Etta Candy
Etta Candy | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Sensation Comics #2 (February 1942) |
Created by | William Moulton Marston H. G. Peter |
In-story information | |
Full name | Etta Candy |
Team affiliations | A.R.G.U.S. United States Air Force United States Army United States Navy |
Supporting character of | Wonder Woman |
Etta Candy is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly in association with Wonder Woman.[1] Spirited and vivacious, with a devil-may-care attitude, Etta debuted as a young white woman with red hair in 1942's Sensation Comics #2, written by Wonder Woman's creator William Moulton Marston.[2]
Enrolled in the fictional Holliday College for Women (and often accompanied by her fellow students, "the Holliday Girls"), Etta would become a constant feature of Wonder Woman's
In 2011, Etta was again updated as part of DC Comics' company-wide
Beatrice Colen portrayed Etta in the 1970s Wonder Woman series. The character made her cinematic debut in the DC Extended Universe in the 2017 film Wonder Woman, played by Lucy Davis. She has been portrayed in animated film by voice actors Julianne Grossman and Adrienne C. Moore.
Character history
Golden Age
In her 1940s introduction, Etta Candy is a sickly malnourished woman Wonder Woman discovers at a local hospital. [Note, this version is from the Wonder Woman comic strip and written after Etta's first appearance in the comic books in Sensation Comics #2 in 1942.] When next seen, Etta is transformed into a spirited, rotund young woman who has a great love of candy. When Wonder Woman asks about her new body type, Etta tells her that she was rejuvenated by eating many sweets. With her newfound confidence, Etta Candy soon after leads the fictional Beeta Lambda sorority at Holliday College and aids Wonder Woman in her adventures. First, with a hundred other Holliday girls, Etta helps Wonder Woman take over the Nazi base of Doctor Poison without endangering Steve Trevor. Throughout her adventures with Wonder Woman, Etta is known for her moxie, her love of candy, and for her trademark call "Woo! Woo!" (A catch-phrase derived, in part, from exclamations associated with comic actor Hugh Herbert[7] and Curly Howard of The Three Stooges. Other versions of the character have been known to say "Woo! Woo!" and according to at least one version it is a sorority cry at Holliday College.) Other familiar characteristics included her jalopy car nicknamed Esmerelda, and a variety of sassy interjections, such as: "For the love of chocolate!"
Her father, Hard Candy, and mother, Sugar Candy, lived on the Bar-L Ranch in
Silver and Bronze Age
When Robert Kanigher became writer and editor of the adventures of Wonder Woman, he made little use of Etta Candy and the Holiday girls. When he did, he portrayed Etta as an insecure, weight-conscious girl who followed but never led the girls in her sorority. This was in sharp contrast to Marston characterization of a bold, sassy, wisecracking leader. Despite a few appearances after Kanigher reintroduced her in 1960 (Wonder Woman #117) Candy was left in limbo for decades.[8]
Etta Candy was revived twenty years later in 1980 (Wonder Woman #272), along with Steve Trevor and General Phil Darnell. In the years since her last appearance, Candy had not only graduated from Holiday College, but had become a Lieutenant and was on hand to welcome Wonder Woman back to her old job as Air Force officer Diana Prince something she hadn't done since 1968. Lieutenant Candy was featured as a secretary to Darnell and as Diana's roommate. Despite having been Wonder Woman's friend years previous, Candy had never met Diana Prince or learned her secret identity. Thus, from Candy's point of view, she and Prince met for the first time when Prince returned to the Air Force.
She was still portrayed as insecure and weight-conscious and, although she no longer said "for the love of chocolate", was known to swear by Betty Crocker. She also did most of the cooking between herself and her roommate. Her family was not expanded as much as was the family of her golden age incarnation though she did remark on being from a large family and had a niece named Suzie. Her love interest was now nerdy, hopelessly clumsy but nevertheless very loving Howard Huckaby.
In one adventure, Etta was kidnapped by
In the years leading up to
Post-Crisis
After the 1987 Greg Potter–George Pérez revamp of Wonder Woman, Etta was romantically linked with, and eventually married to, Steve Trevor, who was no longer Diana's love interest.
A career Air Force officer, Etta served as Steve Trevor's aide when he was framed for treason as part of Ares' scheme to spark a global war. Etta was fiercely dedicated to her friends, and her faith in Steve's innocence helped him clear his name, even though the two temporarily became fugitives while helping Wonder Woman overthrow Ares' plans. While on the run, Steve and Etta realized their love for one another. A happy couple, they remained friends with Wonder Woman.
