Wonder Woman

The pioneer for female heroes, Wonder Woman was a founding member of the Justice League and made her first appearance in All Star Comics #8 in October of 1941. With her first feature in Sensation Comics issue #1 in September of 1942. Wonder Woman was a consistent presence in the existence of DC comics with the exception of a brief hiatus in 1986. Her character was an early feminist icon holding many feminist ideals and defeating many damsel in distress like tropes.

In the Golden Age of comics Wonder Woman leaves the land of the Amazons and takes Steve Trevor back to Man’s World, where she then joins the Justice Society of America. The Silver Age of comics brought in new changes for many characters but enhanced Wonder Woman’s origins. Drawing from more mythological roots Wonder Woman’s strength comes from Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, and Hercules. It is in this age that she also adopts the name of Diana Prince. The Bronze age brought more changes to DC comics including the first of the many, and very confusing alternate universes. After the Crisis on Infinite Earths story line, Diana and Steve were declared from the Earth-2 dimension and everything that happened prior to this era were erased from history.

2010 brought an individual Wonder Woman series, 2011 brought us the New 52, 2016 brought DC Rebirth, and with all the changes that the universe has gone through we have many different versions and adaptations of Wonder Woman. In the New 52 version of Diana she doesn’t just draw on strengths from the Gods she is herself a Demi-Goddess possessing more than just a highly trained level of strength and combat skill. DC Rebirth brought an even bigger adjustment to Wonder Woman’s origins, in which brought us back to something similar to her getting back to real origins in which she received her powers from the Olympian Gods.

Though the origins and powers of Wonder Woman have undergone many changes and shifts over the years, what she stands for and represents has always remained consistent. As the only female founder of the Justice League of America she often had to push back against the testosterone driven leaders to allow herself on the front lines. She was never one to stay behind and let the men do her work for her.

Wonder Woman fought and defeated villains rooted in magic and Mythology, in her solo story line War of the Gods she goes head to head with Circe, manipulated by Hippolyta Artemis challenges Diana for the mantle of Wonder Woman and wins. Artemis, killed as Wonder Woman fulfills a vision had by Hippolyta leaving Diana to retake her mantle. The New 52 version of Wonder Woman made Diana the “God of War” and in Rebirth she spends more time on Themiscrya then she does in Man’s world.

Wonder Woman has always been depicted with super strength, super speed, flight, healing factors and semi-immortality. In the Golden Age of comics, Wonder Woman possesses a strength and speed comparable to the Golden Age of Superman. Flight being a newer power attributed to her as through the Bronze Age Wonder Woman flew an invisible jet that could be controlled through mental commands. Other iconic Wonder Woman items include her lasso of truth and bracelets of submission.

Wonder Woman has also undergone many on screen adaptations including DC Animated films, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited and her live action solo movie, a cinematic event that I personally awaited my entire life and it more than reached my expectations. As to what is to come for Wonder Woman, 1984 is to be released soon and as we have seen from the trailer Steve Trevor is back and Diana has a whole new look. I am excited to see what Patti Jenkins has in store for the Amazonian princess.