Books
If you've been a part of human society for the last couple of weeks, you've probably heard about a little movie called Wonder Woman. After 75 long years we finally have a Wonder Woman movie, and it was worth the wait. It's not a perfect movie, sure (couldn't we just have stayed on Themyscira for the whole film? Why did there have to be men in it?), but it's certainly a step forward for lady superheroes everywhere. And you don't even have to wait for the inevitable sequel to get more Amazons in your life! Wonder Woman stories have been around for three quarters of a century, and there's a lot of great Themysciran reading to do. If you're looking to brush up on your Wonder Woman comics, here are a few books to get you started.
Even if you don't think of yourself as a comic book person, I urge you to give Diana a shot. There are so many brilliant graphic novels out there, with gorgeous artwork and literary plot-lines worthy of an Amazon princess. Whether you're a long time Wonder Woman fan or a new convert, check out these comics and feel inspired to put on your best wrist cuffs and join the fight for justice:
1'The Legend of Wonder Woman' by Renae De Liz
The art is stunning. The story is wonderfully constructed. Baby Diana is adorable. The Legend of Wonder Woman is pretty much the perfect intro to the character, with a beautifully re-imagined origin story for our favorite Amazonian princess. We get to see little Diana grow up, venture off her island, and find her place in the wider world. This Wonder Woman is a fully fleshed out character, with complex relationships with other women, who can still take down an army single-handed.
2'Wonder Woman: The True Amazon' by Jill Thompson
Jill Thompson's splendid water color paintings give Themyscira an other-worldly, storybook quality in Wonder Woman: The True Amazon. In this version of Wonder Woman's origin story, we get a whole lot more of Diana's mistakes, her growing pains, her rash decisions, and her budding romance with a fellow Amazon. It's not a story of Wonder Woman the selfless heroine, but the story of Diana, the flawed young woman who will grow into her superpowered role.
3'Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth' by Paul Dini, art by Alex Ross
We all know that Wonder Woman is good at squeezing the truth out of bad guys with her lasso. But finding the truth about herself is a different matter entirely. Paul Dini is one of the comic book greats, and The Spirit of Truth is a beautiful, nuanced story of Wonder Woman struggling to reconcile her superpowers with her humanity. After all, it takes more than kicking ass to be a real hero.
4'Wonder Woman: The Circle' by Gail Simone, art by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson
As Mercedes Lackey puts it in the introduction: "When you need to stop an asteroid, you get Superman. When you need to solve a mystery, you call in Batman. But when you need to end a war, you get Wonder Woman." In The Circle, Diana must fight to save humanity from the powerful Olympians, but she may have met her match in the unbeatable monster Genocide. It's a high stakes, action-packed, unmissable Wonder Woman arc.
5'The Wonder Woman Chronicles, Vol. 1' by William Moulton Marston, art by Harry G. Peter
Look, sometimes you just want to pick up a problematic comic book from the 1940's and get upset over how little society has progressed. For all those moments, there's The Wonder Woman Chronicles, collecting every original Wonder Woman comic in order. Sure, these comics are dated, but it's still a lot of fun to delve into Wonder Woman's early years and see how she became the hero she is today.
6'Wonder Woman 75th Anniversary Special' by Various, art by Jim Lee and Alex Sinclair
Wonder Woman just turned 75 years old (she doesn't look it), and DC brought together some of the brightest talents in the comic book universe to celebrate. The Wonder Woman 75th Anniversary Special has something for everyone, collecting funny, heartfelt, and thrilling Wonder Woman stories in one eclectic volume. If you're looking to add more Wonder Woman to your life, this is a great place to start.
7'Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia' by Greg Rucka, art by J.G. Jones, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Dave Stewart
The Hiketeia is one of the best loved Wonder Woman books of all time, and not just because Diana's stomping on Bruce's stupid potato head on the cover. As part of an ancient ritual, Diana is bound to protect a young woman named Danielle Wellys. But when Danielle takes revenge for her sister's death, Diana finds herself protecting a fugitive from the one and only Batman. It's a Greek Tragedy of duty and justice, and a pretty fantastic knock-down, drag-out superhero battle.