Feeling insecure about her weight, Etta developed an eating disorder that was kept secret from her friends.[10] She was able to lose 20 pounds, but at the expense of her health. When she finally collapsed due to a lack of food in front of Wonder Woman while trying on wedding gowns, Diana advised her to take better care of herself and maintain a sensible diet. Since that time, Etta has gained her original weight back.
Etta and Steve largely disappeared from the pages of Wonder Woman during the run of writer/artist John Byrne, and they appeared infrequently since then. She did appear once Diana lost her royal title during writer Phil Jimenez's run as her usual supportive friend, but was depicted as still insecure about her heavy weight and apprehensive about her marriage to Steve.
Writer Gail Simone later reintroduced Etta Candy as an intelligence officer requested by Sarge Steel to report on Diana Prince and her associations.[11] This took place following the Infinite Crisis which altered Diana's origins and to an extent the origins of her supporting cast. Etta remained married to Steve Trevor and was a close friend of Diana and was also aware of Diana's dual identity. The full extent of her history with Diana following the new DCU continuity is not known.
Etta joined Wonder Woman on the
The New 52
In September 2011,
During the Forever Evil storyline, Steve Trevor returned to the ruins of Washington DC's A.R.G.U.S. headquarters where Etta Candy told him that the destruction was caused by a massive spike in Doctor Light's body where the energies emitted from it exposed the A.R.G.U.S. agents. Etta Candy was later approached by an energy manifestation of Doctor Light.[16]
Rebirth
After the events of Rebirth, Etta Candy continued working with Steve Trevor, but has been promoted to Commander Candy.[17] Flashbacks throughout the story revealed Etta became friends with Dr. Barbara Minerva prior to becoming Cheetah and developed romantic feelings for her, which Barbara was implied to have returned. Etta is later referenced as working closely with A.R.G.U.S., a government group skilled in dealing with the super-human and super-natural.[18]
Other versions
Seven Soldiers
Writer, Grant Morrison used an aged version of Etta as a counselor in the first issue of Seven Soldiers: Zatanna and showed her as a convention speaker in Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer.[19]
Earth-Two
During DC Comics' Pre-Crisis era, the Golden Age versions of its characters were revived. They were retroactively said to have lived on an alternate dimension dubbed Earth-Two thus explaining why the regular Wonder Woman and her supporting cast could appear youthful despite the "original" Wonder Woman having appeared decades earlier. Etta Candy was no exception although her Earth-Two self differed slightly from her Golden Age self. For example, she was shown working for the military instead of being a college student. To harmonize the two versions, it was later explained that this Etta Candy was a college student but had put her studies on hold to serve her country. At war's end, she resumed her studies and became a dietitian. Later appearances of the Earth-Two Etta Candy show her being much more faithful to her Golden Age self.
Superman & Batman: Generations
She makes an appearance in the Superman & Batman: Generations miniseries by John Byrne. Generations takes a different approach from the aforementioned example by imagining a world wherein superheroes age in real time relative to their original appearance in comic books. Thus, by 1953 Etta Candy is happily married to Oscar Sweetgulper, her Golden Age beau, and is Mrs. Etta Candy Sweetgulper.
Wonder Woman: Amazonia
She appears in Wonder Woman: Amazonia, a Wonder Woman story set in a Victorian Britain. There, Etta grew up a hungry, homeless, destitute orphan on the streets of London. Her only friend was Diana, the girl that would grow up to be Wonder Woman. After they grew up and Diana was offered a job in show business exhibiting her great strength, Etta bid goodbye to her friend. She married an army man but she was forced to take up prostitution to survive after he took to drink and abandoned her. When she and Diana were reunited years later, she managed to get a job as a nanny for Diana's children, one of whom was named Etta in honor of her mother's best friend. At the climax of the story, the villain tries to kidnap Wonder Woman's daughters (among other things) but Etta bravely rescues them. It closes with Etta Candy as governess to the Princesses Etta and Victoria and best friend to their mother Queen Diana of Britain and Themyscira.
