The Amazonian daughter of Hippolyta, Princess Diana of Themyscira journeys to the world of men after discovering Steve Trevor, a United States intelligence officer, washed up on the shores of Paradise Island.
Wonder Woman adopted the civilian identity of Diana Prince, serving first as a military secretary before moving on to a variety of jobs, including nurse, translator, ambassador, and museum curator.
Armed with bullet proof braces, a lasso of truth, and an invisible jet, Wonder Woman seeks to aid the land of men and fight injustice.
Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston, an American psychologist and inventor, and Harry G Peter, an American newspaper illustrator and cartoonist. Marston, using the pen name Charles Moulton, believed women were exceptionally gifted and that the world needed a woman superhero.
The character was modeled on early feminist ideals, with appearances drawn from Marston’s wife, Elizabeth Marsten, as well as the couple’s polyamorous partner, Mary Olive Byrne.
Created during the second World War, Wonder Woman’s initial appearances dealt primarily with her battling forces of the Axis powers. Over time, a greater emphasis on her connections to Greek Mythology was placed on the character within the DC universe.
Diana has gone on to become a core member of the Justice League and one of the most recognizable superheroes in the world.
Over her 80 years and countless writers, Wonder Woman has remained a constant character who loves the people of earth despite their flaws and always strives to leave a place better than she found with truth and justice at her core.
Gold
The Hiketeia
August 2002
- Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia
- Greg Rucka
- J.G Jones
- Wade Von Grawbadger
- Dave Stewart
- Todd Klein
The Plot
Diana finds herself honor bound to a woman who killed the sex-slaver that murdered her sister and ends up facing off against Batman in a lose-lose situation. Unlike others, this series starts with Diana already established in man’s world, as the ambassador from Themyscira.
Weaving a wonderful tale straddled between gritty Gotham and ancient deities, this collection challenges what justice truly means, disecting a problem from several angles.
Why We Love It
If you only read one Wonder Woman book – make it this one!The Hiketeia will resonate with anyone interested in great storytelling. It strikes an even balance between Batman and Wonder Woman’s conflict well and is a wonderful place to start for anyone who’s never read Wonder Woman or just wants to dive back into her world again.
Rucka’s first round with Diana touches on themes of ethics, morality, honor, truth, all while humanizing Diana. Jones and Stewart’s artwork shines and sets the perfect tone for this series.
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Silver
The Golden Age
October 1941 – February 1942
- All Star Comics #8
- Comic Cavalcade #1
- Sensation Comics #1-14
- Wonder Woman #1-3
- William Moulton Marston
- Harry G. Peter
- Harry G. Peter
- Harry G. Peter
The Plot
In this collection of her first ever stories, Wonder Woman assumes the identity Diana Prince after rescuing Steve Trevor and falling madly in love with him on Paradise Island. She assists the U.S. government in a variety of events during WW2 while competing with herself for Steve Trevor’s attention as Secretary Diana Prince and Wonder Woman.
Inspired by Marston’s real life interests in lie detectors, his wife Elizabeth Marston and life partner Olive Byrne, and his experiences as a professor, Wonder Woman is still relevant in several of its progressive values.
Why We Love It
Although very much written through the eyes of a white man in the 40s, this was Wonder Woman’s start and a lot of her ideals hold true today. Her feminism, assertive nature, and drive to get to the truth of the matter are all constants that are still not common in comics today. Moulton certainly enjoyed putting Diana in chains and most of the scenes with Etta Candy are hard to read without a cringe.
These early strips are fun and countless iterations have borrowed heavily from them. They embraced the great themes of love triumphing over evil portrayed in them through tackling the injustices of the world and occasionally having some fun kangaroo tournaments.
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The Circle
January – April 2008
- Wonder Woman #14-19
- Gail Simone
- Terry Dodson
- Rachel Dodson
- Lee Louridge, Alex Sinclair, & Pete Pantazis
- Travis Lanham, John Hill, & Rob Leigh
The Plot
The Mysterious group known as the Circle contains a deadly secret. Captain Nazi has started a global war. Etta Candy, now a Lt Colonel in the military works with Steve Trevor in Intelligence matters that might lead to revealing Wonder Woman’s secret Identity as Diana Prince.
