"OK, let’s just come out and say it: Wonder Woman is the most famous heroine of all time. No offense to the Lara Crofts, Buffys, or Disney princesses of the world, but none of them have been plastered on as many magazine covers, adorned as many T-shirts, or sold the countless comics, dolls, and action figures that Wonder Woman has. The full package of beauty, brains, and brawn, she’s been a feminist icon since her star-spangled intro in 1941.
Wonder Woman is Princess Diana of the immortal Amazons from Greek mythology. When army pilot Steve Trevor crashes on the warriors’ secluded island paradise, Diana wins the right to escort him home and make her people known to the world. Entering our cynical world for the first time, there’s a lot she must wrap her head around, especially our ways of war, hate, and, well… dating. Helping her are her superhuman strength and speed, as well as the trademark bulletproof bracelets, but it’s probably her Golden Lasso of Truth most people really wish they had.
Wonder Woman fights evil while hoping to unlock the potential of a humanity she doesn’t always understand."
- http://www.dccomics.com/characters/wonder-woman
Princess Diana of Paradise Island is the daughter of Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons. She is also an Olympian Demi-Goddess and daughter of Zeus!
But although she is the representative and champion of the Olympian gods in the world of mortals, she is more often a defender and champion of mortals against the meddling of the gods in human affairs.
1st Appearance (Current Version): WONDER WOMAN REBIRTH # 1
1st appearance(Historical): All-Star Comics # 8
Gender: Female
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 165 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
Known Relatives: Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons (Mother), Zeus, King of the Olympian Gods(Father), SIBLINGS:(Hermes, Hercules, Perseus, Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo, Hestia, Ares, Eris)
Group Affiliation: The Justice League, The Amazons, The Olympian Gods
Skills: Diana is a superior hand to hand combatant and natural leader!
Powers: Superhuman Strength, Agility, Acrobatic prowess and the power to leap great distances. She was recently granted the power of flight by her half-brother, the messenger god, HERMES
Base of Operations: London, England as well as Justice League Headquarters.
Base of Operations: London, England. Themyscira, Paradise Island. Justice League Watchtower.
Origin:
Legend has it that the Amazon Queen Hippolyta, yearning for a child of her own sculpted clay into the image of an infant girl and prayed for the Olympian gods to grant her sculpture life. Exhausted, Hippolyta fell asleep beside her clay statue and upon waking the following morning is greeted by a live, flesh and blood baby daughter whom she named Diana, the Princess of Paradise Island. But the legend was simply that. A story crafted by Queen Hippolyta and the Amazons to protect Princess Diana from the wrath of the goddess Hera who would have killed Diana if the truth were known: That long ago, Zeus appeared to the Amazon Queen and engaged her in a duel of swords. Having measured each other's skills as warriors, there was an instant attraction between them and from their passion was concieved Diana who would grow up to become Wonder Woman. Years later, an American pilot named Steve Trevor while on a mission crashed on the shores of Paradise Island. The Amazons take the arrival of Steve Trevor, his uniform and his circumstances as a sign from their Patron gods that they must send their greatest Amazon to the outside World as their Ambassador and Champion to face the threat of Ares, The God of War. The Amazons hold a tournament of Athletic Games. Princess Diana wins the contest and later becomes a heroic legend as "WONDER WOMAN". She meets other Metahumans and helps form The Justice League.
QUEEN HIPPOLYTA - Queen of the Amazons of Paradise Island. Leader of a race of Amazons created by Olympian goddesses to be shining examples of Strength, and Justice, and to be defenders of the oppressed in the world of Mortals. Succumbing to the deception and betrayal by the Demi-God Hercules and his Greeks, the Amazons were enslaved and shortly after were freed from bondage by their patron goddesses and soon after led them to their new home on Paradise Island.
HERMES, The God of Messengers of the Olympian gods ! Known for his great Speed, he is also a close ally of Princess Diana of Paradise Island, a.k.a. Wonder Woman. Hermes possesses his trademark amulet called "Caduceus", he recently used this mystic object to transport a mortal woman named Zola from imminent death by Hera's assassins to London where Wonder Woman lives.
First Appearance: WONDER WOMAN VOL. 4 Issue No.1 (Sept. 2011)
APOLLO, The Olympian Sun god who seeks to replace his missing Father,ZEUS as King of the Olympian gods. He is also capable of enchanting mortal women into becoming his oracles and see beyond the veil of fate.
First Appearance: Wonder Woman Vol. 4, Issue No. 1 (Sept. 2011)
ARTEMIS
- A.k.A. "Moon" Goddess of the Moon and Hunting. Daughter of Zeus, Sister of Apollo and half-sister to Wonder Woman
HERA, Wife of Zeus and Queen of Mount Olympus ! Known for her great jealousy of Zeus' endless philandering, she has recently vowed to destroy all of Zeus' children with various mortals as well as the women who bear them. She most recently created reanimated horses transformed into centaur assassins to search and destroy Zeus' newest mortal, Zola who now carries his unborn child.
