Friday, September 09, 2005

In your satin tights, fighting for our rights

Today's Comic Art Friday is brought to you by Amazon... for reasons that will immediately become apparent.

Perhaps no superhero in comics history sprang from as bizarre a source as did Wonder Woman. The Amazing Amazon was conceived deep within the twisted, fetishistic recesses of the mind of psychologist William Moulton Marston, a Harvard Ph.D. whose research pioneered the development of the polygraph. Marston also practiced polyamory with two "wives" (one of whom was a former student of his), wrote an intriguing variety of proto-feminist propaganda, and dabbled in bondage and sadomasochistic imagery in funnybooks intended for kids.

Doesn't make his crowning creation any less cool.

It's been a while since I selected from my burgeoning Wonder Woman gallery for your Comic Art Friday viewing pleasure. So let's enter the Temple of Diana and see what we encounter, eh what?

Here's a stylish pinup by the artist known only as "The Extreme." Yes, I said "The Extreme."



Now, I'm not certain exactly how "extreme" one can be when one's art is being sold on eBay by one's mother-in-law. But such is the case here.

When I bought this drawing, the poor scan provided by the seller made the signature difficult to read. Noting influences ranging from Rob Liefeld to Mike Deodato, I inquired as to the name of the artist whose work I had just acquired. Came the reply, "My son-in-law is the artist, he signs 'The Extreme.'"

Further inquiry determined that the Artist Presently Known as "The Extreme" prefers for whatever reason to remain Extremely anonymous. Which is his right. After all, William Moulton Marston wrote Wonder Woman scripts for years under the nom de plume Charles Moulton. If a guy wants to be known as "The Extreme," who am I to quibble?

Doesn't make his artwork any less cool.

And what could be more apropos than a portrait of the world's greatest superheroine as depicted by a woman artist? Here's a stunning take on Princess Diana by rising young star Veronica Hebard:



The name Veronica, of course, derives from the Latin vera icon, or "true image." I can't think of a more perfect name for an artist, especially one as talented as Ms. Hebard.

Just makes her artwork even more cool.

One final thought appropriate to Comic Art Friday: Thanks to my daughter KM who first pointed it out to me, today I discovered a new comic book shop right across the street from the high school. (Truth to tell, the shop isn't entirely new; it's just recently relocated here from the next town to the south.)



Nice clean space, tons o' fresh comics, a exceptionally friendly owner and assistant, and no creepy gamer geeks like in the shop I usually frequent. Huzzah! Now I have someplace to look forward to going every Wednesday.

As we like to say here at SSTOL: Support your independent local comics retailer.

2 insisted on sticking two cents in:

Blogger Unknown offered these pearls of wisdom...

WW is generating a lot of buzz after what she did in the OMAC Project limited-series. Won't be surprised if you see more pics of her.

10:12 AM  
Blogger Janet offered these pearls of wisdom...

Linda Carter aged very well too.

6:13 AM  

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