{"id":35867,"date":"2026-07-04T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T08:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=35867"},"modified":"2026-07-03T18:15:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T18:15:07","slug":"dc-finest-wonder-woman-introducing-wonder-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2026\/07\/04\/dc-finest-wonder-woman-introducing-wonder-woman\/","title":{"rendered":"DC Finest: Wonder Woman &#8211; Introducing Wonder Woman"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-frt.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"970\" height=\"1500\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-35870\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-frt.jpg 970w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-frt-150x232.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-frt-250x387.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-frt-768x1188.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><br \/>\nBy <strong>William Moulton Marston, Harry G. Peter<\/strong>, <strong>Alice Marble<\/strong>, <strong>Sheldon Moldoff<\/strong>, <strong>Frank Godwin<\/strong>, <strong>Frank Harry <\/strong>&amp; various (DC Comics)<br \/>\nISBN: 978-1-7995-033-6-1 (TPB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n<p><em>This book includes <strong>Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Wonder Woman<\/strong> debuted as a special feature in <strong>All Star Comics<\/strong> #8, cover-dated December 1941, but actually on sale from October 21<sup>st<\/sup> of that year). The book was home to top-sellers the <strong>Justice Society of America<\/strong> and where she would immediately be invited to join the team, albeit only as \u201cclub secretary\u201d&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Officially, she was conceived by psychologist\/polygraph pioneer William Moulton Marston and realised and unilaterally illustrated by Harry G. Peter, in a calculated attempt to offer girls a positive and forceful role model and, on forward-thinking Editor M.C. Gaines\u2019 part, to sell more funnybooks to girls. Later research has since disclosed much of her genesis was due to Moulton\u2019s wife &#8211; attorney turned psychologist Sarah Elizabeth Marston (n\u00e9e Holloway) who had worked with him to create the systolic lie detector process &#8211; with further input from their live-in partner Olive Byrne.<\/p>\n<p>Despite all the complexities and confusion surrounding her genesis, <strong>Wonder Woman<\/strong> was an instant hit and catapulted from the try-out into her own series as the cover-featured character of new anthology <strong>Sensation Comics<\/strong> one month later. The unstoppable Amazon then won her own eponymous supplemental title some months after that, cover-dated summer 1942, as well as a lead position in bumper anthology book <strong>Comics Cavalcade<\/strong> (December 1943).<\/p>\n<p>Using nom de plume <em>Charles Moulton<\/em>, Marston &#8211; and his domestic writing partners &#8211; scripted all her many and miraculous adventures until his death in 1947, whereupon Robert Kanigher officially took over the writer\u2019s role. Venerable co-creator H.G. Peter illustrated almost every WW tale until his own death in 1958.<\/p>\n<p>Spanning cover-dates December 1941 to June 1943, this compelling full-colour compilation collects her debut from<strong> All Star Comics<\/strong> #8, and every iconic adventure plus pertinent extras from <strong>Sensation Comics<\/strong> #1-18; <strong>Comics Cavalcade<\/strong> #1-2 and <strong>Wonder Woman<\/strong> #1-4. Of course, we begin with ASC #8 and <em>\u2018Introducing Wonder Woman\u2019<\/em>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>On a hidden island of immortal super-women, an aviator crashes to Earth. Near death, US Army Intelligence officer <em>Captain Steve Trevor <\/em>is nursed back to health by young <em>Princess Diana<\/em>. Fearing her daughter\u2019s growing obsession with the man, fiercely maternal <em>Queen Hippolyte<\/em> reveals the hidden history of the Amazons to the child. Diana learns how her people &#8211; all women &#8211; were seduced and betrayed by men in ancient times but rescued by the goddess <em>Aphrodite<\/em> on condition that they thenceforward isolate themselves from the rest of the world and devoted their eternal lives to becoming ideal, perfect creatures.