The DC Extended Universe is growing bigger thanks to the release of the new Wonder Woman movie. And hopefully this heroine will find herself a legion of new fans in the process.
No doubt some of these fans will be turning to DC's comics to learn more about the character and fill the wait until she returns in Justice League this fall. Luckily, there are plenty of great stories to choose from. We've selected nine essential stories that helped shape the Wonder Woman franchise and could have an influence on future movies.
As influential as the stories of the Golden and Silver Ages were, the simple truth is that those comics don't always hold up several decades later. But there's something special about those early Wonder Woman comics penned by co-creator Dr. William Moulton Marston. As a psychologist and a man with some, let's say, interesting ideas about bondage and sexuality, Marston brought a unique flavor to his Wonder Woman work that DC has often struggled to replicate ever since.
In some ways, those early Wonder Woman comics are hokey, outdated and a wee bit sexist. But they're a lot of fun to read. Unlike so many creators working in the nascent early days of the superhero genre, Marston didn't simply recycle the same tropes, but worked to create a new kind of hero who could speak to a more liberated and progressive culture. Both he and his creation were very much ahead of their time.
For now, this hardcover collection remains the easiest way to get a hold of those early Wonder Woman comics. But for those who crave something a little cheaper or smaller, DC will begin reprinting a series of Wonder Woman: The Golden Age paperbacks in November.
Short of Marston himself, no creator has had as profound an influence on Wonder Woman as George Perez. Much as John Byrne took the reins of the Superman franchise after 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths, Perez was tasked with reinventing Wonder Woman for a new era. But where Byrne sought to streamline and simplify Superman's world, Perez (along with co-writers Len Wein and Greg Potter) made the choice to double down on the larger-than-life elements of Wonder Woman and emphasize her ties to Greek mythology.
"Gods and Mortals" collects the first seven issues of Perez's 1980's run. Together, these issues are regarded as the definitive account of Diana Prince's origin story, exploring her creation on Paradise Island, her first journey into man's world and her first clash with Ares, the god of war. There have been many new takes on that story since, but it's hard to touch this one (especially with an artist as talented as Perez at the helm).
Fans have several options for reading the "Gods and Mortals" storyline at this point. The recent Wonder Woman by George Perez Vol. 1 paperback collects issues #1-14 of the series. DC also recently published a hardcover that includes these seven issues and a copy of the 2009 animated Wonder Woman movie. That's a pretty great package.
Paul Dini isn't just one of the minds behind the seminal Batman: The Animated Series, he's also had quite an impressive career as a comic writer. Wonder Woman: The Spirit of Truth is one of a series of one-shot specials Dini created with painter Alex Ross, each focused on a different Justice League member.
At a scant 64-pages, Spirit of Truth isn't a long read, but it's certainly a memorable one. This character-driven story focuses not on Diana's battles with supervillains, but more real-world threats that aren't so easily punched away. The story is basically a meditation on her humanity and place in the world, one greatly elevated by Ross' gorgeous artwork. The oversized prestige format really allows that art to shine.
Unfortunately, Spirit of Truth and the other Dini/Ross specials are long out-of-print. The good news is that DC will be reprinting them together in a new Absolute Edition hardcover later this year.
Phil Jimenez is easily one of the greatest artists ever to draw Wonder Woman. The fact that Jimenez's style shares so much in common with that of George Perez is surely no coincidence. And those looking for a taste of Jimenez's influential Wonder Woman run would do well to check out this trade paperback collection.
"Paradise Lost" collects several storylines into one volume. The book opens with a fun Batman crossover, as the gods Phobos, Deimos and Eris wind up possessing the bodies of Scarecrow, Joker and Poison Ivy and wreaking havoc in Gotham City. The next storyline focuses on a massive civil war on Paradise Island, with Diana forced to mediate in her mother's absence.
Both of those tales are worth reading, but the real highlight of this book is Wonder Woman #170, a story titled "She's a Wonder!" This standalone issue features an interview between Diana and Lois Lane as the two spend a day together and Lois learns a little about what it means to truly be Wonder Woman. This issue is widely regarded as one of the one of the best in Wonder Woman's long history, and it's well worth tracking it down even if you forego the rest of the book.
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