Wonder Woman is one of the most iconic heroes of DC. Despite this, Diana does not truly have an equally notable nemesis. Cheetah is often held up as her archenemy, but their rivalry is not as strong as the ones between Superman and Lex Luthor or Batman and The Joker. Wonder Woman #10 by Tom King and Daniel Sampere explores this point, and why Cheetah is not truly the nemesis of the Amazing Amazon.
The action of Wonder Woman #10 finds both Diana and Cheetah shipwrecked on a deserted island. This is due to the machinations of The Sovereign, a new villain who hoped to humble Diana. When she proved incapable of being broken by torture, he elected to throw a starving Cheetah at her.
As the battle plays out, the Sovereign ponders the idea of nemeses. Specifically, how classic heroes and villains reflect one another as equal and opposite forces. This is the case with Batman and the Joker; a creature of darkness inspiring hope and a figure of frivolity made deadly. It is also the case for Superman and Lex Luthor, who represent strength and smarts respectively.
However, there is no obvious correlation between Wonder Woman and Cheetah. One is a champion of an entire pantheon of gods. The other is the victim of a single god’s cruelty. In terms of power, there is no contest. In terms of origin, they have little in common. In the end, The Sovereign believes that there is no reason for the two to be enemies beyond the gods’ whim that “if there is a Wonder Woman, there must also be a Cheetah.”
Wonder Woman and Cheetah are true sisters
The comic concludes with Diana and Barbara Minerva making peace. The two discuss their relationship and how they were friends before Barbara became the Cheetah. Ultimately, they conclude there is only one word for what they have been, loving and hating each other: sisters.
The metatextual musings of the Sovereign reach a similar conclusion. While Joker may be Chaos and Batman Order, Wonder Woman and Cheetah cannot be simplified in such a fashion. Both women have been too much over the years to reflect simple archetypes or be archenemies.
Wonder Woman #10 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
