One of the most feminist moments in Gail Simone's Wonder Woman run

Saturday, February 4, 2012

One of the most feminist moments in Gail Simone’s Wonder Woman run

I wish I had copuld find a pic of the actual panel. During Gail Simone’s first story arc, The Circle (Wonder Woman vol. 3, Issue 15), Wonder Woman is going to gods of various pantheons to help her find a way to Themyscira. And then something profoundly feminist happens.

From Amazon Archives:

Finally the Amazon Princess visits, Kane Miohai, God of the Sky and Heavens. He tells her he understands her predicament but cannot help. She kneels on the ground before him and subjugating herself, swears that if he aids her she pledges her allegiance to him. No god will come before him in her eyes she assures him, and when he needs a weapon she will be his fiery sword. She continues that she gives her life to him of her own free will if it will help save her tribe and her mother. She gives him her word as an Amazon and says that he is her last and only hope. He smiles down at her and asks her to rise, agreeing to her terms and offering her a red arm band to wear as his battle standard. She hugs him in gratitude and he tells her that she reminds him of what a daughter’s love means”

Here’s an instance where there’s a literal power imbalance between a man and a woman. He’s a god and she’s a mortal. But he tells her to stand on her feet and accepts her as his champion as the true warrior she is. More than that he accepts her with a father’s love. Here is Diana supplicating to her and he tosses the submission aside to welcome her into his heart as a peer.

It’s a profoundly moving moment because it an example of a feminist ally. In the age of “badass” being the most valued superhero trait. To have a male god of all people exemplify love and kindness is truly revolutionary.

And it leads to another feminist moment in the Wonder Wonman run Issue 29 of that run where Zeus comes to Kane Milohai and asks her Diana’s fealty. Kane Milohai responds that Diana’s fealty is Diana’s to give not his. It broke my heart that Kane Milohai wasn’t a bigger part of the Woman Woman story because he represents a feminist vision of manhood that is rarely depicted in comics.