Diana of Themyscira, aka Wonder Woman, just got an epic new body paint cosplay in which her iconic bracelets are used to deflect bullets, then clashed together for a burst of force. October sees Wonder Woman's 80th anniversary as a comic hero, with a host of celebrations from fans, including her entry into the Comic-Con Hall of Fame.
Created by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter, Wonder Woman first appeared October 21, 1941, in All Star Comics #8, and remains a DC Comics icon to this day. Her enhanced speed and reflexes allow her to use her bracelets to deflect bullets, while her incredible strength allows her to create shockwaves by striking them together - an ability shown by Gal Gadot's incarnation in Justice League. Diana passed away in January, sacrificing herself in the Dark Nights: Death Metal event, but returned to life this month after an adventure that has spanned multiple mythological afterlives.
Now, wonder woman is being celebrated through the incredible skill of body paint artist Melissa Croft. An artist who specializes in nerd culture, Croft often depicts comic, game, and movie characters, from major names like Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy to deeper cuts like Viv Vision and the X-Men's warrior super-mutant Rasputin IV. For some characters, Croft goes the extra mile with short videos, and in a tweet shared October 17, she appears as Wonder Woman deflecting bullets with body paint bracelets. Having challenged fans to retweet the video, Croft then provided a photo set of the incredibly skilled cosplay.
While Wonder Woman has appeared in a huge number of costumes over the years, Croft's cosplay goes for a classic look which includes both the bracelets and Diana's tiara, which can be thrown as a surprisingly effective weapon. Croft previously cosplayed as Yara Flor, the current Wonder Girl and future Wonder Woman of DC's Future State timeline. Flor is one of several characters - including Artemis, Nubia, and Hippolyta - who have lived up to Diana's mantle during her time in the afterlife, and all will appear in upcoming comic event Wonder Woman: Trial of the Amazons - coming 2022, and only the third major event to revolve around Diana and her supporting cast.
A member of DC's Trinity alongside Batman and Superman, Wonder Woman is a comic-book icon and a complex character, characterized by wisdom and a concerted desire for peace, but also a willingness to pursue lethal action when presented with no other options. As fans around the world celebrate Diana's eightieth birthday, Melissa Croft's depiction is an awesome tribute to Wonder Woman, and one steeped in iconography which, eighty years after its introduction, shows no sign of lessening its grip on the public imagination.
Source: Melissa Croft