First Appearance: Wonder Woman Vol. 4, Issue No. 1 (Sept. 2011)
STRIFE, the goddess of Discord and the daughter of Hera ! She has the power of deception and the ability to alter the perceptions of others into seeing that which is not truly there. She recently has revealed the true nature of Wonder Woman's lineage....AS A DEMI-GODDESS daughter of Zeus, King of the Olympian gods !
First Appearance: Wonder Woman Vol. 4, Issue No. 2 (October, 2011)
CENTAUR ASSASSIN
Monsters created by the goddess Hera to serve as her assasins. These creatures are tasked to destroy the mortal woman named Zola as well as her unborn child who was sired by the King of Olympus, Zeus !
First Appearance: Wonder Woman Vol. 4, Issue No. 1 (Sept. 2011)
HADES
The Olympian god of the Underworld and brother to Zeus and Poseidon.
First Appearance: Wonder Woman Vol. 4, Issue No. 5 (January 2012)
POSEIDON
The Olympian god of the Sea, Poseidon is also brother to Zeus, King of the Olympian gods and Hades, God of the Underworld. With Zeus missing, Poseidon's ambition is to claim the Sky which is Zeus' domain.
First Appearance: Wonder Woman Vol. 4, Issue No. 5 (January 2012)
ZEUS
Zeus is the God of the Sky and King of Olympus and the Olympian Gods. He was also recently revealed to be the Father of the Amazon Demi-goddess Princess Diana of Paradise Island who is also known to the outside world as the Super-heroine, WONDER WOMAN. His whereabouts are currently unknown which is causing his wife Hera, Apollo and Poseidon to fight over his throne. Zeus is also the Father of the mortal woman, Zola's unborn child.
COL. STEVE TREVOR
On a rescue mission responding to a distress call, Col. Steve Trevor of A.R.G.U.S. (Advanced Research Group Uniting Super Humans)crashed on Paradise Island, legendary home of The Amazons where he was nursed back to health by Diana, Princess of the Amazons who as Wonder Woman returned him to the United States. He is currently the liaison of the US Government with the superhuman team called The Justice League where Wonder Woman is a member. He has recently admitted to being in love with the Amazon Princess and sees to it that his organization compliments the mission of Wonder Woman and the League.
Themyscira
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A rebuilt and relocated Themyscira as seen in Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #177 (Feb 2002), art by Phil Jimenez.Themyscira (pronounced Thim-mes-skera) (pronunciation (help·info)) is a fictional island nation in the DC Comics universe, and place of origin to its princess, Diana (better known as Wonder Woman). It was primarily known as Paradise Island until revisions to the Wonder Woman character took place in the 1980s.
Location
Originally a city state founded by Amazons three thousand years ago, Themyscira's inhabitants were first shown in Wonder Woman (volume two) number 1. Here it is said that "the skies above fair Greece yawn wide pouring thousands of souls from Gaea's womb", thus placing the nation's original location somewhere in Greece. Later in issue 17, Diana first visits Greece (after living her entire life on Paradise Island) with her mentor, Julia Kapatelis, and at the end of a tour of her ancestry in that country, she reaches the island of Lesbos where she contemplates in solitude the fates of her Amazon sisters who once flourished at that site.
This ancient former city state of Themyscira was destroyed and later abandoned after the arrival of the demi-god Heracles. When the Amazons lose favor with their gods they are given immortality and sent to a far away island. Beginning in a parted Aegean Sea, it takes three months before the Amazons arrive at the hidden Paradise Island, later retitling it Themyscira after their fallen home. While on the island they are assigned to guard a doorway to Tartarus which lies beneath the island for the rest of their lives.
Heritage
The Amazons are the reincarnated souls of women slain throughout pre-history by men and given life by five Olympian goddesses -- Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Hestia, and Aphrodite. Created over 3,000 years ago to teach the merits of virtue, love, and equality to the men of “Patriarch’s World”, the immortal Amazons are the primary residents on the island of Themyscira.
