We're all fans of The Teen Titans here at The Panel Biter, when we're not throwing tomatoes at Frank Miller's house or performing "Moon Knight: The Musical" we're gathered around the T-shaped table talking the talk about The Teen Titans. Though, one character has been absent from Teen Titans media. One very important character. This Week's Z-Lister, Donna Troy.
Donna Troy is without a doubt the most victimized character in DC Comics history. Not physically or emotionally, but because Donna's backstory has been rebooted several times since the conception of Wonder Girl in 1947. Before I tell you about Donna, it's important you know where "Wonder Girl" started. Wonder Girl was originally Wonder Woman back when she was a teenager growing up on Themyscira, her adventures were featured as back-up stories in Wonder Woman's main series. Not too surprising seeing as how the Superman comics where accompanied by a series about Superman as a teenaged boy, called Superboy of course. Later on the title of "Superboy" would be given to a completely original character, the story of Wonder Girl follows the same beats. Along with Wonder Girl's stories, back-up stories about Wonder Tot-the infant Wonder Woman-were also featured. Eventually, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, and Wonder Tot would appear in stories together. But they're all the same person, right? Well, it turns out these "impossible tales" were simply films made by Wonder Woman's mother Queen Hippolyta.
In 1965, DC Comics had created a new team of young heroes called The Teen Titans featuring the sidekicks of Batman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Green Arrow. The team was made up of Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Speedy, respectively. Wonder Girl was added to the team and wasn't given any clear background until Marv Wolfman started writing for the team in 1969. It was here that Marv established that Wonder Girl was originally a no-named orphan that Wonder Woman saved from a house fire. During a battle against one of her villains, Wonder Woman's powers were transferred to the orphan. As such, the orphan took the human identity of Donna Troy, the superhero identity of Wonder Girl, and became the newest Amazonian.
In 1988, Donna received a new origin that claimed she was one of twelve orphans from across the galaxy. They were raised by The Titans of Myth, given superpowers, and finally had their memories erased and were placed on their respective planets to one day become saviors of their worlds.
In the late 1990's her origin was reset again and established that Donna Troy was created by the sorceress Magala in the image of teenaged Wonder Woman/Diana and was to be her playmate because Diana was the only child on Themyscira. However, a villain knows as Dark Angel had kidnapped Donna believing she was Diana. Dark Angel put a curse on Donna that would force her to relive different variations of her life, suffering from never having clarity. Every time Donna would be at her lowest, her life would reset and memories of her past would be wiped from her mind and the minds of others. With the help of Wonder Woman, Queen Hippolyta and The Flash (the former Kid Flash), Donna was able to defeat Dark Angel. Though her existence was almost reset again, Hippolyta was able to use all of Flash/Kid Flash's memories of Donna to recreate her as "the best parts" of what Flash/Kid Flash remembered. Donna was then accepted by Hippolyta as her second daughter and was given clarity.
In 2015, she was given her final origin. The New 52 reboot established that Wonder Woman/Diana was the child of Queen Hippolyta and Zeus rather than being molded from clay and brought to life. This time around, Donna was molded from clay and given life by the sorceress Derinoe to be the successor of Queen Hippolyta and, as an adult, was added to Themyscira's council. Currently, there exists male Amazonians who inhabit Themyscira. Donna firmly believes the island should only belong to women and has made attempts to slaughter the men on the island, only to be stopped by Diana/Wonder Woman. After seeing how often their Queen Diana is off accompanying The Justice League, the Amazonians elect Donna Troy as their new Queen and the fight between Donna and Diana begins.
I should note that all these origins are simplified interpretations of what occurred. I should also note that the most preferred version of Donna was the 1980's version. There, Donna gave advice to her fellow Teen Titans like a big sister. She married an ordinary man named Terry Long and even gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Robert Long. After a story that features a future version of Robert going mad and killing the future versions of Donna and Terry, Donna's husband divorced her and takes the child too. DC Comics Editorial chose to drop Terry and Robert completely and set Donna up with the 90's Green Lantern instead.
It's a real shame about Donna seeing as DC Comics has killed off children of characters multiple times just to wind back the clock and make their characters more tortured. And for a character who can't get a solid story, Donna is clearly tortured the most. Add her absences in both the "Teen Titans" and "Young Justice" cartoons and you'll see, just as well as I do, that DC Comics has no idea what do with their teenaged characters without allowing them to grow up and move on. Donna represents DC Comic's greatest flaw; They can't walk forwards.
Thanks for reading.
Facebook: The Panel Biter
Twitter: @ThePanelBiter
Podbean: Panelbiter.podbean.com
No comments:
Post a Comment