<\/p>\n<p>Now however, after Trevor explains the perfidious spy plot which accidentally brought him to the Island enclave, divine <em>Athena <\/em>and Aphrodite appear, ordering Hippolyte to assign an Amazon warrior to return with the American and fight for global freedom and liberty. The Queen diplomatically and democratically declares an open contest to determine the best candidate and &#8211; despite being forbidden to participate &#8211; Diana enters and wins. Accepting the will of the gods, the worried mother outfits her in the guise of Wonder Woman and sends her out to Man\u2019s World&#8230;<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1927\" height=\"1235\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-35871\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-1.jpg 1927w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-1-150x96.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-1-250x160.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-1-768x492.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-1-1536x984.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><br \/>\nA month later the saga continued where the introduction left off. <strong>Sensation Comics <\/strong>#1 declared <em>\u2018Wonder Woman Comes to America\u2019<\/em>, seeing the eager immigrant repatriating the recuperating Trevor to the modern World. She also trounces a gang of bank robbers and falls in with a show business swindler. One major innovation here is the newcomer perpetrating identity theft by buying her secret identity. Lovelorn Army nurse <em>Diana Prince<\/em> elegantly allows the Amazon to be close to Steve by becoming her, enabling the heartsick medic to join her own fianc\u00e9 in faraway South America. Even with all that going on, there\u2019s still room for Wonder Woman &amp; Trevor to stop a spy ring attempting to use poison gas in a Draft induction centre, before Steve breaks his leg and ends up in hospital again, where \u201cNurse Prince\u201d is assigned to tend him&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sensation<\/strong> #2 debuted a deadly enemy agent and recurring villain in <em>\u2018The Menace of Dr. Poison\u2019 <\/em>&#8211; a cannily crafted tale which also introduced the most radical comedy sidekicks of the era. The plucky \u201cfun-loving gals\u201d (sweets, dancing and spanking mostly) of the <em>Holliday College for Women<\/em> and their chocolate-gorging Beeta Lamda sorority-chief <em>Etta Candy <\/em>would find trouble and save the day in equal proportions for years to come: constantly demonstrating Diana\u2019s &#8211; and Marston\u2019s &#8211; philosophical contention that girls, with correct encouragement, could accomplish anything that men could&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>With War raging and in a military setting, espionage and sabotage were inescapable plot devices. <em>\u2018A Spy in the Office\u2019 <\/em>sees Diana arranging a transfer to the office of <em>General Darnel <\/em>as his secretary so she can keep a closer eye on finally fit Steve. She isn\u2019t there five minutes before uncovering a ring of undercover infiltrators amongst the typing pool and saving her man from assassination. Unlike most comic stars of the period, Wonder Woman tales sought tight continuity. <em>\u2018School for Spies\u2019 <\/em>in #4 shows some of those fallen girls murdered by way of introducing inventive genius\/Nazi master manipulator <em>Baroness Paula von Gunther<\/em>. She employs psychological ploys to enslave impressionable women to her will and sets otherwise decent Americans against their homeland. Even Diana succumbs to her machinations &#8211; until Steve and the Holliday Girls crash in\u2026<\/p>\n<p>America\u2019s newest submarine is saved from destruction and cunning terrorists brought to book in <em>\u2018Wonder Woman versus the Saboteurs\u2019 <\/em>before <strong>SC<\/strong> #6 has Diana accepting a <em>\u2018Summons to Paradise\u2019 <\/em>to battle her immortal sisters in Kanga-riding duels before receiving her greatest weapon: an unbreakable <em>Lasso of Truth<\/em> which compels and controls anyone who falls within its golden coils. It proves quite handy when Paula escapes prison and uses an invisibility formula to wreak havoc on US coastal defences&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018The Milk Swindle\u2019 <\/em>is pure 1940s social advocacy drama, with homegrown racketeers and Nazi von Gunther joining forces to seize control of America\u2019s milk supply with the incredibly long-sighted intention of weakening the bones of the country\u2019s next generation of soldiers. Closely following in <strong>Sensation<\/strong> #8 is <em>\u2018Department Store Perfidy\u2019 <\/em>wherein the Perfect Princess goes undercover in the monolithic Bullfinch emporium to win better working conditions and fair pay for the girls employed there. There was a plethora of surprises in #9 too, with <em>\u2018The Return of Diana Prince\u2019 <\/em>from South America. Now <em>Mrs Diana White<\/em>, the young mother needs her job and identity back until her inventor husband can sell his latest invention to the US army. Luckily, Wonder Woman and an obliging gang of saboteurs can expedite matters\u2026<\/p>\n<p>The next major landmark was the launch of the Amazon\u2019s solo title. The first quarterly <strong>Wonder Woman<\/strong> opens here with twinned text features <em>\u2018Introducing Miss Alice Marble as Associate Editor of Wonder Woman\u2019<\/em> before wordy primer <em>\u2018Wonder Woman: Who is She?