The Amazons were given gifts of great physical strength, beauty, wisdom, love, and highly acute senses. Being formed from clay, they share a unique oneness with nature. They were ruled by two sisters, Hippolyta and Antiope. The Amazons founded the city- state of Themyscira, in ancient Greece. Ares, the God of War, a chief opponent of the Amazons, manipulated his half brother Heracles to gather forces and attack Themyscira. Heracles subdued and ravaged Hippolyta, and his forces succeeded in ransacking Themyscira and making the Amazons their sex slaves. Hippolyta pleaded with the goddesses for help. The goddess Athena agreed to aid the Amazon but only if they did not go against their purpose of creation by seeking revenge. Agreeing to her terms Athena then released the Amazons from their chains and drugged state. However, once freed the Amazons then scoffed at their goddesses, slaughtering most of their captors. Soon after, Antiope lead a force of Amazons off into Greece, seeking vengeance on Heracles. As decreed by the goddesses, Hippolyta lead the remaining Amazons to a remote island, where as penance for their failures as teachers they became guardians of Doom’s Doorway, preventing the escape of the monsters beneath. Renaming the paradise island Themyscira after their fallen capitol, the Amazons began their new lives, erecting buildings and monuments, perfecting their skills as artisans and warriors.
For centuries the Amazons lived in a perfect state of harmony with their surroundings. They knew no racism, although many treat the Lost Tribe of Amazons as little more than savages. They did not think in terms of male gender -- the word “policeman” was alien to them until Diana’s departure into the outside world. They live in a world where homosexuality is completely accepted -- while some Amazons are chaste, others have loving consorts. They live in a city composed entirely of Greco-Roman architecture from 1200 BC. They wear Greek garb, togas and sandals, and the appropriate warrior clothing -- shields, breastplates, helmets. They all wear the Bracelets of Submission as constant reminders of their past, though these bracelets cannot deflect bullets like Diana’s. (It had been a silver age staple that all Amazons could deflect bullets and had practiced the violent game of "bullets and bracelets since infancy. That attribute has been phased out). They are fervently religious, worshipping their gods as living deities. Artemis is their primary goddess, and they worship her with a sacrifice of a deer. The Amazons celebrate their creation each year in a Feast of Five, remembering the goddesses who brought them to life.
Occasionally, the Nereides would bring to the shores of Themyscira young infants who would have drowned otherwise in accidents. Called "sending forth", these infants would wash up on the shores of Paradise Island, be tutored spiritually in Amazonian ideals, and then sent back mystically to the place of their disappearance. Julia Kapatelis, Diana’s first friend in Patriarch’s World, was one such infant.
Ritual
As shown in the comic, the Amazons hold several customs and observances. Some include:
Feast of the Five
One of the most revered observances the Themyscirian Amazons hold dear is called The Feast of the Five. On this day the Amazons pay homage to the five original goddesses who took part in their creation. Aside from constant prayer and worship the occasion begins with a hunt in honor to the goddess Artemis. A harvest is also celebrated in honor of the goddess Demeter. A feast is then held in honor of the remaining goddesses. This is said to be the Themyscirians' most holy holiday.
Death
Originally a cavern was built under the Amazons' Temple of the Dead, which is where those dead are remembered. After an Amazon's funeral is completed the body is lowered into the cavern where it is laid to rest in a city of the dead. Queen Hippolyta assigns the chief temple priestess to remain alone in the city to watch over the dead for a thousand years before a replacement is made. This tradition was later changed as the Amazons discovered that the priestess often went mad in their solitude. One such priestess brought the dead to life through the use of magic during a mad outburst. The Amazons soon after burned their dead during which the souls of the slain Amazons took form among the flames before traveling onto the plane of afterlife called the Elysian Fields.
Notable Amazons
Themyscirian Amazons
Art by Phil Jimenez from Wonder Woman Secret Files and Origins(All cited Wonder Woman title appearances are from the second series which began in November, 1987.)
