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cardinalx (cardinalx) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-07-27 10:51:00

Current location:	Denmark
Current mood:	amused
Entry tags:	char: wonder woman/diana of themyscira

The lesbian moments of Wonder Woman part 2

I´ve now read through the Wonder Woman series up to vol. 3 #28, and my quest for a canon lesbian couple among the amazons has been succesful. I guess it´s always been clear, but Menalippe and Penelope were an item from the start, though it took these pages to fully convince me.

Sadly Menalippe died, I don´t know how, as it didn´t happen in a Wonder Woman issue, but apparently she was killed by Circe, if anybody knows the circumstances, please elaborate. Now, despite this outright declaration of lesbian love, I had yet to see any physical expression of such love between amazons, straight couples continued to kiss and get down on beds together, but it seemed the amazons live purely platonic relationships. And not just that, but after Perez it took years before another amazon couple appeared, that was when Jimenez took over, and we met these two, who were also the first amazons I saw to display their relationship physically:

Not only that, we learned that Iphthime here may also have been in a past relationship with the amazon Hellene:

Iphthime and Anaya weren´t shy about declaring their feelings for each other either:

After that, it took a few years more before we got another possible amazon pairing, in the form of Io the blacksmith. I haven´t been able to decide whether I see her feelings for Diana as being idol worship ("She kissed me! I´ll never wash my face again!") or straight out love.

Some issues later, this unnamed amazon couple snuck into the pages:

Whether Io had a thing for Diana or not, their relationship met a tragic end when Io, in an attempt to save her amazon sisters from extinction, built a weapon of mass destruction, breaking Dianas heart (and her own) in the process.

And that´s it for amazon pairings so far. It still puzzles me that the series can have the amazons be in canon relationships, but they don´t seem allowed to kiss (on the mouth anyway) or go further than that, something the straight couples of the series have done multiple times. Censorship? Or is it simply amazon tradition not to be physical in same-sex relationships? Either way, I end with a panel that made me question whether Diana could be bisexual:

I guess we can only hope.

Oh, and I´ve also learned something else: Amazons go commando.

Will wonders never cease, indeed.

(Post a new comment)

	jedd_the_jedi 2009-07-27 10:52 am UTC (link)
	I really like how all the hands go up! I mean, it's an island populated solely by women. If they aren't lesbians, what are they? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	arilou_skiff 2009-07-27 11:19 am UTC (link)
	IIRC the canonical explanation is "some are lesbians, those who aren't into that stay celibate" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	magus_69 2009-07-27 11:29 am UTC (link)
	Or masturbate. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	shadeedge 2009-07-27 01:18 pm UTC (link)
	Wouldn't that count under celibacy too? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	saralakali 2009-07-27 02:56 pm UTC (link)
	Umm, no. I guess I can see how some people might say that, but to me, saying that masturbation counts as celibacy is akin to saying oral sex (anal sex, mutual masturbation, etc.) isn't sex. IIRC there is a distinction made in canon as well, but I don't have the scans to back that up. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	scottyquick 2009-07-28 02:45 am UTC (link)
	Masturbation counts as celibacy, it doesn't count as abstinence. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	volksjager 2009-07-27 02:13 pm UTC (link)
	Kinda like everyone else. (Reply to this) (Parent)

queenanthai
2009-07-27 11:13 am UTC (link)

Menalippe died during WAR OF THE GODS. At the time, Diana had been reverted to clay by Circe, and Hippolyte had to re-form her and bring her back to life. During Hippolyte's prayer, Circe aimed a thunderbolt at Hippolyte. Menalippe noticed it and dove in front of the Queen, sacrificing her life to save her.

For an oracle, it was an extremely brave and warriorlike behavior, and was an amazingly noble and unselfish death. She deserved the warrior's funeral pyre and it was really a sad moment.

(Reply to this)

	lieut_kettch 2009-07-27 12:35 pm UTC (link)
	Amazons go commando AND shaved, apparently. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	cardinalx 2009-07-27 12:41 pm UTC (link)
	Guess that goes with the lesbianism; nobody wants to get hairs in their mouth. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	volksjager 2009-07-27 02:16 pm UTC (link)
	Or they pluck. In a letter that Pliny the elder writes about the public bathhouses, he describes the various sounds heard. There is a title given (that I cannot recall) the slaves responsible for plucking unwanted body hair from people as well as the high pitched yelps there "victims" would make. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lieut_kettch 2009-07-27 03:13 pm UTC (link)
	Nothing so crude as that. Haven't you heard of the Purple Depilating Ray? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	volksjager 2009-07-27 04:24 pm UTC (link)
	hmmmm. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	(Anonymous) 2009-07-27 06:39 pm UTC (link)
	Ancient Greeks didn't like body hair as a rule - IIRC both the men and the women removed as much of it as possible. The amazons likely have continued that trend. I wouldn't be surprised if Diana herself is totally hairless beneath the neck, since her appearance was chosen by Aphrodite. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	volksjager 2009-07-28 01:40 am UTC (link)
	If they were willing to loose a breast for Archery then a brisk waxing is nothing :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	serenity_winner 2009-07-27 01:22 pm UTC (link)
	I don't think that's pubic area, I think that's just more leg. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	gargoylekitty 2009-07-27 07:59 pm UTC (link)
	(stupid tinypic) Yeah... Not to spoil any fun, but more 'whut'. (Reply to this) (Parent)

jarodrussell
2009-07-27 05:20 pm UTC (link)

I don't read Wonder Woman, for several reasons but mostly because the character's never really clicked with me. However, I really like Io for some reason. Maybe it's because she embodies the typical geek who hopelessly crushes on Wonder Woman without being the typical coke-bottle glasses, nerdy guy who usually fills the role. Maybe it's just because I like weaponsmiths. Whatever the reason, I would love to see Io in a book without Wonder Woman, because as much of a crush as she has on Diana, I have to figure there's more to her life and character than the unrequited longing.

Maybe she could go work for StarrWare, because that book is in desperate need of an engineer whose sole purpose isn't the punchline for boob jokes.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	404glitch 2009-07-28 04:53 pm UTC (link)
	Seconded; I loved Io in Rucka's run, and it'd be awesome to have her show up again. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	greenmask 2009-07-27 08:17 pm UTC (link)
	Okay that apron just would not stay on if she were working with her arms. Nice post though! I hope the amazons get to love as they please in the sunshiiine of a drawn page soon. (Reply to this)

	kingrockwell 2009-07-29 04:00 am UTC (link)
	That last page with Io, is that Rick Burchett? Man, pairing him with Rucka is always such a good time! (Reply to this)

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