\u2019<\/em> focuses on the Amazon\u2019s pantheon of godly patrons after which comic action commences with a greatly expanded revision of her first appearance in <em>\u2018The Origin of Wonder Woman\u2019<\/em>. This precedes a beguiling mystery tale as in <em>\u2018Wonder Woman Goes to the Circus!\u2019<\/em> Diana solves the bizarre serial murders of the show\u2019s elephants before Paula von Gunther rears her shapely head again in <em>\u2018Wonder Woman versus the Spy Ring\u2019 <\/em>wherein the loss of the Golden Lasso almost causes Diana\u2019s demise and ultimate defeat of the US Army&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>In <em>\u2018The Greatest Feat of Daring in Human History!\u2019 <\/em>Diana and Etta head for Texas, only to become embroiled in a sinister scheme involving Latin Lotharios, lady bullfighters, lethal spies and a Nazi attempt to conquer Mexico, after which the inaugural issue ends with new feature <em>Wonder Women of History<\/em> wherein a biography of <em>\u2018Florence Nightingale, Angel of the Crimea\u2019 <\/em>is supplied by Miss Marble &amp; Sheldon Moldoff.<\/p>\n<p>Over in <strong>Sensation Comics<\/strong> #10 (October 1942) <em>\u2018The Railroad Plot\u2019 <\/em>celebrates Steve &amp; Wonder Woman\u2019s first anniversary by exposing a sinister plan devised by Japanese and German agents to blow up New York City using the labyrinth of subway tunnels under the metropolis, after which <em>\u2018Mission to Planet Eros\u2019 <\/em>launches the Princess\u2019 long line of cosmic fantasy exploits. The <em>Queen of Venus<\/em> requests Diana\u2019s aid in saving an entire planetary civilisation from gender inequality and total breakdown, before <em>\u2018America\u2019s Guardian Angel\u2019 <\/em>(<strong>Sensation<\/strong> #12) sees the Warrior Princess accepting an offer to play herself in a patriotic Hollywood movie, only to find production infiltrated by insidious Paula and her latest gang of slave-girls&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Preceded by prose\/photo introduction <em>\u2018Boys and Girls! Here are the Men Behind Wonder Woman!\u2019 <\/em>and an illustrated prose piece about <em>\u2018The Spirit of War\u2019<\/em>, <strong>Wonder Woman<\/strong> #2 comprises a 4-chapter epic introducing the Amazon\u2019s greatest enemy in <em>\u2018Mars, the God of War\u2019<\/em>. He apparently instigated World War from his HQ on the distant red planet but chafes at the lack of progress since Wonder Woman entered the fray on the side of the peace-loving allies. He now opts for direct action, no longer trusting his earthly pawns <em>Hitler<\/em>, <em>Mussolini<\/em> and <em>Hirohito<\/em>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>When Steve goes missing, Diana allows herself to be captured and ferried to Mars. Here she starts disrupting the efficient working of the war-god\u2019s regime and fomenting unrest amongst the slave population, before rescuing Steve and heading home to Earth. <em>\u2018The Earl of Greed\u2019<\/em>, one of Mars\u2019 trio of trusted subordinates, takes centre stage for the second chapter, with orders to recapture Steve and Diana at all costs. As the duo attempt to infiltrate Berlin, Greed uses his influence on Hitler to surreptitiously redirect the German war effort, using Gestapo forces to steal all the USA\u2019s gold reserves. With Steve gravely injured, the Amazon returns to America and whilst her paramour heals, uncovers and foils the Ethereal Earl\u2019s machinations to prevent much-needed operating funds from reaching <em>Holliday College<\/em>, where young girls learn to be independent free-thinkers. With Greed thwarted, Mars dispatches <em>\u2018The Duke of Deception\u2019 <\/em>to Earth, where the spindly phantom impersonates Wonder Woman and frames her for murder. Easily escaping from prison, the Princess of Power not only clears her name but also finds time to foil a Deception-inspired invasion of Hawaii, leaving only<em>\u00a0\u2018The Count of Conquest\u2019 <\/em>free to carry out Mars\u2019 orders.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1926\" height=\"1278\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-35872\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-2.jpg 1926w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-2-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-2-250x166.