Wonder Woman is the most enduring female superhero ever created, and though that idea may seem old hat in a world with characters like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and all of her complicated legacy), Jessica Jones, and hundreds if not thousands more, remember that when Wonder Woman debuted in 1941’s “All Star Comics” #8, American women had only secured the right to vote 20 years prior. Her character emerges from early 20th century feminist movements; her creator, William Moulton Marston, was part of those, and he wanted to inspire women to be their best selves and men to listen, if not submit, to them. What better way to deliver these lessons, Marston evidently realized, then by publishing them in children’s comic books when readers are at formative ages?
So, in writing a truly wondrous woman, did Marston create the world’s first flying woman? Can Diana of Themyscira soar like Superman does? It varies, and yes, the answer does reflect on the political and feminist themes of Wonder Woman.
Long story short: For the first 40 years of Wonder Woman’s publication, she generally couldn’t fly. (Superman couldn’t originally fly either, until the 1940s Fleischer Studios’ “Superman” animated shorts showed him soaring.) But when writer/artist George Pérez rebooted “Wonder Woman” in 1987, Diana gained the power to fly and has kept it since.
So if you look at some earlier Wonder Woman iterations, you’ll find her stuck on the ground. In 1972, when Gloria Steinem’s feminist magazine “Ms.” went independent, Wonder Woman appeared on the issue’s cover (note her leg dividing the background between peace and war). As you can see, she’s not soaring above the city, she’s walking through it.
Ms. Magazine
In the actual “Wonder Woman” comics of 1972, Diana had ditched her superpowers and classic costume to become an Emma Peel-style martial artist. (This era started from “Wonder Woman” #178, by writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Mike Sekowsky, and ended in 1973 with issue #204.)
Pérez’s “Wonder Woman” was the lightning bolt (as if thrown by Zeus) that Diana needed. After decades of mediocrity, the comic made her an A-list hero in more than just name. Pérez, unafraid to put feminist themes front and center, made Wonder Woman the equal of Superman not just in popularity, but power.
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