Character Name: Wonderwoman
Real Name: Princess Diana (called Wonder Woman in the United States), alter-ego Diana Prince
Team Affiliation: Sometimes a member of Superfriends; also appears as a member of the Justice League of America.
First Appearances:
All Star Comics #8 (Comic Book-1941)
Has appeared continuously in comics books since 1941.
Wonder Woman (made for TV movie-1974)
Wonder Woman (television show-1975 to 1979)
Superfriends (cartoon-1973 to 1974)
Superhuman Powers: With her Amazon training, Princess Diana is well equipped to handle almost any crime or crisis. In addition, she possesses bulletproof bracelets with which she can stop bullets; a magic lasso, which is unbreakable, infinitely stretchable, and with which she can force someone to tell the truth (forged from the Magic Girdle of Aphrodite, which was given to her mother, Queen Hippolyta, by the Goddess); an invisible plane; and a tiara, which serves as an unbreakable boomerang.
Biography: Princess Diana, who later became known as Wonder Woman, was born on Paradise Island. She was daughter of Queen Hippolyte, the leader of a race of Amazon women who inhabit the island. Her mother desparately desired a child. Aphrodite told her to form a child out of clay and, when she has done so, Aphrodite breathed life into the statue. Diana grew up on Paradise Island where she received Amazon training, which made her both extremely strong and extremely wise.
In December of 1941, US Army officer Steve Trevor crashed his plane on Paradise Island. He was taken to the hospital by Princess Diana and her friend. Her mother Queen Hippolyte ordered that he receive the best care so he would heal quickly and leave Paradise Island. The Princess fell in love with Steve Trevor during his recovery. To explain why he cannot stay on Paradise Island, the Queen tells Diana of the history of the Amazons, about their defeat and humiliation at the hands of Hercules, and about how Aphrodite freed them from slavery and led them to Paradise Island on the condition that they "keep aloof from men." They learned that Steve Trevor crashed while pursuing a Nazi plane. Hippolyte consulted with Aphrodite and Athena who told her that the Amazons must deliver Steve Trevor back to America to fight the forces of hate and oppression. In addition, the Amazons must send with him their strongest and wisest Amazon to help the US in the fight for freedom. A great tournament was held to determine which Amazon was strongest and wisest, but Queen Hippolyte forbade Diana from entering. The tournament was won by a disguised participant, who was revealed to be Diana. She received her costume from her mother and flew Steve Trevor back to the US in her invisible plane. While Steve Trevor recovered, Wonder Woman earned money by exhibiting her skills in an exhibition. She assumed the identity of an army nurse, Diana Prince, who wished to join her boyfriend in South America; since she has trained was a nurse on Paradise Island, she now has an identity which enables her to keep close contact with Steve Trevor.
Perennially Popular: Among superheroines, Wonder Woman has the longest running career and perhaps the widest name recognition. What factors have contributed to her wide appeal? From her earliest incarnation, Wonder Woman was a powerful champion of good. She continually sacrificed her own desires to the good of the country. In leaving Paradise Island, for example, she gave up an ideal life in order to watch over Steve Trevor. She knows that she can never reveal her secret identity to him or to anyone because that would put the whole country at risk. Wonder Woman's goal is not simply to defeat the criminal but to reform him or her. In spite of variations in her story line, she remains strong, honest, beautiful, and wise.