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-2-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-2-1536x1019.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><br \/>\nHis scheme is simple: through personal puppet Mussolini, the Count tries to brutalise and physically overpower the Amazing Amazon with a savagely bestial giant boxing champion, even as Italian Lothario <em>Count Crafti<\/em> attempts to woo, seduce and suborn her. The latter\u2019s wiles actually work, too, but capturing and keeping her are two different things entirely, and after breaking free on the Red Planet, Diana delivers a devastating blow to Mars\u2019 war effort&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>This issue ends with a sparkling double page patriotic plea when <em>\u2018Wonder Woman Campaigns for War Bonds\u2019<\/em> after which Marble &amp; Moldoff detail another historical all-star in <em>\u2018Clara Barton, Angel of the Battlefield\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Cover-dated January 1943, <strong>Sensation Comics<\/strong> #13 claims<em> \u2018Wonder Woman is Dead\u2019 <\/em>as a corpse wearing her uniform is discovered, and astounded Diana Prince discovers her alter ego\u2019s clothes and the irreplaceable magic lasso are missing. The trail leads to a diabolical spy-ring working out of Darnell\u2019s office and explosive confrontation in a bowling alley, before <em>\u2018The Story of Fir Balsam\u2019 <\/em>in #14 delivers a seasonal saga concerning lost children, an abused mother and escaped German aviators. All is happily resolved around a lonely pine tree, after which the Immortal Warrior celebrated her next publishing milestone&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>The 1938 debut of <strong>Superman<\/strong> propelled National Comics to the forefront of their fledgling industry and a year later the company was licensed to produce a commemorative comicbook celebrating the opening of the New York World\u2019s Fair. The Man of Tomorrow prominently featured on the appropriately titled <strong>New York World\u2019s Fair Comics<\/strong> among such four-colour stars as <strong>Zatara<\/strong>, <em>Butch the Pup<\/em>, <em>Gingersnap<\/em> and <strong>The Sandman<\/strong>. In 1940, another abundant premium emerged with <strong>Batman<\/strong> <strong>and Robin<\/strong> augmenting the roster, and the publishers felt they had an item and format worth pursuing commercially.<\/p>\n<p>The spectacular card-cover 96-page anthologies had been a huge hit and convinced editors that an over-sized anthology of their pantheon of characters, with Superman &amp; Batman prominently featured, was a worthwhile proposition. Thus, format was retained for a wholly company-owned, quarterly high-end package, retailing for the then-hefty price of 15\u00a2. Launched as <strong>World\u2019s Best Comics<\/strong> #1 in Spring 1941, the book morphed into <strong>World\u2019s Finest Comics<\/strong> from #2, beginning a stellar 45-year run which only ended as part of the massive decluttering exercise that was <strong>Crisis on Infinite Earths<\/strong>. During the Golden Age, however, it remained a big blockbuster bonanza of strips to entice and delight readers&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>At this time National\/DC was in an editorially-independent business relationship with Max Gaines that involved shared and cross promotion and distribution for the comicbooks released by his own outfit All-American Publications. Although technically competitors if not quite rivals, the deal included shared logos and advertising and even combining both companies\u2019 top characters in the groundbreaking\u00a0<strong>All Star Comics<\/strong>\u00a0as the\u00a0<strong>Justice Society of America<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>However, by 1942 relations between the companies were increasingly strained &#8211; and would culminate in 1946 with DC buying out Gaines, who used the money to start EC Comics.