The Early History of Wonder Woman
Following The Amazon Princess from Creation to the Modern Age
William Moulton Marston wanted to create a superhero that would fight with wits and wisdom rather than fists and muscle. His wife, Elizabeth, suggested that was a wonderful idea, so long as he made her a woman. Credited as Charles Moulton, Marston went about creating one of the most iconic women in the history of fiction.
Wonder Woman grew out of Marston's obsession with truth. He is credited as being then inventor of the polygraph machine, which he streamlined and enhanced into Diana's magic lasso. He also gave her bullet proof bracelets and the speed and strength to fight crime. She appeared for the first time in All Star Comics #8 and had her first cover appearance in Sensational Comics #1 in 1942. With the exception of a short break in 1984, Wonder Woman has been in continuous print since the creation of DC Comics in 1944, a feat only matched by Batman and Superman.
Beyond the comic book pages, Wonder Woman has flown her invisible jet plane into other media.
Animation
Wonder Woman first appeared on television in the episode "It's All Greek to Me" of the cartoon "The Brady Kids" which aired December 2, 1972. Wonder Woman and the Brady Kids transport back to Ancient Greece to participate in the Olympic Games.
Shortly after visiting the Brady Kids, Wonder Woman becomes a regular on the Hanna-Barbera produced series Super Friends. From 1973 until 1986, she was one of five core cast members (Batman, Superman, Aquaman and Robin made up the rest of that core) that anchored the show in its many incarnations while dozens of DC Universe heroes came and went from the roster. She was voiced by several actresses, including Constance Cawlfield and Shannon Farnon.
B.J. Ward, who voiced the character in the final season of the Super Friends in1986, reprized the role for a single episode of the 1988 Ruby-Spears produced Superman series.
Live Action Television
In 1974, Cathy Lee Crosby was the first actress to bring Wonder Woman to live action in a pilot for ABC. The character did not wear the iconic comic book costume and she didn't seem to have any super powers (Something that happened to the character in the comics during what is known as the "I Ching Period" in the late 1960's) to call upon. The pilot was not picked up.
ABC decided to recast and retool the pilot and the role went to beauty queen Lynda Carter. Wonder Woman fought Nazi spies and saboteurs alongside Lyle Waggoner's Steve Trevor. The series included all of Wonder Woman's comic book powers, including super strength, the ability to bounce bullets off of her bracelets and the truth inducing magic lasso that her creator invented for her.
When ABC scored a hit with the first two hour special in 1975, two more one hour shows were rushed into production, which made up the first season of the show. The 1976-77 season included a total of 11 episodes, including two that guest starred Debra Winger as Wonder Girl. ABC declined to pick up the show for another season, leaving it open to a successful bid by CBS.
CBS brought Wonder Woman out of the 1940's and into the 1970's with an updated costume, computers and modern problems for Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor (the son of the original Steve Trevor, portrayed once again by Lyle Waggoner) to face. The show ran for two full seasons.
Next: The Modern Era
Wonder Woman, Painted by J. Richardson
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