Wonder Woman FAQ

[artemisboy]

How's about a list ("Who's Who" style) of Wonder Woman's villains? I know some of the names (Circe, Ares, Cheetah, Devastation, Dr. Psycho, Silver Swan) but I don't really know the history of any of these characters.

Circe: An immortal Aegean witch. (Greek) She is the daughter of two Titans: Helios (a sun titan) and Perseis (the daughter of Okeanos). She was a follower of the Titan Hecate, who is the goddess of the moon and witchcraft. At one time she took on the soul of the now dead goddess and became much more powerful. She initially took to being an enemy of Diana as she beleived that should she (Circe) die, the soul of Hecate would transfer over to Diana. Many battles and annimosities later, their rivalry is much more conveluted. She fathered a child with the war god Ares named Lyta, who is now being looked after on Themyscira.

Ares: Greek god of war. He has merged with his Roman counterpart Mars and is now more powerful. He has seen that in modern times, the title of "god of war" could be more harmful than good as if he were to gain full reign under that title, he might not have any worshipers left as we are now in the nuclear age. Hence, he as recently taken to the title of "god of conflict".

Cheetah I: Archeologist Barbara Minerva became the were-cheetah goddess after an expedition into Africa. She supplicated herself to an African plant god and became his 'bride' of sorts in becoming the Cheetah. Still an archeologist, when Diana first came to Man's World, she coveted Wonder Woman's golden lasso. This started their first battle, and as with Circe, many conveluted battles later The Cheetah can either be a reluctant ally to Diana or a savage opponent. If she is presently alive or dead is not very clear. As the Cheetah II stole her title, Barbara dislikes Sebastian Bostelleros very much and will kill him at first sight.

Cheetah II: Sebastian Bostelleros, business tycoon. He stole the plant god from Barbara and made a deal with him so that the previously all female role of the Cheetah could now also include male inductees. He is also stole her position, Cheetah I is an enemy to Cheetah II.

Devestation: The older off-shoot to the Titan Gods, lead by Chronus, attempted to take over all religious parthenons. In doing so, they created an avatar warrior much like Diana. Her name is Deva. She has all of Wonder Woman's powers but with a darker twist. She can change her outwardly appearance to be a child or an adult.

Dr. Psycho: A telepathic psychotic.

Silver Swan: Originally a girl named Valerie with mutagenic vocal chords, the Silver Swan has become somewhat of a revolving door. Basically, it is a girl who has cybernetic wings and a high pitched voice. The present Silver Swan is Vanessa K., a close friend of Diana's. Circe and Cheetah II teamed together, along with the help of Dr. Psycho, to mentally alter Vanessa's perceptions of her relationship with Diana to make her unbalanced. Thus, they gave her a cybernetic throat attatchment and transformed her into the Silver Swan.

- Peter

[4PointOh]

Wonder Woman's body is a mystical creation made from the clay surrounding Themyscira. Through divine means, her disembodied soul was nurtured in and retrieved from the womb of the High Matriarch and sole progenitor of the Titans of Myth and the Olympian Gods, Gaea. Once the soul was placed into the body it immediately came to life and was blessed with metahuman abilities by six Olympian deities (WONDER WOMAN #1).

Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility, and avatar of Gaea, divinely blessed Diana with an inborn strength whose source is Gaea herself. Like the source from which she draws it, Wonder Woman's strength is nearly limitless. She has been observed assisting in the movement of entire heavenly bodies, catching cavernous-sized asteroids, supporting the weight of bridges, hefting entire railroad trains, subway trains, ships and aircraft. (JLA #58, 75; JLA: A LEAGUE OF ONE; JLA/TITANS #1, 3; WONDER WOMAN #24,110, 144, 175).

It is said that Superman may be the only being stronger than she (ACTION COMICS #761; JLA #96; WONDER WOMAN #102,103).

While not invulnerable, her body is considerably denser than the average human being, providing her with the appropriate stamina and endurance necessary to perform such feats, as well as to survive unprotected in harsh and extreme environments like Hell, the Poles or outer space- although, a significant enough force covering a small enough surface area (such as bullets, missiles, lasers, etc) would be able to penetrate her skin (ARTEMIS: REQUIEM #1; JLA #4; UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED #1-3; WONDER WOMAN #124, 178, Secret Files #1).

As Gaea is a constantly renewing source, Diana, too, has a rapid healing ability. Through her divine link to the Earth, Diana has not only survived ground zero explosions, Zeus’s thunderbolts and punches from a hyper-powered Doomsday, but has recovered quickly and miraculously from those and similar injuries(GREEN LANTERN #73; JLA #96; JLA: OUR WORLDS AT WAR Special #1; TEEN TITANS #6; WONDER WOMAN # 7, 23, 110, 172, 194, Secret Files #3).

Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, blessed Diana with great beauty and a loving heart, that she might be compassionate and fair in her quest for peace.

Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, granted Diana great wisdom, intelligence and military prowess. It is from Athena’s gift that Diana exercises an incredible intellect that has allowed her to master over a dozen languages (including alien and animal languages), multiple complex crafts, sciences and philosophies, as well as over 3000 years of leadership, military strategy, and armed and unarmed combat. Diana is considered the greatest and most skilled fighter of her race (WONDER WOMAN #1, 5, 71, 170, 184, 195, 204).

Artemis, goddess of the hunt, animals and the moon, graced Diana with the Eye of the Hunter and Unity with Beasts. The eye of the hunter ability gives Diana enhanced sight and hearing. While there is no conclusive evidence, it appears that Diana can see distances and hear sounds at least three times that of human beings. Unity with beasts allows her to not only communicate with all sorts of animal life, such as sharks, birds and dinosaurs, but her mere presence can bring even the most ferocious beasts to an absolute calm (WONDER WOMAN #9, 171, 184, 187, 188, 196).

Hestia, goddess of the hearth, granted Diana sisterhood with fire. This power makes Diana the physical embodiment of truth. It is almost impossible to lie to her. With this truth power, Diana can see through mirages, illusions and other forms of deception (such as shape shifting), and is immune to telepathic attacks (WONDER WOMAN #25, 26, 55, 183, 204).

Hermes, the messenger god of speed, granted Diana super-speed and the ability to fly. Through the simple act of concentration, Diana can mystically defy the laws of gravity and propel herself through the air to achieve flight. Diana most often travels at supersonic speeds (Mach 3), but has been clocked moving at “invisible” or hypersonic speed (Mach 7 or above) both in the air and on the ground. She has even outsped Hermes’s avatar, the roman god of speed Mercury. She is swift enough to deflect bullets, lasers and other projectiles with her impenetrable bracelets. While the omniscient force known as the Godwave is the progenitor of both the Olympian Gods and the Speed Force, it is doubtful that the Wonder Woman or the Olympian Gods draw their speed abilities from the Speed Force, but more likely, draw that ability from the Godwave itself (JLA #2, 33, WONDER WOMAN #51, 56, 109, 171, 196).

In extreme situations, through prayer and meditation, Diana can channel the endless power of the Godwave, making her, theoretically, the single most powerful being in creation. However, she can only perform this act for mere seconds, as holding on to the power any longer than that would drive her insane and threaten all of existence. And also through prayer and meditation, Diana has been known to morph herself into the Earth and travel within it to escape imprisonment, alter her appearance and personality and send her astral self to mystical planes (WONDER WOMAN #63, 120, 152, 177, 184, Special #1).

Abilities

Diana is an above Olympic-level athlete and acrobat who has been trained since infancy in the art of war. The “daughter” of more than 4000 warriors, favored of Athena and granddaughter of Ares, the god of war/conflict, Diana is a master of over 3000 years of armed and unarmed combat. She is a brilliant military strategist and her colleagues in the Justice League often look to her for advice on tactical strategy.

An unparalleled swordswoman and archer, she is nearly peerless with the battleaxe, lasso, quarterstaff, bo staff, dagger, spear, nunchuku, throwing star, sai, tonfa, kama, escrima stick, baton, boomerang and shield and she has mastered Iaido. Diana is an expert hand-to-hand combatant, having perfected innumerable forms unarmed combat including Shaolin, Wing Chun, Pa Kua, Hsing-i, and Tai Chi Kung Fu styles, Aikido, Judo, Jujitsu, Ninpo, Ninjutsu, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Karate, Capoeira, Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, and countless forms of combat lost to the modern world, but still practiced by the various tribes of Amazons. Through her interactions with her teammates and allies, Diana is also proficient in Apokiliptan, Asgardian, Atlantean, Daxamite, Kryptonian, Martian, Okaaran and Titanese forms of combat (ACTION COMICS #761; MISTER MIRACLE #6, WONDER WOMAN #0, 1, 4-6, 9-13, 24-26, 28-35, 54-63, 66-71, 90-100, 139-169, 171-187, 189-195, 200, Special #1).


