Superhero Origins: Wonder Woman

Superhero Origins: Wonder Woman Her mission is to bring love, peace and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we will explore the comic book origins of Princess Diana, otherwise known as Wonder Woman. As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginings and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen to primarily follow the storyline of that unfolded in 1941’s All Star Comics #8 and was expanded on in Wonder Woman #1. Growing up on the isolated and hidden Paradise Island, later renamed Themyscira, Diana was once a great warrior princess of the Amazons. This mythical tribe once parted from Greece due to the evil deeds of mankind, and in turn the gods created a magical barrier to prevent men from stepping foot there. Unlike the other Amazons, Diana wasn’t born. Instead, she was formed from clay by her mother, and brought to life by the Olympian Gods. While all the Amazons were made physically and mentally superior to men, Diana was the greatest of her kind and was endowed with special mental powers. Everything changed for the Amazonian warrior princess when a United States intelligence officer named Steve Trevor crash-landed near her secret island home. Finding the injured officer, Diana tended to his wounds with her magical “Purple Ray,” before falling in love with her patient. Soon, Diana learned of the Second World War that was overwhelming the rest of the world. She informed the Goddess Aphrodite, who then declared that an Amazon warrior would be chosen to travel to “Man’s World” to become a champion against the Nazis, and other forces of evil. To decide who would carry out this mission, a tournament was held. Diana was forbidden by her mother to enter, but chose to hide her identity in order to participate in secret. After winning the event, she revealed herself and was given many new powers as well as a new super hero identity: Wonder Woman. As Wonder Woman, she was able to draw upon the blessings of the gods, and this increased her already considerable strength, immunity and speed. It also gave her the power to tame and communicate with beasts. She was also provided several magical tools, including her indestructible Bracelets of Victory; her royal tiara, which could be thrown like a boomerang; a lasso of truth; and an invisible airplane that could be controlled telepathically. While departing to return the American officer to his home, she stumbled upon a Japanese pilot. Using her Lasso of Truth, she captured the spy and helped Trevor uncover his military secrets. As a result, Trevor was promoted for sharing the information he learned. However, his chronicle of the mysterious Paradise Island was regarded as a result of his injuries. Little did he know, Wonder Woman remained with him in disguise as a nurse. Undercover, Wonder Woman was able to listen in on intelligence discussions which told her where she was needed next, and soon she became Trevor’s assistant in the War department. At that time he began to suspect, and eventually discovered that Lt. Prince and Wonder Woman were one and the same. However, she was unable to pursue a personal relationship with Trevor, as Aphrodite had threatened to remove her powers if she allowed herself to be bound to a male. As the Wonder Woman comic series was originally created at the dawn of World War II, the character has since been reinvented and modernized several times, and has come to deal with present-day issues. Wonder Woman has likewise become a prominent member of the Justice League as well as the Justice Society, and has appeared in a variety of media. These included the 1970s’ “Wonder Woman” TV series, the Justice League cartoon show and her own animated film. No matter where her adventures take her, Wonder Woman remains the most recognizable and powerful female super hero ever created.