Wonder Woman: Nubia's New Costume Has a Badass Secret Meaning
Warning: spoilers for Wonder Girl #1 by Joëlle Jones, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles are ahead.
DC Comics has forged its identity as a publisher through merging classical storytelling modes and characters with the modern comic book medium, and nowhere is this more apparent than with Wonder Woman and the Amazons. As a group of warrior women inhabiting the island of Themyscira, the Amazons are based off of the group of the same name from Greek mythology who were famed for their combat skills. Now led by Nubia, a new era for the Amazons has begun with the expansion of the new Wonder Girl, Yara Flor's, story in the DC Universe.
A recognizable part of the Amazons in DC Comics is their elaborate dress, including armor. And while Yara Flor's costume and asymmetrical armor has brought the world of the Amazons in a bold new direction, there is more to be unpacked from the armor showcased by other characters in her story. For Nubia in particular, her new armor may be indicative of the militaristic future for the Amazons.
Nubia's armor, like Yara's, is asymmetrical, but in her case, her chest plate covers only her left breast. This references a belief in Greek mythology that the Amazons cut off their right breast so that they could be more effective archers. With more room to pull the bowstring closer to their chests, an Amazonian archer could be more accurate. In Wonder Girl #1, Nubia's armor could be seen most clearly, coincidentally, as she watched a group of archers during target practice on Themyscira (written by Joëlle Jones, art by Joëlle Jones, colors by Jordie Bellaire, letters by Clayton Cowles).
Though subtle, Nubia's armor carries several implications about the future for both the Amazons and their relationship to Yara Flor's Wonder Girl. Yara's presence in her native Brazil in Wonder Girl #1 set off a chain reaction across Themyscira, Mount Olympus, and Bana-Mighdall, as her presence took the leadership, including Nubia, by surprise. Commanding her warriors to hunt down Yara, it is clear that Nubia is taking the Amazons in a more proactive and warlike direction from the isolationism of Hippolyta's rule. Nubia's armor reflects the values she embodies as a leader, hinting at a more confrontational road ahead for the Amazons and Yara Flor.
Power is as much a visual construction as it is an interpersonal one, and for Nubia as Queen of the Amazons, her decisions about her appearance reveal the type of power she wishes to exude. Nubia's armor reflects her status as a warrior queen who values offense over defense. By leaving the right side of her chest unprotected, Nubia chooses weapon accuracy and effectiveness over personal safety. As a leader, this is a bold choice, considering that she is still a head of state.
With Yara Flor's Wonder Girl, writer/artist Joëlle Jones has launched a striking new chapter in one of the DC Universe's core myths. While the visual aesthetic of Jones's Wonder Girl is unmistakably singular, creative choices like Nubia's armor reveal a rich character discourse taking place on a visual level. For fans of Wonder Woman, this turn for Nubia's character hints at a multilayered take on Amazonian life and culture that will have dramatic consequences for its new protagonist.
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