<\/p>\n<p>All-American thus decided to create its own analogue to <strong>World\u2019s Finest<\/strong>, featuring only AA characters. The outsized result was <strong>Comics Cavalcade<\/strong>. Cover-dated December 1942-January 1943 &#8211; and following Frank Harry\u2019s gloriously star-studded cover to <strong>Comic Cavalcade<\/strong> #1 &#8211; Wonder Woman\u2019s fourth regular star slot began with the superstar solving the <em>\u2018Mystery of the House of the Seven Gables\u2019 <\/em>(as ever the fruits of \u201cMarston\u201d &amp; Peter\u2019s fevered imaginations) wherein Diana Prince stumbles upon a band of Nazi spies. All too soon, the Amazon needs the help of some plucky youngsters to quash the submarine-sabotaging brutes&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wonder Woman<\/strong> #3 then dedicates its entirety to the return of an old foe; commencing with <em>\u2018A Spy on Paradise Island\u2019 <\/em>as undergrads of Holliday College for Women &#8211; including Etta Candy &#8211; are initiated into some pretty wild Amazon rites on Paradise Island. Sadly, the revels inadvertently allow an infiltrator to gain access and pave the way for an invasion by Japanese troops. Naturally Diana and the Amazons prevail on the day, but the exposed sinister mind behind it all strikes back in<em> \u2018The Devilish Devices of Baroness Paula von Gunther\u2019<\/em>.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1259\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-35868\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-3.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-3-150x98.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-3-250x164.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-3-768x504.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-3-1536x1007.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><br \/>\nWhilst alert Amazons build a women\u2019s prison to known as \u201cReform Island\u201d, Wonder Woman, acting upon information received by the new inmates, trails Paula and is in time to crush her latest scientific terror: an invisibility ray. Then <em>\u2018The Secret of Baroness von Gunther\u2019 <\/em>offers a rare peek at a villain\u2019s motivation when the captured super-spy reveals how her little daughter <em>Gerta<\/em> has been a Nazi hostage for years and remains a goad to ensure the genius\u2019 total dedication to the German cause. Naturally, the Amazing Amazon resolves to reunite mother and child at all costs, after which <em>\u2018Ordeal of Fire\u2019 <\/em>confirms the Baroness aiding Diana &amp; Steve in dismantling her spy network and slave-ring the Nazis had spent so long building in America\u2026 albeit at great personal and physical cost to the repentant Paula&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Much has been posited about subtexts of bondage and subjugation in Marston\u2019s tales &#8211; and, to be frank, there really are lots of scenes with girls tied up, chained or about to be whipped &#8211; but I just don\u2019t care what his intentions (subconscious or otherwise) might have been: I\u2019m more impressed with the skilful drama and incredible fantasy elements which are always wonderfully, intriguingly present. I mean, just where does the concept of giant war-kangaroos come from?<\/p>\n<p>This issue closes with another Marble &amp; Moldoff biography lesson this tome focussed on <em>\u2018Nurse Edith Cavell\u2019<\/em>, before <strong>Sensation<\/strong> #15\u2019s <em>\u2018Victory at Sea\u2019<\/em> pits Diana &amp; Steve against lethal saboteurs set on halting military production and working with shady lawyers, whilst in #16 <em>\u2018The Masked Menace\u2019<\/em> is one of very few stories not illustrated by H.G. Peter, but rather the work of illustrator and strip cartoonist Frank Godwin. He was called in as the crushing workload of an extra 64-page comic book every couple of months piled pressure on WW\u2019s artistic director. The tale sees steadfast Texan Etta Candy ready to elope with slick, sleazy Eurotrash <em>Prince Goulash<\/em>, until Diana &amp; Steve crash the wedding party to expose spies infiltrating across the Mexican border and a plot to blow up the invaluable Candy family oil-wells&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Inescapable war-fervour was tinged with incredible fantasy in <strong>Wonder Woman<\/strong> 4, which opened with <em>\u2018Man-Hating Madness!\u2019<\/em> wherein a Chinese refugee from a Japanese torture camp reaches America and draws the Amazon into a terrifying scheme to use biological weapons on the American Home Front. Cruel, misogynistic <em>\u2018Mole Men of the Underworld\u2019<\/em> then kidnap collegiate Holliday Girls sidekicks, before Diana and reformed, recuperated former-Nazi genius Baroness Paula rescue them, liberate a race of female slaves and secure America\u2019s deepest border from further attack.