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Wonder Woman is the most enduring female superhero ever created, and while that idea may seem old hat in a world with characters like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and all her complicated legacy), Jessica Jones, and hundreds if not thousands more, remember that when Wonder Woman debuted in “All Star Comics” #8 in 1941, it was only 20 years earlier that American women had secured the right to vote Her character stems from feminist movements from the beginning of the 20th century; its 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 clearly realized, then by publishing them in children’s comic books when readers are at formative ages?
So, really written amazing woman, did Marston create the world’s first flying woman? Can Diana of Themyscira soar like Superman does? It varies, and yes, the answer reflects on Wonder Woman’s political and feminist themes.
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 but when writer/artist George Pérez rebooted “Wonder Woman” in 1987, Diana gained the power to fly and has kept it ever since.
So if you look at some earlier versions of Wonder Woman, you’ll see her stuck on the ground. In 1972, when Gloria Steinem’s feminist magazine “Ms.” went independent, Wonder Woman appeared on the cover of the issue (note her leg dividing the background between peace and war). As you can see, she doesn’t soar above the city, she walks through it.
Ms. Magazine
In the 1972 “Wonder Woman” comics, Diana had given up her superpowers and classic costume to become a martial artist in the style of Emma Peel. (This era began in “Wonder Woman” #178, by writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Mike Sekowsky, and ended in 1973 with issue #204.)
“Wonder Woman” Pérez 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 name. Pérez, unafraid to put feminist themes front and center, made Wonder Woman equal to Superman not only in popularity, but power.