Why We Love It
Simone has written perhaps some of the most compelling Wonder Woman stories. She keeps a lighthearted edge on some difficult subjects while reintroducing Wonder Woman to some of the classic strange entities she fought under Marston like giant Sentient Apes.
Dodson, Dodson, Louridge, and Sinclair combine an engaging style of art that feels as fresh and dynamic as Simone’s take on Diana.
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Earth One
April 2016
- Wonder Woman Earth One Vol 1
- Grant Morrison
- Yanick Paquette
- Yanick Paquette
- Nathan Fairbairn
- Todd Klein
The Plot
Morrison takes the origins of Wonder Woman, twists some familiar stories and adds their own flavor to the lore. Bored with Paradise Island, Diana finds a crashed Steve Trevor.
After deceiving her mother and the others on Paradise Island, Diana escapes to explore the forbidden world of man to save Steve. But it isn’t long before she’s taken back for trial with the Golden Lasso.
Why We Love It
This is a great take spinning some of the original tales of Marston’s golden age issues into a thought provoking twist on the consequences Diana would face as a woman from an island of women who wants to do more in the world of men she’s been sequestered from.
It’s compelling and vibrant inks and colors from Paquette and Fairbairn convey tremendous amounts of personality into every panel and will hook you in. This series has just wrapped up it’s final volume so if the Golden Age isn’t something you’re interested in, this should be your start!
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Bronze
Gods and Mortals
February – August 1987
- Wonder Woman 1-7
- George Perez, Greg Potter, & Len Wein
- George Perez
- Bruce D. Patterson
- George Perez & Tatjana Wood
- John Constanza
The Plot
In classic 80s colors and fashion, Perez takes Wonder Woman out of Paradise Island and into the world of man not just because she falls in love with Steve Trevor.
Along the way Diana tries to solve the mystery of an Amulet with Prof. Kapatelis that threatens to destroy both of their personal lives. Meanwhile Trevor and Lt Candy try to stop Ares interfering in the US Military.
Why We Love It
Perez is a classic with any comic he takes on and his run manages to nail the Golden Age Diana while introducing new takes and characters on some of her classic plotlines. Etta Candy’s upgrade here is great.
Wood’s coloring is gorgeous with Perez’s engaging fight scenes. This one will take you on some twists you probably didn’t see coming.
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The True Amazon
November 2016
- Wonder Woman: The True Amazon
- Jill Thompson
- Jill Thompson
- Jill Thompson
- Jill Thompson
- Jason Arthur
The Plot
After childhood, Diana struggles with wanting to be liked by everyone. She is eager to prove herself a true Amazon and competes in disguise in the Commemoration of Warriors where her physical strengths will be tested. Instead her bravery and morals are challenged even further than she expected them to be pushed.
Why We Love It
If stunning art is what you’re interested in, this graphic novel is for you.Thompson’s elaborates on one of Diana’s staple plotlines in detail, focusing on all the trials one might go through mentally and phsyically while trying to prove themselves as a person and in one demanding event.
This story tackles issues we’ve all dealt with when young and inexperienced and is different take on Diana confronting her own flaws.
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The Lies
June – November 2016
- Rebirth #1
- Wonder Woman #1, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11
- Greg Rucka
- Liam Sharp & Matthew Clark
- Liam Sharp & Sean Parsons
- Laura Martin
- Jodi Wynne
The Plot
Rucka returns to writing Diana as she confronts classic villains like Cheetah in Rucka’s series and also has to make sense of the many iterations of her past as she rescues Steve Trevor. Grief shapes every choice she makes as she feels like she is unraveling along with the powers of her lasso.
Why We Love It
Rucka’s got a strong voice with Diana and writes her well. She’s appealing, compassionate, and fierce in his Rebirth run. Etta Candy maintains her military position and the way Wonder Woman’s persona interacts with the world is a story worth reading!
This series tackles how traumatic events can change everything you perceive in the world and the relationships that tie people together.
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Cat Purcell
Cat Purcell is a Career Services Librarian, cosplayer, artist, and massive coffee consumer.
