Holy shit. Wonder Woman finally owns a pair of pants.
And not just any old pair of pants, but crimefighting pants. (Leggings, technically, with motorcycle boots attached). After 69 years, Wonder Woman's getting a sartorial makeover for her 600th issue--and also, apparently, a re-imagining of her origin story. And while it's about time the feminist icon, who once graced the cover of Ms. magazine, got herself a pair of pants, it's kinda weird to see her in pants, you know? It's like seeing Lady Gaga in pants. It's like seeing the Queen of England in pants. It's like you forgot pants existed in her Amazonian universe. It's as though they were as invisible as her airplane.
And now that she's finally be-panted, of course, you wonder how she ever lived without pants. Did she ever get cold in that strapless leotard thingy? (Answer: Of course not, she's Wonder Woman.) Did she ever put on that strapless leotard thingy and go, shit, I forgot to get a bikini wax? (Answer: Hmmmm. Hadn't thought about that before.) Because, look, even Superman had a beard once. It's like, now that she's got pants, this light has been shone on her decades of pantlessness, and you're a little outraged she's never worn pants, mostly because you're a little shocked you never stopped to think about the fact that she's never worn pants, and you're more than a little shocked that it's that easy to be brainwashed into thinking that something as basic as pants don't exist, even while you're kinda missing her red boots and her star spangled hot pants -- which are really not pants, btw -- on that wildly impractical strapless leotard thingy.
[Deep breath.]
Anyway, the man responsible for Wonder Woman's costume redesign is renowned comic book artist and DC Comics Co-Publisher, Jim Lee. If you're not familiar with Lee's bio, as I wasn't, it's pretty interesting stuff. Born in Seoul but raised in St. Louis, Lee always had a love of drawing and an interest in comic books, but thought he'd follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor (ring a bell, Asian peoples?). While attending Princeton and majoring in psych, he took an art course that reminded him of his love of drawing, so when he graduated, he put off med school and went to a comic book convention to show his work. Not long after, he was hired by Marvel, where he shot to fame working on X-Men, launching the second X-Men series, and redesigning the costumes of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Psylocke and Storm. He eventually formed his own comic book company--which he later sold to DC--and he's also drawn Batman and Superman.
And now, add to that list of accomplishments...The Man Who Gave Wonder Woman Pants. Huzzah!
[NY Times: Makeover for Wonder Woman at 69]
[Wikipedia: Jim Lee]
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Kelly Cutrone & Justine Bateman: Wake Up And Get Real: Wonder Woman's Makeover (VIDEO)
Here's my two cents: While I might miss that iconic red/white/blue costume I grew up watching on TV, speaking from personal experience, a leotard is not an adequate crime-fighting outfit (though I haven't really tested this theory, since there aren't a lot of fights breaking out in a ballet class). Especially such a spangly-colored leotard. I think Wonder Woman ought to have an opportunity to be more stealthy AND better protected with pants and more layers.
I always wondered how Lynda Carter felt in that costume...it didn't seem very comfortable....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_history_of_Wonder_Woman#The_Diana_Prince_era_and_the_Bronze_Age