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This video is about Wonder Woman, also known as Diana Prince, a DC Comics female superhero (superheroine); with a focus on her origin and how she appears on comic book covers in 1942, and in 2023.
The comic book covers are presented in chronological order.
Wonder Woman’s first appearance (but not on the cover) was in All Star Comics No. 8 published October 21, 1941.
Her first feature was in Sensation Comics No. 1, cover-dated January 1942, and she appeared on that cover.
Later in 1942 she got her own series, starting with Wonder Woman No. 1.
Unlike the “damsels in distress” that were common when she started, she was the opposite.
Wonder Woman was created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter.
Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as being his inspiration for the character's appearance.
Marston lived from 1893 to 1947.
He invented an early prototype of the lie detector, and was known as a self-help author; in addition to being the writer who created Wonder Woman.
In 1940, in an interview conducted by his partner Olive Byrne, that was published in The Family Circle, it was communicated that he saw “great educational potential” in comic books.
The interview caught the attention of comics publisher Max Gaines, who hired Marston as a consultant.
At that time many of the superheroes were male and Marston’s wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston had the idea of creating a female superhero.
Marston was given the go-ahead and developed Wonder Woman, basing her character on the unconventional, liberated, powerful modern women of the day.
He wanted to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman, plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.
Wonder Woman’s origin story has changed over time.
This is her initial origin story.
Captain Steve Trevor crashes on Paradise Island and is nursed back to health, and has to be returned to the U.S.
The Queen’s daughter has fallen in love with him, so the Queen tells Diana the story of the Amazons and how she must not leave the island, lest she lose her eternal life.
She uses the Magic Sphere to show how Trevor crashed on Paradise Island, but refuses to allow Diana to return the Captain to the U.S., so she holds a contest to select the suitable Amazon to do the chore.
Diana, in disguise, wins the contest, and is allowed to return the Captain home.
Wonder Woman had been sculpted from clay by her mother the Queen and was given life as an Amazon, along with superhuman powers as gifts by the Greek gods.
She possesses an arsensal of magical items, including the Lasso of Truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets and a tiara that can be used as a projectile.
Having been created during World War 2, she initially fights both Axis forces and various villains.
When blending into the society outside of her homeland, she sometimes adopts her civilian identity Diana Prince.
Wonder Woman has made multiple appearances on TV, including the 1975 to 1979 Wonder Woman TV show, starring Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman has also made multiple appearances in movies, including multiple live action ones starring Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.