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018The Rubber Barons\u2019<\/em> provide a rousing romp wherein greedy corporate profiteers attempt to hold the Government and war effort to ransom with a new manufacturing process in a high-tech tale involving mind-control, gender role-reversal and behaviour modification, as only a trained and passionate psychologist could promote them, before the drama concludes with <em>\u2018The Treachery of Mavis\u2019<\/em> as Paula, now fully accepted into Amazon society, is attacked by one of her erstwhile spy-slaves. The traumatised victim then abducts her ex-mistress\u2019 daughter Gerta and Wonder Woman, burdened with responsibility, is compelled to hunt her down. Again the issue closes with a Marble &amp; Moldoff history moment sharing the triumphs of <em>\u2018Lillian D. Wald, \u201cThe Mother of the East Side\u201d\u2019<\/em>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>A revered classic from <strong>Sensation<\/strong> #17 follows. <em>\u2018Riddle of the Talking Lion\u2019<\/em> (limned by Godwin) finds Diana Prince visiting an ailing friend and discovering that Sally\u2019s kids have overheard a zoo lion speaking&#8230; and revealing strange secrets. Although Steve &amp; Diana dismiss the tall tale, events take a peculiar turn when the beast is subsequently stolen with the trail leading to Egypt and a plot by ambitious Nazi collaborator <em>Princess Yasmini<\/em>&#8230;<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1906\" height=\"1321\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-35869\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-4.jpg 1906w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-4-150x104.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-4-250x173.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-4-768x532.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DC-Finest-Wonder-Woman-Introducing-Wonder-Woman-illo-4-1536x1065.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><br \/>\nNext, following the Frank Harry cover of <strong>Comics Cavalcade<\/strong> #2, Wonder Woman\u2019s Godwin illustrated offering <em>\u2018Wanted by Hitler, Dead or Alive\u2019 <\/em>pits her against devious Gestapo agent <em>Fausta Grables<\/em> before another from <strong>Sensation<\/strong> <strong>Comics<\/strong> #18 closes out this epic compilation: one last yarn illustrated by superbly gifted classical artist Godwin with Diana saving a lost Mesolithic tribe from despotic theocracy and ancient greed in <em>\u2018The Secret City of the Incas\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Exotic, baroque, beguiling and uniquely exciting, these Golden Age adventures of the World\u2019s Most Famous woman superhero are timeless and pivotal classics in the development of comics books and still provide lashings of fun and thrills for anyone looking for a great nostalgic read.<br \/>\n\u00a9 1941, 1942, 1943, 2025 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n<p>Today in 1883, global cartooning force of nature <strong>Rube Goldberg<\/strong> as born, sharing the day with prolific British letterer <strong>Ellie DeVille<\/strong> in 1947; artist David Finch (<strong>CyberForce<\/strong>, <strong>Moon Knight<\/strong>, <strong>New Avengers<\/strong>) in 1971 and <strong>David Petersen<\/strong> (<strong>Mouse Guard<\/strong>) in 1977.<\/p>\n<p>The date saw the deaths of career cartoonist <strong>Art Sansom<\/strong> (<em>Chris Welkin-Planeteer<\/em>, <strong>The Born Loser<\/strong>) in 1991 and in 2005 today premiered <strong>Tyler Martin<\/strong>\u2019s long-running webcomic <strong>Wally and Osborne<\/strong> (formerly <strong>On the Rocks<\/strong>).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By William Moulton Marston, Harry G. Peter, Alice Marble, Sheldon Moldoff, Frank Godwin, Frank Harry &amp; various (DC Comics) ISBN: 978-1-7995-033-6-1 (TPB\/Digital edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times. Wonder Woman debuted as a special feature in All Star Comics #8, cover-dated December 1941, but actually on sale from October 21st &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2026\/07\/04\/dc-finest-wonder-woman-introducing-wonder-woman\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;DC Finest: Wonder Woman &#8211; Introducing Wonder Woman&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[335,191,280,351,324,76,299,122,125,127,385,169,93,48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-activism","category-adventure","category-animal-antics","category-apes-monkeys","category-aviator-strips","category-dc-superhero","category-feminism-sexual-politics","category-historical","category-humour","category-nostalgia","category-sea-stories","category-spy-stories","category-war-stories","category-wonder-woman"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-9kv","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35867"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35873,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35867\/revisions\/35873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}