Weapons/Paraphernalia*

Lariat of Truth: A lariat of tiny chain links, the Lariat of Truth (a.k.a. “Lasso of Truth,” “Magic Lasso” or “Lariat of Hestia”) is of limitless length and virtually indestructible. Neither god nor mortal can escape the lasso which, when being held by Diana, compels anyone bound by it to tell the truth. The lariat glows as if on fire and can apparently burn the flesh of those within its confines if those individuals are impure. Diana can apparently control the latter ability. Additionally, the lariat possesses anti-mystical abilities and can protect Diana and anyone within its scared circle from magical attacks.

Bracelets of the Aegis: Created from the hide of Amaltheia, the goat that wet-nursed Zeus, king of the Gods (whose hide eventually became Zeus’s and Athena’s shield), the indestructible Bracelets of the Aegis were forged from the fragments of Zeus’s shield. They allow Diana to deflect bullets, lasers, arrows, swords, energy blasts and other projectiles than would be able to penetrate her tough skin. When crossed, the bracelets emit an impenetrable, low-level force field around her.

Royal Tiara: Razor sharp, the tiara Diana wears can be thrown like a boomerang. The monster Scylla and god Deimos have had their heads severed by Diana’s use of the tiara as a throwing weapon.

Eagle Battle Armor: Diana’s ceremonial battle armor was forged specifically for her. Crafted by the Amazon artisan Pallas, this eagle-inspired armor allows for freedom of movement in close combat. The armor’s golden wings fold away when not in use, and enhance diving strikes when spread to their full span. The wings also provide additionally shielding from projectiles or blasts of energy.

Sword of Hephaestus: Diana’s sword, also forged by Hephaestus, is so sharp that it can cleave the electrons from an atom and even cut Superman!

Star Shield: Wonder Woman’s battle shield is molded from a remarkable ore once mined and smelted on Themyscira. This rare metal resists impacts and holds a keen edge. The shield demonstrated its considerable tensile strength when Diana used it to pierce the exo-armor of an Imperiex-Probe and to dissipate the devastating energies it would have used to destroy Earth.

Winged Sandals of Hermes: The sandals permit Diana to teleport from one place to the next and transverse dimensions. The sandals also grant anyone who wears them the ability to soar at tremendous speeds.

Gauntlets of Atlas: These bands increase, by a factor of ten, the strength and stamina of anyone who wears them.

Invisible Jet: Formerly a sentient being Diana called “Dome,” the Invisible Jet is now just a highly advanced vehicle Diana uses to travel with passengers and cargo. The Jet harnesses graviton particles- electrically neutral, gravity-defying quantum particles- for subsonic propulsion through air and space. If stranded in orbit, the Jet can reprocess Diana’s breath for up to two hours of breathable oxygen. Invisible to nearly all forms of detection, the Jet is capable of fashioning weapons out of its own substance. Although, doing so depletes the mass of its fuselage. It is not known whether or not the Jet has retained its ability to morph into other vehicles such as a motorcycle, submarine or chariot.

*(from WONDER WOMAN: Ultimate Guide to the Amazon Princess).

[Hatter]

A couple of questions...

Are Wonder Woman & Wonder Girl's Bracelets removable? I never see Diana without them...

Also, why was the previous Wonder Girl called both Donna Troy and Troia?

[Fenix]

I ´ve seen her without bracelets in a couple of issues. I think it was in Jimenez´s run around #189. But I don´t know for sure.

I guess they should be removable... You need a true WW expert to clear that up!!

[artemisboy]

A couple of questions...

Are Wonder Woman & Wonder Girl's Bracelets removable? I never see Diana without them...

Yeah, they're removable. The wearing of bracelets is just a tradition the Amazons have in rememberance of the enslavement they once were under when Heracles and his men took them prisoner thousands of years ago. When the Amazons first went into Man's World (around Wonder Woman #50) they all took them off as a sign to the world that they will no longer hold old grudges. As their handful of attempts of working with the outside world has each ended in hardship, it seems the Amazons (the Themyscirian ones anyway) have taken to wearing them again.

Also, why was the previous Wonder Girl called both Donna Troy and Troia?

Donna Troy is her real name and Troia was her second codename. She ditched the codename Wonder Girl once she regained her memories of living among the Titans of Myth. Kind of like Jean Grey ditching the codename Marvel Girl for Phoenix.

- Peter

[davids]

In sensational comics 1941 it was reveled that if wonder woman were to remove her bracellets she would lose control of her self. Not only would she become stronger but less in control of her own actions. she would go berzerk. I am not sure if this still goes for Wonder woman's curent incarnation. Side note Diana's daughter Eiko from project A-ko a 1986 anime movie wears black bracellets that cuts down on her powers and strenght and helps her control her emotionals. In one movie she tried to war a formal gown with ouyt her bracellets and in a fit of rage destroyed a space ship hotel! {And i don;t know why warner brothers didn;t sue them!]

