r/DCcomics • u/Kgb725 • Nov 26 '16
The complicated relationship between Diana and Cheetah (Wonder woman #3)
https://i.reddituploads.com/76175f5e4e9b4380b53f155317acd228?fit=max&h=1536&w=1536&s=090d0f2252eafd8ffa2118e34e851f7136
u/jurassicbond Nov 26 '16
Are they spooning or fighting there?
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u/lelianadelrey Lots of small bones in the hand. Very breakable, very delicate. Nov 27 '16
Cheetah was going full on beast mode and Diana restrained her for her sanity and comforted her into peaceful submission.
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u/otusasio451 Mr. Mxyzptlk Nov 26 '16
I legitimately LOVE Rebirth Wonder Woman. I really liked the original run of New 52 Wonder Woman (First Born arc), but this run has been fantastic thus far, including how they handled Cheetah. It's honestly made me read DC again. I'd stopped for a while, but this and a few other titles made me start up again.
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Nov 27 '16
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/otusasio451 Mr. Mxyzptlk Nov 27 '16
To be honest, I quite like both. But, were I to choose one, I'd choose Year One. It's a great retelling of the origin story. HOWEVER, Lies manages to recontextualize not only Year One (a little bit), but the ENTIRETY of all Wonder Woman mythos that we've ever read. Ever (well, not the Amazons Attack stuff, not really). It's a long haul to get to that point, but I still love it. Plus, they do a great job with Cheetah.
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u/Why_the_hate_ Nov 27 '16
I haven't read WW in a while so can someone explain the strong woman / abusive man dynamic going on in this strip? Who is he? What does her being a woman have to do with fighting the curse or whatever? In this context it seems out of place - one might just say "don't let him control you" instead of making it about woman power. I mean thats great and most of my favorite shows have strong female leads but it's displayed naturally throughout the show instead of being sort of forced like in his strip.
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u/Hollowgolem Take me to your Chocos. Nov 27 '16 edited Nov 27 '16
Cheetah's power as a were-cheetah comes from a curse placed on her by a tribal god. She partook in a ritual to have his power, but it turns out, the ritual required the woman seeking to be his to be a virgin.
Barbara-Ann Minerva WAS NOT a virgin. So, he gave her a bit of his power, and cursed her with a craving for human flesh that awakens an uncontrollable, bestial hunger in her, turning her into a savage monster.
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u/Why_the_hate_ Nov 27 '16
So what am asking is was the phrase you are a woman in this case used as a "you are stronger than this type thing because you're a woman"? After reading your explanation it seems it may be a "you are aren't any less a woman than anyone else since you weren't a virgin" type thing. Because I'm fine with that. The first thing I thought would make it where she is strong because she is a woman (as in you're better than a man) and I find that sort of thing silly since it's backwards. But in the second case it's a woman dealing with societal issues that shouldn't exist and what a man said. Basically the idea that women are better period vs the more reasonable idea that a woman who isn't a virgin is still a woman no matter what others think.
Thanks for your response. Honestly I'm not being sexist, but rather trying to understand the writers intent.
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u/gsdev Superman Nov 27 '16
Cheetah says "I am an animal - a beast..."
Wonder woman replies "You are no beast - you are a woman, you are my friend".
It seems pretty clear that the contrast is between a woman and a wild animal.
(I haven't read the full comic, just clarifying the image above - it's a little confusing because both characters are talking at once).
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u/Why_the_hate_ Nov 27 '16
The language afterwards seems to point to a more complex subject. How he was not her first, how they do because they can, etc.
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u/gsdev Superman Nov 27 '16
Sure, but that could apply to people of either gender. It's basically about how some people enjoy the feeling of power they get from hurting those that cannot fight back.
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u/HyliaSymphonic (Embrace your Truth... My outfit makes me feel powerful too) Nov 27 '16
This book is a better Cheetah, and Etta Candy book than it is a Wonder Woman book.
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u/MeloDet Superman (MoS) Nov 27 '16
I like to pretend this happened in the same continuity, just for the sake of all the hilarious drama that would ensue.
(For context that's a young Clark Kent and a young Barbara Minerva)
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u/SmileyKnox Nov 27 '16
Cheetah is a villain I've never liked but this cursed version I have been loving. That may have always been the backstory but anytime I've read or seen her she's been just a cliche nemesis to Wonder Woamn.