Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman
source
Name	Wonder Woman
Publisher	DC Comics
Debut	All Star Comics #8 (1941)
Creators	William Moulton Marston; artist H. G. Peter
Alter ego	Diana Prince
Alliances	Justice League, Amazons of Themyscira, Justice Society of America
Base of operations	Themyscira, Washington, D.C.

Wonder Woman is a fictional superheroine appearing in DC Comics since 1941. Created by William Moulton Marston with artist H. G. Peter, she became a founding member of the Justice League and an enduring symbol of female empowerment in American popular culture. Over decades she has featured in comic book runs, television series, and feature films, intersecting with creators, performers, and institutions across the Golden Age of Comic Books, Silver Age of Comic Books, and contemporary graphic narratives.

Publication history

Wonder Woman premiered in All Star Comics #8 (1941) and headlined her own title beginning with Sensation Comics and subsequently Wonder Woman under All-American Publications and later National Comics Publications following corporate consolidations that produced DC Comics. Early stories by William Moulton Marston established themes continued by writers and artists such as H. G. Peter, Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino, George Pérez, William Messner-Loebs, Greg Rucka, J. Michael Straczynski, Phil Jimenez, Brian Azzarello, Gail Simone, and Brian Bendis. Major editorial events affecting the character include Crisis on Infinite Earths, Zero Hour, Infinite Crisis, Flashpoint, and the DC Rebirth initiative, each prompting retcons and reboots involving contributors like Marv Wolfman and Dan DiDio. Significant storylines include The Hiketeia, Gods and Mortals, The Lies, and crossovers with titles such as Justice League of America, Batman, and Superman. Publishers and imprints including Vertigo and DC Black Label have influenced mature interpretations and variant editions.

Fictional character biography

Diana, an Amazon princess of Themyscira (formerly Paradise Island), was sculpted by Queen Hippolyta and granted life by gods such as Zeus, Athena, and Aphrodite in many origin versions. Trained by Amazon warriors including Penthesileia analogues and mentored by figures like Io (Greek mythology), she leaves Themyscira and assumes the identity Diana Prince in order to operate in the world of Man's World. She forges alliances and rivalries with heroes including Superman, Batman, Black Canary, and teammates in the Justice League of America and faces foes connected to pantheons and geopolitics such as Ares, Cheetah, Circe, Dr. Poison, and organizations like Intergang and Project Cadmus. Her biography spans wartime narratives of the World War II era, Cold War–era espionage, post-9/11 geopolitical storylines, and mythic epics involving Olympus and the New Gods.

Powers and abilities

Her abilities are often attributed to divine gifts from deities such as Zeus, Hippolyta, and Athena. Canonical powers include superhuman strength comparable to Superman in some arcs, superhuman speed and stamina used in combats against opponents like Darkseid, enhanced durability resisting weapons employed by adversaries such as Ares or Circe, and flight depicted variably across runs by creators including George Pérez and Greg Rucka. She is a master of hand-to-hand combat trained in Amazonic martial traditions and weapons proficiency involving the Lasso of Truth, indestructible bracelets forged from Amazonian or Olympian materials, and artifacts like the royal tiara which has been used as a projectile. Skills include diplomacy and leadership applied within institutions such as the United Nations in stories where she serves as an ambassador, and investigative techniques encountered in narratives with characters like Steve Trevor and organizations like A.R.G.U.S..

Supporting characters and villains

Supporting characters include allies and mentors such as Queen Hippolyta, Steve Trevor, Etta Candy, Donna Troy, Cassie Sandsmark, Julia Kapatelis, and Justice League colleagues Batman, Superman, Hal Jordan, and Barry Allen. Notable antagonists span mythic and human threats: Cheetah, Ares, Circe, Doctor Poison, Giganta, Maxwell Lord, and political adversaries portrayed through groups such as Ivy Town-adjacent cabals in various writers' runs. Teams and organizations that recur include the Amazons of Themyscira, Justice Society of America, Children of the Gods-style cults, and villainous collectives featured in crossover events like Forever Evil.

Adaptations in other media

Adaptations include the 1975–1979 television series starring Lynda Carter, the 2017 and 2020 feature films directed by Patty Jenkins starring Gal Gadot, and serialized animated portrayals in ''Justice League'', Super Friends, and the DC Animated Universe. Voice performers include Susan Eisenberg, Keri Russell, and Rosario Dawson in various animated and video game roles. Video game appearances span titles published by Electronic Arts, Rocksteady Studios, and NetherRealm Studios including entries in the Injustice franchise and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. Stage and radio adaptations and licensed merchandise have involved collaborations with institutions such as Hasbro, Mattel, and DC Direct.

Cultural impact and legacy

The character has influenced feminist discourse, appearing in scholarship alongside figures like Simone de Beauvoir, Betty Friedan, and debates in journals associated with Gender Studies and popular culture criticism. She has been adopted as an icon by advocacy groups, commemorated on postage by United States Postal Service–style initiatives in fan campaigns, and analyzed in legal and copyright discussions involving National Comics Publications and corporate entities such as Warner Bros.. Awards and honors connected to portrayals include nominations and recognitions at ceremonies like the MTV Movie Awards, People's Choice Awards, and film festival screenings curated by institutions such as Toronto International Film Festival. Her presence in education, museum exhibitions, and art projects has linked to collections at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and thematic retrospectives on comic art history.

Category:DC Comics characters Category:Fictional Amazons