[artemisboy]

The old "losing control without her bracelets" is old school and isn't in the current Post-Crisis mythos. Diana has taken them off a couple times and with no crazy outbursts.

- Peter

[Patient Boy]

In sensational comics 1941 it was reveled that if wonder woman were to remove her bracellets she would lose control of her self. Not only would she become stronger but less in control of her own actions. she would go berzerk.

This makes no sense (and yes I know it's just comics). Wasn't this back when WW still had a secret ID? How'd Diana Prince hide the fact that she was wearing big silver bracelets all the time that just happened to look like the ones Wonder Woman wore?

[Random Dude 22]

Why did Wonder Woman cut her hair pre-Rucka run?

Was it just because?

[artemisboy]

She was trying to disguise herself and thought a haircut might do it.

- Peter

[Random Dude 22]

Thanks,

Disguise herself for what?

[artemisboy]

An evil entity was stalking her by possessing living being's bodies and attacking her. While she was trying to find out who this being was, she had to make herself a disguise to throw off her persuer. Thus, she cut her hair.

- Peter

[Indigo Al]

Has the status and history of Baroness Paula von Gunther been established in the Post Crisis DCU?

[olympichero62]

Questions:

1.) Is wonder woman in love with batman?

2.) or is wonder woman in love with superman?

3.) Why does batman always try to fight her but always gets his a$$ whopped?

4.) Is she the best fighter in the DCU?

5.) Has anyone ever broken her lasso?

6.) Could a nuke take her out?

7.) In current post crisis continuity, what is her strongest feat?

[artemisboy]

Has the status and history of Baroness Paula von Gunther been established in the Post Crisis DCU?

Not really. John Byrne brought her back into continuity and had her stay on Themyscira among the Amazons. She has never been seen since.

Questions:
1.) Is wonder woman in love with batman?

There was some flirtation there, but I believe that possible relationship was settled in JLA in which both of them realized that it could never work out. I think that resolution is all whooie myself though. I quicky wrap-up ending due to The Powers That Be not wanting to rock the boat. My feeling is that sometimes you HAVE to rock the boat sometimes in order for anything to actually happen. Relationships come and go. If fans start complaining (which they weren't) then you just have them brake up. Simple as that.

2.) or is wonder woman in love with superman?

No. Diana was never in love with Superman. It simply isn't in Diana's character to pursue a man who is married to another woman. Diana told Lois as much when she offered Lois the chance to use the lasso on Diana. They did go out on a date before Clark and Lois got together though, but nothing really came out of it other than a strong friendship. During that HORRIBLE 1,000 year battle Supes and Diana fought there was some tension there, but I feel it was just BAD BAD writing by someone who obviously hadn't done their homework on actual continuity of the characters written.

3.) Why does batman always try to fight her but always gets his a$$ whopped?

Maybe because they are both master fighters but she has the advantage of being a meta-human on her side? Don't really know about that one.

4.) Is she the best fighter in the DCU?

You know, Diana is a master fighter as her people have 3,000 years of combat training passed on to her, but at the same time, I wouldn't say she is the "best" as other characters are more adapt to use their fighting skills than Diana is. Diana is more willing to talk her foes to death than resort to hand-to-hand combat as opposed to someone like, say, Shiva who uses her skills as an assassin in more everyday use. I would like to see the two go against each other, but I honestly don't know who would win.

5.) Has anyone ever broken her lasso?

See, here's the thing ... Diana's lasso is NEVER supposed to break. It is supposed to be indestructable. This has always held true in her title, as the only time it was shown to have broke (by Circe) Diana knew the battle wasn't real as she called the lasso breaking impossible and reality shifted back to actuality. This history was thrown out the window (yet again) by sloppy writing in the JLA comic. Not only that, but the writers there also had the lasso supposedly have some type of tie to world-wide truth. This is most definately NOT the case. The lasso is supposed to be a tool Diana uses to channel the truth power "already inside of her". In other words, the ability to sense the truth is in Diana, NOT the lasso. It's because of this and many other inconsistancies written that I tend to take Diana's depictions in the JLA comic with a grain of salt.

6.) Could a nuke take her out?

I believe she was nuked in her title during Eric Luke's run but it simply knocked her out.

7.) In current post crisis continuity, what is her strongest feat?

I believe she, with the help of Green Lantern, physically moved the moon. I forget where that happened though. I guess there are other events that could be pointed out but that's the first thing that came to mind.

- Peter