New Wonder Woman Story Gives Her Iconic Costume a Dark Meaning

While Wonder Woman is often described as being very kind and honest, Eisner's winning story reveals that she has a tendency to be selfish.

The costumes worn by Wonder Woman are iconic, often a symbol of her personal history and power. However, the Eisner Award-winning Wonder Woman: The Real Amazon changed the meaning of her uniform in the most unexpected way. Rather than being heroic, it is a tragic punishment that exposes the negative side of the heroine.

Wonder Woman has appeared in numerous comics and starred in several otherworldly tales. Her origin has been retold countless times, with major and minor changes. Even with some changes to her outfits, it's often an easily recognizable look that sets her apart. Wonder Woman is known for standing up for the truth and often serving as an ambassador. A story shows that the heroine learns to be a hero in her youth by displaying many negative traits that eventually lead to tragedy.

Diana Wasn't Always So Honest in Amazon Competition

As with every origin story before it, Diana entered the Amazons' race to seek the champion. During the race, however, she attempted to gain the lead by distracting her competitors. This includes freeing the monsters she defeated and imprisoned in her youth. This distraction proves to be more potent than she thought, and deadly to her sisters. Several Amazons lost their lives - including the last Amazon, Diana, whom she loved and tried to impress with her triumph, Alethea. Considering that Alethea is derived from the Greek word for "truth," Diana's dishonesty in the game killed the truth, which she usually defends. When the monster is destroyed again, the young heroine's pride and selfishness lead to the deaths of her fellow Amazons -- leading some to want her dead. Instead, Hippolyta banished her daughter to the human world to atone for her actions and was forced to wear Alethea's former attire as a symbol of her punishment and a reminder of her purpose back home.

This version of Wonder Woman's iconic costume is very similar to the original. The armor is cut differently, though, adding more soldier-like decorations. The tassels on the shoulders and skirt are new additions, her gloves add more decorative elements, and her boots are styled differently. The iconic eagle on the bodice, sometimes with the "W" emblem, is far less visible and present in this design. Diana's tiara looks the same, but it's like Jesus in the Bible, it's meant to be symbolic and painful -- though this iteration is less physically painful than the biblical version. Wonder Woman is often portrayed as a virtuous young woman raised and trained to be a leader.

Wonder Woman: The True Amazons offers a very harsh variant of the heroine, even her costume has a tragic backstory, whereas usually it is a symbol of hope and truth.