DC Comics and Warner Bros. Pictures' latest superhero film, Wonder Woman, is set to premiere globally on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, for the Dragon Boat Festival! To help all toy enthusiasts better understand Wonder Woman, we specially invited POPO, the chief writer of GEEK BASE, to pen this exciting Wonder Woman special feature. Through 18 trivia facts, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how Wonder Woman stands alongside Superman and Batman to achieve her classic, legendary status as one of the "DC Comics Trinity"! Don't rush off after reading the article! We're also giving toy enthusiasts the chance to see Wonder Woman before moviegoers worldwide!
1. The Lie Detector and the "Lasso of Truth"
William Moulton standing in the middle of the picture
William Moulton (right in picture)
Wonder Woman's creator, William Moulton, was a renowned psychologist and advocate for women's rights. He invented the world's first lie detector, which served as the inspiration behind Wonder Woman's weapon – the Lasso of Truth. Anyone ensnared by this lasso is compelled to speak the truth, and if they are disguised by magic or technology, the lasso will immediately remove it.
2. The First Woman in Comic History to Wield "Mjolnir"
In the Marvel vs. DC comics released in the 90s, Wonder Woman was deemed worthy to wield Mjolnir, which is actually very significant. Before Wonder Woman, only in alternate universes or through magical trickery could a woman lift the hammer. But Wonder Woman was the first legitimate female wielder of Mjolnir acknowledged in the main continuity.
3. A Diverse Array of Special Equipment
In addition to her bullet-deflecting bracelets and the truth-revealing Lasso of Truth, Wonder Woman possesses many other special weapons, such as an invisible jet, an axe, a machine gun, a spear, magical armor, and even an earring that can resist magic!
4. Advancing Women's Rights
During the Golden Age of American comics (1940s-1950s), Wonder Woman's stories not only promoted the advancement of women's rights but also stirred patriotic sentiments among many women. Furthermore, the timing of Wonder Woman's first comic appearance coincided closely with the attack on Pearl Harbor, which amplified many related effects.
5. Romance with Batman
Wonder Woman and her best friend, Batman, once saw their friendship blossom into romance, and for a period in the comics, they attempted to be together, though it ultimately didn't work out. However, many stories still hint that Wonder Woman harbors feelings for Batman, and even in the animated Justice League series, their relationship received additional development, showing that many still hope for a romance between the knight and the princess.
6. Romance with Superman
Of course, her other close friend, Superman, has also been a romantic interest, though this usually occurs when the storyline dictates Lois Lane's death or when Superman is not with Lois, leading the two to unite. Compared to her relationship with Batman, being with Superman highlights more issues, such as whether the union of metahumans would cause public panic, or gender equality issues concerning America's top male and female heroes being together, etc. Two legendary figures in the comic world have each drawn this theme: Figure 1 is by Jim Lee, and Figure 2 is by Alex Ross.
7. Her Original Name Wasn't Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman's earliest name in her conception wasn't Wonder Woman; it was Suprema. This name carried the meaning of a "super goddess," but because it sounded and looked too similar to Superman, it was changed to the Wonder Woman we know today.
8. Symbol and Promotion of Women's Rights
The extent of Wonder Woman's symbolism and promotion of women's rights led to early comic storylines where she ran for president. Imagine a female president as a topic in the 1940s – that was truly astonishing. Although it ultimately didn't succeed, which is a pity, Lynda Carter, the actress who once portrayed Wonder Woman in live-action, now plays the role of the female president in the Supergirl TV series, which somewhat makes up for that past regret.
9. Bracelets Comparable to Captain America's Shield
Wonder Woman's bracelets are actually like Captain America's shield, a defensive item that can block anything. The reason these bracelets are so powerful is that they are made from the material of Zeus's shield.
10. Appointed UN Goodwill and Women's Rights Ambassador
Wonder Woman was once chosen as a UN Goodwill and Women's Rights Ambassador, but unfortunately, some countries argued that a fictional female character could not represent real-world issues and that Wonder Woman overly objectified women, leading to the decision being revoked.
11. The First Superhero in History to Officiate an LGBTQ Wedding
While LGBTQ heroes have existed for a long time, and many fictional LGBTQ characters began marrying in TV series, comics, novels, and video games even before the U.S. Constitution affirmed it, no character had ever officiated an LGBTQ wedding. Until 2015, Wonder Woman became the first hero to officiate an LGBTQ wedding, symbolizing one of Wonder Woman's core tenets: that love is equality.
12. The Unaired 2011 'Wonder Woman' TV Series
Adrianne Palicki, the actress who played Mockingbird in the Marvel series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., once portrayed the legendary heroine in a 2011 Wonder Woman TV series. However, because the pilot did not meet the network's requirements, the series was ultimately never aired, and only leaked pilot footage can be found online.
Despite Lynda Carter's classic TV series, Wonder Woman's live-action adaptations had only reached the level of TV movies at most. Furthermore, no prominent female superhero had her own standalone film; if they did, it was either comedic material or as part of an ensemble cast. However, the 2017 Wonder Woman film will be the first mainstream work featuring a female hero as the sole protagonist, and also the first Wonder Woman film. Especially with the recent rise of women's rights aligning with Wonder Woman's symbolism, anticipation for this film is even higher.
13. Before the Rise of Feminist Consciousness, She Was Only a Secretary
Although Wonder Woman was the first superhero to explore women's rights, the comic industry's ideology at the time did not keep pace. For instance, in the earliest Justice Society comics, Wonder Woman was relegated to being a secretary, answering phones and watching male heroes go off to battle, much like a comedic character, always yearning for a chance to go on a mission.
14. X-Men's Storm Replaced Diana as Wonder Woman
In the 90s, DC and Marvel collaborated to launch a merged universe brand, where Storm was Diana's adopted sister. Ultimately, Storm even replaced her and gained the qualification to become Wonder Woman, leading to the Diana of the merged universe becoming a hero similar to the Punisher.
15. Wonder Woman's Daughter
In early comics, Wonder Woman and Steve had a daughter named Fury, but this setting was retconned in the main continuity, establishing her as a character unrelated to Wonder Woman. In recent comics, Fury is depicted as the daughter of a Wonder Woman from a parallel universe.
16. A Hypothetical Work Satirizing Male Hegemony and Female Harem
To satirize the history of male hegemony and female harems, a recent comic issue depicted a hypothetical reality where Wonder Woman was the supreme ruler. In this storyline, villains associated with Wonder Woman and even the entire DC Universe were beheaded, their heads displayed like trophies in the palace. Male characters who had romantic interests or were close friends with Wonder Woman became her harem and personal guard. ~
This concludes our special feature on Wonder Woman!