Acantha -- a senator (first appearance: Wonder Woman #10)
Aella -- a warrior with a particular affinity for hawks; died during the Amazon civil war (first appeance: Wonder Woman #1)
Antiope -- Hippolyta’s sister and an Amazon queen; she lead a tribe into Greece to seek vengeance on Heracles and Theseus after the Amazons’ capture; she eventually married Theseus but was killed by his former lover Ariadne. Antiope’s descendants became the Lost Tribe of Amazons. (first appearance: Wonder Woman #1)
Callineira -- (first appearance: Wonder Woman #121)
Calyce -- carpenter (first appearance: Wonder Woman Annual #1)
Clio -- royal scribe (first appearance: Wonder Woman #38
Consivia -- chief architect, slain defending Doom’s Doorway (first appearance: Wonder Woman Annual #1)
Cydippe -- aid to Princess Diana (first appearance: Wonder Woman #53)
Egeria -- a lieutenant in the Amazon army and Captain of the Guard; died defending Doom’s Doorway (first appearance: Wonder Woman Annual #1)
Epione -- chief healer (first appearance: Wonder Woman #2)
Euboea -- a warrior and companion to Diana (first appearance: Wonder Woman #10)
Eudia -- helped Diana unlock the secrets of the Amazons’ reversion to stone (first appearance: Wonder Woman #12)
Hellene -- a senator and historian, a close friend to Diana who opposed the opening of Themyscira’s shores to Patriarch’s World; she was murdered by the Cheetah during the War of the Gods (first appeaance: Wonder Woman #14)
Hypsiple -- former queen of Lemnos, mother of Phthia, the martyr of the Lost Tribe of Amazons (first appearance: Wonder Woman Annual #1)
Io -- blacksmith in love with Diana (first appearance: Wonder Woman #196)
Iphthime -- sculptor and lover to Anaya of the Lost Tribe of Amazons (first appearance Wonder Woman #27)
Magala -- the court sorceress; she appears as a cavewoman in Greek garb; she is responsible for casting the spell which transferred a portion of Wonder Woman’s powers to Artemis, and for the creation of Donna Troy. Magala was possessed by Ariadne, the woman who murdered Queen Antiope, and used Magala to start the Amazon civil war. Magala was killed by Fury. (first appearance: Wonder Woman #124
Mala -- close friend to Diana, and a competitor in the second Contest (first appearance: Wonder Woman #90)
Menalippe -- high priestess, a favored of Hermes, slain by Circe (first appearance: Wonder Woman #1)
Mnemosyne -- chief historian (first appearance: Wonder Woman #10)
Myrrha -- chambermaid of the Royal Palace; died during the Imperiex War (first appearance: Wonder Woman #53)
Nione -- a priestess. (first appearance: Wonder Woman #38)
Nu’bia -- guardian of Doom’s Doorway who can turn human beings into stone. (first appearance: Wonder Woman Annual #8)
Oeone -- a botanist (first appearance: Wonder Woman #27)
Pallas -- forger of arms and armor, created Diana’s Eagle armor: (first appearance: Wonder Woman Secret Files #1)
Penelope -- high priestess and oracle of Themyscira, former lover of Menalippe (first appearance: Wonder Woman #21)
Penthiselea -- a mighty Amazon captain and the daughter of Phthia, the Amazons martyr; died in battle with Achilles (first appearance: Wonder Woman #33)
Phillipus -- the Captain of the Guard. Strong, decisive, and a powerful Amazon who was the young Diana’s principal trainer and has served as Queen during Hippolyta’s journey to Patriarch’s World. (first appearance: Wonder Woman #1)
Pythia -- silver haired spiritual mother of Julia Kapatelis (first appearance: Wonder Woman Annual #1)
Timandra -- chief architect (first appearance: Wonder Woman #38)
Trigona -- Amazon athlete (first appearance: Wonder Woman #0)
Venelia -- a warrior and competitor in the second Contest (first appearance: Wonder Woman #91)
Powers & abilities
All Themyscirian Amazons possess various degrees of superhuman strength, speed, stamina and extraordinarily acute senses which were gifts blessed to them by their gods. They have developed high levels of hand-to-hand combat training and are masters at various hand held weapons. It has been shown post crisis that they still have bullet deflecting bracelets though the only Amazons with enough inherent speed to accomplish this feat are Diana, Donna Troy and Cassandra Sandsmark. It was a mainstay within Pre Crisis canon that in Amazon society every Amazon could deflect bullets.
ARES (a.k.a. WAR)
The Olympian god of War. When Wonder Woman was a young girl, Ares, saw tremendous potential in Princess Diana to be his protege and possible successor to his status as the personification of War..if he ever decided to leave his post. But although Diana learned from both her Amazon training as well as the training she received from Ares (who considered Diana his greatest pupil), Diana refused to slay the Minotaur that Ares charged her with slaying. Choosing instead to show mercy on a defenseless enemy, Diana fell out of favor with Ares and then on regarded Diana his biggest failure. It is through this event that Wonder Woman has become a foe of Ares.
THE CHEETAH
A Mysterious and powerful metahuman "Were-Cat" named Barbara Minerva possessing the speed, strength and ferocity of her namesake, she is one of Wonder Woman's greatest adversaries.
GIGANTA
THE FIRST BORN - The Unnamed First Born of Zeus who was banished and ordered destroyed by Zeus to prevent an ancient prohecy from coming to pass: That one of his Children would destroy him and claim his throne someday. The First Born is the Oldest brother of Wonder Woman bent on Destroying his Olympian brethren for revenge and everyone else who gets in his way. His rage is all consuming and his Strength, Power, and Ruthless Ferocity unlike anything seen before.
ATHENA- The goddess of Wisdom and Defensive War. The Greek goddess who supported Diana's dreams of leaving Paradise Island and fulfilling her destiny in the outside world as Wonder Woman. She was also instrumental in allowing the goddess STRIFE discover the true Origin of Princess Diana of Themyscira to help her discover her nature as a Demi-god and also allow the Olympians to succeed in their fight against Zeus' FIRST BORN.
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