Summary

  • Wonder Woman's white, mod-outfit stirred controversy in response to changing social trends of the late 60s.
  • Despite being quickly forgotten, Tom King reveals a soft spot for the unique white Wonder Woman costume.
  • The iconic superhero's outfit evolved from skirt to swimsuit to mod look, reflecting cultural shifts over the years.

For a brief period, Wonder Woman wore a controversial white, mod-inflected outfit, and it has one surprising fan: current Wonder Woman scribe Tom King. Wonder Woman’s white costume was a response to shifting cultural trends, and as such, not aged well. The costume had its detractors on all sides, and was quickly forgotten. Yet, in an interview with ScreenRant, King confesses a soft spot for the white outfit.

Speaking with Kate O’Donoghue of ScreenRant, Tom King discussed a number of topics related to his current run on Wonder Woman, as well as his general thoughts on the character.

Wonder Woman 191 Sekowsky Cover: Diana in a white mod dress between two covers.

When asked if he had a particular favorite Wonder Woman outfit, he praised current Wonder Woman artist Daniel Sampere, but then went on to reveal:

I see Mike Sekowsky in the ‘70s doing the karate-chop mod Wonder Woman. I don't know! I did a comic book with Doc Shaner, and [we] used that outfit of her doing that late-60s mod thing, and I thought it was just absolutely delightful.

I like them all, but alright: Daniel’s for the actual suit, but I do have a little part of me who loves mod Wonder Woman.

King did not reveal if the white, mod-outfit might make a return appearance.

Wonder Woman's Outfit Has Remained Largely the Same--With A Few Exceptions

Wonder Woman's White, Mod-Outfit Was Highly Controversial

Wonder Woman in mod outfit in 1960s comic

Wonder Woman’s star-spangled costume is iconic, and recognized by people the world over. Over the years, different artists put their own spin on it. Starting as a skirt, it soon became a swimsuit. While not exactly a skimpy swimsuit, it still revealed a great deal of skin. By the late 1960s, however, the women’s liberation movement had begun, and suddenly Wonder Woman appeared out of step with the times. To rectify this, DC gave her a new outfit in Wonder Woman #179. The new costume was all-white, carrying a “mod” touch.

However, Wonder Woman’s new outfit was unpopular from the get-go. The powers that be at DC gave her this more modest costume as a way of bringing Wonder Woman into the late 1960s. The swimsuit was seen as degrading to Wonder Woman, as it made her a sex symbol. Interestingly enough, according to legend, Gloria Steinem, a prominent feminist activist, upon seeing Wonder Woman’s mod outfit, was shocked. The negative publicity Wonder Woman’s white outfit was receiving was enough to convince DC to reinstate her classic duds in Wonder Woman #204. Fandom rejoiced when it returned.

Tom King Can Rehabilitate Wonder Woman's "Mod" Outfit

Wonder Woman's White Outfit Is A Key Part of Her History

Wonder Woman All-White Mod outfits

While Wonder Woman’s “mod” phase is often spoken of negatively in discussions about the character, Tom King is nonetheless a fan. Wonder Woman’s white costume, while unpopular, represented a genuine, good-faith attempt on DC’s part to engage with the world around them, and be aware of the social trends going on in the “real world.” While parts of this phase failed to land, such as the borderline racist I Ching, it was the first time DC tried a wholesale reinvention of one of their biggest icons–and Wonder Woman writer Tom King is a surprising fan.