Wonder Woman is arguably the most famous female heroine of all time.
The femme fatale comic superhero will make her much-awaited comeback as DC Comics launches the latest live-action film of Wonder Woman this year.
Here's what you need to know about the iconic butt-kicking lady before hitting theaters this summer.
History: First Release In 1941
The star-spangled heroine first burst onto the comics scene in All-Star Comics No. 8, which was published in 1941. An instant hit, she soon became one of the first superheroes to get her own comic book the following year.
"Superman was first, Batman was second, and Wonder Woman did it in less than a year from the moment she was first created," Benjamin LeClear, DC Comics archivist and librarian, told mental_floss.
The Secret Man Behind Wonder Woman
She was an original creation by Harvard-trained psychologist William Moulton Marston, who interestingly also invented the modern lie detector, or polygraph, in 1913. Experts believe the Lasso of Truth is actually a reference to Marston's real-life invention.
According to the Smithsonian, information about Wonder Woman's author was kept a secret until the summer of 1942 when a press release from the New York offices of All-American Comics turned up at newspapers, magazines, and radio stations all over the United States.
Wonder Woman: Princess Of The Amazon
Wonder Woman is Princess Diana from the all-female Amazonian island of Themyscira.
There are many versions when it comes to her birth and origin. In earlier comic book releases, Wonder Woman was shaped out of clay by her Queen Hippolyta and that the Greek gods breathed her into life.
But in the post-New 52 era stories, writers revealed the true identity of Wonder Woman's father: Zeus, the king of the Gods. This part of her story is still evolving in line with DC's ongoing Wonder Woman: Rebirth series.
Superpowers From The Gods
Wonder Woman's unique superpowers and abilities were bestowed upon her from the gods of Olympus. In fact, her original description reads:
"Beautiful as Aphrodite, wise as Athena, stronger than Hercules, and swifter than Mercury."
Her superhuman strength from Demeter (goddess of the earth), super speed from Hermes (god of messengers), Lasso of Truth from Aphrodite's (goddess of love) girdle, and her indestructible bracelets were forged from Zeus' own shield.
Wonder Woman As Diana Prince
Outside the exotic Amazon islands, Wonder Woman goes under the secret civilian identity of Diana Prince.
In the Golden Age comics, Diana Prince was actually an army nurse with whom Wonder Woman exchanges her credentials and thus an alias was born. But as with many angles of the 75-year-old Wonder Woman storyline, this, too, has continuously evolved.
Over the years, Diana Prince has been written as Steve Trevor's personal assistant, a spy, a romance editor, a fast-food crew, and a singer.
She also held the position as a founding member of the Justice League, along with other superhero bigwigs Superman, Batman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman.
Other Fascinating Facts About Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman has got a lot to offer beyond her beauty, brains, and brawn. Here are things you probably didn't know about her:
• Wonder Woman was inspired by suffragist Margaret Sanger.
• Wonder Woman ran for U.S. president twice — in a comic issue in 1943 and in a cover story in "Ms." magazine in 1972 — but never made it.
• Wonder Woman has never worn a skirt.
• Wonder Woman has wielded Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, in the 1996 Marvel vs. DC crossover.
• Other characters won or held the Wonder Woman title at some point — Orana, Artemis, Donna Troy (Wonder Girl), and her mother, Queen Hippolyta.
Actresses Who Have Played Wonder Woman
After starring as Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016, Israeli actress Gal Gadot will reprise the much-coveted role in Warner Bros.' newest film based on DC's longest-running comic series.
Check out other actresses who were associated with the iconic role.
• Jane Webb (The Brady Kids, 1972)
• Lynda Carter (The New Original Wonder Woman, 1975)
• Cathy Lee Crosby (Wonder Woman, 1974)
• Lucy Lawless (Justice League: The New Frontier, 2008)
• Keri Russell (Wonder Woman, 2009)
• Maggie Q (Young Justice, 2010)
• Adrianne Palicki (Wonder Woman, 2011)
• Michelle Monaghan (Justice League: War, 2014)
• Cobie Smulders (The LEGO Movie, 2014)
• Rosario Dawson (Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, 2015)
Gadot, a former combat trainer in the Israeli army, will go down in history for playing the famous comic demigod's first ever solo movie. The epic action flick from esteemed director Patty Jenkins will be released this June.
