251 – More Atlantis for All

Wonder Woman encounters a different version of Atlantis than the one introduced in Aquaman stories in Wonder Woman #8 (February 1944). In this version, Atlantis is rules by giant woman who have no respect for men, treating them as second-class citizens. As if to punctuate that, Steve Trevor is kidnapped and forced to wear butt-cheek […]

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244 – Hippolyta Hops

Queen Hippolyta leaves Paradise Island for the first time to help out her daughter in Sensation Comics #26 (December 1943). She finds out Wonder Woman is being threatened, prays to Aphrodite to let her leave, and is granted her wish but cannot reveal her identity to anyone – even Diana. I also notice that Wonder […]

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233 – Aquaman, New Feminist?

In a surprising-for-the-time war tale, Aquaman meets up with a Russian boat captained and crewed by only women – who manage to hold their own against Nazis. While at first it seems like the story is a bit gimmicky, it is interesting in that the women are never shown as helpless, and it seems like […]

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223 – Lois, Super Woman!

Five years after the debut of Action Comics, we get the first time that Lois Lane gains super-powers in Action Comics #60 (March 1943). After a car accident in which Lois gets a head injury, Superman gives her a blood transfusion which results in her gaining all his powers. Lois decides on costumed adventuring. Note […]

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219 – Phantom Lady Bares More

Frank Borth took over the art for the Phantom Lady stories in Police Comics #17 (January 1943). Apparently he was not satisfied with her already-scanty costume (basically a one-piece bathing suit and a cape) and removed the back and added a split to her navel. Despite there being more female costumed adventurers, most of them […]

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216 – Liberty Belle

Woops – one more post before we leave 1942 behind for good! I thought it would be a good time to skip back a month and cover at least one superhero debut that I missed: Liberty Belle makes her debut hiding out in Boy Commandos #1. Liberty Belle was a World War II heroine who, […]

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213 – Female Justice Society

All-Star Comics #15 (December 1942) features Wonder Woman rallying all the girlfriends of the men of the Justice Society of America to save them. It’s a far cry from A-Force or the Birds of Prey… Wonder Woman is still just the “secretary” of the Justice Society, for crap sakes.. but it’s a start, at least!

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182 – Poison and Candy

In the second issue of Sensation Comics (December 1941), Wonder Woman gets her first villain, Doctor Poison, in this incarnation a Japanese princess named Maru who works for the Nazis. To help defeat Doctor Poison, Wonder Woman enlists another supporting character introduced in this issue of Etta Candy. Bad puns aside, I’m a bit fascinated […]

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177 – Wonder Woman!

In All-Star Comics #8 (October 1941), the third of DC’s “Trinity” finally arrives: Wonder Woman! Tucked behind a Justice Society of America story (in which Hourman and Green Lantern have been replaced by Starman and Dr. Mid-Nite), Dr. William Moulton Marston, aka Charles Moulton gives us the definitive Wonder Woman origin story. This story has […]

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160 – The Phantom Lady

The second superhero introduced in Police Comics #1 (May 1941) by Quality was the Phantom Lady, created by Eisner & Iger studio. Sandra Knight moonlights as a costumed adventurer with a black lantern that shines darkness onto her targets – and she has a vehicle that shines the same darkness beams out of the rear. […]

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