Wednesday Comics
Etta appears as a major supporting character in the Wonder Woman story serialized in Wednesday Comics. In the alternate reality featured in the storyline, Etta is a teenager who befriends the young Diana when she first arrives in America. Etta is eventually kidnapped by Diana's other friend,
Convergence: Wonder Woman
A Pre-Crisis version of Etta appears in "Convergence: Wonder Woman". She alerts Wonder Woman to a doomsday cult which has risen from the events of Convergence. She tries to save Wonder Woman from the fanatical followers, but is spirited away by the vampire Joker from the Red Rain universe. Wonder Woman finds her bitten and drained, though she subsequently becomes a vampire in service of the Joker. She is killed when Steve Trevor, also made a vampire, resists the Joker's control and plunges both of them into a deep chasm opened during the battle.
Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman
In Neil Kleid's "Ghosts and Gods," his addition to the collaborative collection "Sensation Comics featuring Wonder Woman Volume 1," Etta is seen as an active sidekick to the Amazonian Princess, helping her raid Ra's Al Ghul's stronghold. Etta shows skill with a grappling hook during the adventure. Etta doesn't get to say much for herself, because when the pair is captured, "
The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Etta makes an appearance in the comic book version of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Wonder Woman: Earth One
Etta appears in Wonder Woman: Earth One, but renamed Beth. She's similar to the Pre-Crisis Earth-Two version, being a spirited, plump young woman and the head of the Holiday Girls. She appears to be a lesbian (or possibly bisexual) as she's intrigued by Wonder Woman's stories of Themyscira, an island full of women, but is put off by their attitudes as it "spoil[s] [her] fantasy". She and the Holiday Girls also designed Wonder Woman's costume. She accompanied Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor to Themyscira for Wonder Woman's trial to defend her; all the other Amazons (except Hippolyta) were disgusted by her appearance.
The Legend of Wonder Woman
Etta Candy appears as a major supporting character in this alternate re-telling of Wonder Woman's origin. The Holliday Girls are also featured in supporting roles.[21]
Smallville Season Eleven
Etta Candy appears as a Lieutenant of United States Air Force. She was described as an excellent pilot and was chosen to escort Queen Hippolyta back to Themyscira. She called her plane the "invisible plane".[22]
In other media
Television
- Etta Candy appears in Wonder Woman (1975), portrayed by Beatrice Colen. This version is General Phil Blankenship's incompetent secretary.[23]
- David E Kelley's 2011 unaired Wonder Woman pilot.[24]
Film
- Etta Candy appears in Wonder Woman (2009), voiced by Julianne Grossman. This version is slimmer and Steve Trevor's secretary.
- Etta Candy appears in media set in the DC Extended Universe, portrayed by Lucy Davis:
- Introduced in Wonder Woman (2017), this version is British, red-haired, and Steve Trevor's secretary, who befriends Wonder Woman after she leaves Themyscira.[25]
- Candy appears in a photograph depicted in Wonder Woman 1984.
- Etta Candy appears in Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, voiced by Adrienne C. Moore.[26] This version is African-American and openly lesbian.
Video games
- Etta Candy appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Jimenez, Phil (2010). The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia. Del Rey Books. pp. 74–75.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^ Hanley, Tim (2014). Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World's Most Famous Heroine. Chicago Review Press. p. 21.
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #2
- ^ Jimenez, (2010) pp. 406-407.
- ^ Berlatsky, Noah (2015). Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peter Comics, 1941-1948. Rutgers University Press. pp. 128–186.
- ^ Daniels, Les (2000). Wonder Woman: The Complete History. Chronicle Books LLC. p. 35.
- ISBN 978-1605490458.
- ^ Wonder Woman #323
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #78
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #14
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #19
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #32
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #40
- ^ Justice League (vol. 2) #7 (March 2012)
- ^ Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. #1
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 5) #1 (August 2016)
- ^ Justice League Dark #1 (2018)
- ^ Contino, Jennifer M. (9 September 2005). "Morrison's 7 Soldiers Part Five: Zatanna Making Magic". Comicon.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ Sensation Comics featuring Wonder Woman #8 (May 2015)
- ^ The Legend of Wonder Woman #1-8 (2016)
- ^ Smallville Season Eleven #19 (2014)
- ^ "Etta Candy - the disappearing woman". Broken Voice Comics. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (3 March 2011). "Elizabeth Hurley & Tracie Thoms Join NBC's 'Wonder Woman'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ Wonder Woman (2017 film)
- ^ "Wonder Woman Bloodlines Gets Synopsis, Art, Voice Cast". comicbookresources. July 29, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- Beatty, Scott (2009). Wonder Woman: The Ultimate Guide To The Amazon Princess. Dorling Kindersley Publishing. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-7894-9616-4.
- ISBN 978-0-3853-5404-2.