Hailed by her writer W. M. Marston, who was the educational consultant at publisher DC Comics, as “an antidote to the bloodcurdling images of masculinity”, Wonder Woman made her debut in December 1940 in the final eight pages of All Star Comics #8.
While she didn’t get the front cover debut accorded Superman and Batman, she quickly grew in popularity joining them as the holy superhero trinity of DC Comics, and a powerful expression of self-empowered feminism.
But as Kaptain Kristian explains in another of his excellent video essays, Wonder Woman has not always received the treatment she deserves, constantly left in Superman and Batman’s shadows.
Proof of this mistreatment, which is odd considering her iconic status – to be honest thanks to the 1970s TV series, I loved Wonder Woman way more than her male counterparts – is that the first feature film starring her is only coming this year, 76 years after her debut.
Still, at least it is coming to cinemas soon and as Kaptain Kristian beautifully explains it is proof that here is a character with real staying character and enduring appeal.