, although some of its hallmarks - like her distinctive white dress - still make cameos from time to time.

Wonder Woman Is Already An Action Hero

No Changes Required

              

Wonder Woman #13 shares a surprising number of similarities to Diana's adventures in the New Wonder Woman era. Once again, Wonder Woman is bereft of any superhuman abilities; nevertheless, she must infiltrate a heavily guarded secret base to thwart a megalomaniac's attempt at world domination, with a rugged civilian (Steve Trevor) acting as detective and along for the ride. It could even be argued that Robin Damian Wayne replaces I Ching as a far, far less racist depiction of a martial arts master by her side, running support while Wonder Woman takes center stage.

            In trying to turn Diana into a completely different character, the 1960s reboot manages to do nothing but take the "wonder" out of Wonder Woman.

Unlike the New Wonder Woman reboot, however, Diana does not need to replace any part of herself to live up to the action hero/secret agent tropes. Instead, she succeeds simply by being Wonder Woman, deflecting bullets with her bracers despite the effort now resulting in a broken arm and leaning into her legacy as an unstoppable divine warrior to halt enemy soldiers dead in their tracks. Likewise, her triumphant and multiple kisses with Steve Trevor are her reward for putting herself through the wringer and saving the day in a way that no one else could.

Note

              "Diana will begin another lore-shaking new era in Wonder Woman #14 by King and Daniel Sampere, which promises to feature the birth of her daughter, Lizzie "Trinity" Prince. Wonder Woman #14 is available October 16th, 2024 from DC Comics."

Ultimately, this issue proves her 1960s reboot to be redundant. Rather than having to completely remake herself to try and fit the latest fad, Diana excels in the same role the reboot tries to place her in by leaning into her pre-existing strengths: her indomitable spirit, her ingenuity, and her unflinching courage. By contrast, in trying to turn Diana into a completely different character, the 1960s reboot manages to do nothing but take the "wonder" out of Wonder Woman - and a title that forsakes the character of its protagonist is doomed from the start.

Wonder Woman Never Needed to Change Herself to Stand Out

Diana Can Already Handle Any Role in Any Story

   

Wonder Woman #13 is a tour-de-force, demonstrating makes Wonder Woman such an exceptional member of DC's core cast. From her love for those around her to her determination to do what must be done - and to bear the cost of it herself - this issue proves that Diana of Themyscira can shine in any role, in any narrative. Wonder Woman is one of DC's most compelling and capable characters - and she never needed a snazzy secret agent reboot to prove it.