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Sensation Comics (1942) #1-14
Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Vol. 1 (Sensation Comics
The most famous of all the women who have ever been called a superhero, Wonder Woman exploded into the world of comic books amid the uncertainty and bleak determination of World War II. Fighting for justice and treating even her enemies with firm compassion, Wonder Woman brought not a cape nor a ring nor a personal fortune or hidden clubhouse, but a magical lariat that compelled anyone it bound to tell the truth, and bracelets that could not only deflect bullets but prevent Wonder Woman from ever using her superpowers for unchecked destruction.
The very first stories of the Amazon Warrior are collected here in WONDER WOMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE VOLUME 1, featuring the adventures of Wonder Woman as she tackles corruption, oppression and cruelty in ALL STAR COMICS #8, COMIC CAVALCADE #1, SENSATION COMICS #1-14 and WONDER WOMAN #1-3.
The very first stories of the Amazon Warrior are collected here in WONDER WOMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE VOLUME 1, featuring the adventures of Wonder Woman as she tackles corruption, oppression and cruelty in ALL STAR COMICS #8, COMIC CAVALCADE #1, SENSATION COMICS #1-14 and WONDER WOMAN #1-3.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2017
64 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
William Moulton Marston
134 books51 followersDr. William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen names Charles Moulton and William Marston, was an American psychologist, feminist theorist, inventor, and comic book writer who created the character Wonder Woman. Two women, his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston and Olive Byrne (who lived with the couple in a polyamorous relationship), served as exemplars for the character and greatly influenced her creation.
He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006.
He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 6, 2018
I tried reading this last month as a women’s history month thing and finally finished it this month (it’s a big book). I want to like this book for how this character changed the world of comics and is a bit of an American history icon... but her early stories were pretty awful.
What’s it about?
This is a collection of the first comics featuring Wonder Woman, the brave amazon who fights for good in a world being torn apart by war.
Pros:
This book has some really fun and exciting action scenes that I enjoyed.
There’s some good comedy in here. I like how quippy Wonder Woman sometimes is and of course like many old comics there’s stuff that wasn’t meant to sound the way it does now (example: there’s a scene Wonder Woman fights a tiger and says “I hope I wasn’t too rough with pussy.” I know it may be a bit immature but I laughed so hard I cried!)
As a fan of history and comics I loved the WW2 propaganda. It’s interesting to see how they did it and this was big time propaganda! Not to mention it often adds to the humor.
Cons:
The stories... they’re the kind of stories that seem entertaining for like a few minutes but after awhile I kinda just got tired of it. Maybe it’s more repetitive than bad.
The art in this book is pretty bad. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen a lot of worse art in comics but the art style in this just doesn’t work IMO.
The characters are annoying. Wonder Woman is usually interesting and bad-a** in other comics I’ve read where she shows up but in this she’s a bit annoying for several reasons. Steve Trevor is not interesting and is a bit of an idiot. Etta Candy annoyed the f*** out of me! Imagine if Pam from Archer wasn’t funny but had a weird drug-like addiction to candy and instead of saying something funny like “holy s***-snacks” she constantly screamed “woo-woo!” about pretty much everything. I slightly wanted Etta to be killed off.
Like most of these kinds of stories it is predictable.
The plot convenience is annoying and worse than it is in most superhero comics which is saying something.
I was very surprised by how racist this book is. So, I won’t complain too much about the racism towards German and Japanese people in this book because it was wrong but we were at war with them at the time so I suppose it makes sense especially with this book being propaganda. What I am referring to is the racism towards black people.
First of all, they’re drawn sorta chimp-like, at first I didn’t think much of it because like I said, the art in this book isn’t good but then I noticed how almost every black character in this book is in a job serving white people, they can’t speak properly (example: “This suitcase show am heaby!” or “Has you got yo’ resumvation, lady?”) and white characters (even Wonder Woman) will be mean to black characters with no consequences.
The narrative is annoying. If I’m reading a comic I can see what’s happening in the picture, I don’t need it explained to me!
This book includes many child characters in some of the stories. Those who follow my reviews know I don’t like kids in general but I can tolerate some kids for a little bit (even IRL if they’re well behaved and into cool stuff (example: toy cars. I’m 17 and still play with Hot Wheels cars)) but not for a long time. Well with this being a big book there’s a lot of stories involving little kids so they get very annoying after awhile, especially since they tend to cry, scream, provide horrible (though probably realistic) dialogue, etc.
This book is full of gender stereotypes towards both men and women. Men are often portrayed as a**holes who disrespect women and women are often seen as mean and/or submissive, as well as there being stereotypes of them being super obsessed with men and absolutely loving kids. Of course with the Wonder Woman/Steve Trevor relationship this is pretty much a book about a woman who wouldn’t have discovered her meaning in life if she didn’t run away with a man so what should I expect?
The dialogue is often very cheesy.
Overall:
This could have been a fun book but I had so many problems with it! It’s cheesy, predictable, racist and often sexist (though I suppose I should give DC credit for not censoring it, valuing historical accuracy over political correctness. Good job, DC. Bad job, creators of the book). I didn’t enjoy it and would only recommend it to the biggest fans of the character.
2/5
What’s it about?
This is a collection of the first comics featuring Wonder Woman, the brave amazon who fights for good in a world being torn apart by war.
Pros:
This book has some really fun and exciting action scenes that I enjoyed.
There’s some good comedy in here. I like how quippy Wonder Woman sometimes is and of course like many old comics there’s stuff that wasn’t meant to sound the way it does now (example: there’s a scene Wonder Woman fights a tiger and says “I hope I wasn’t too rough with pussy.” I know it may be a bit immature but I laughed so hard I cried!)
As a fan of history and comics I loved the WW2 propaganda. It’s interesting to see how they did it and this was big time propaganda! Not to mention it often adds to the humor.
Cons:
The stories... they’re the kind of stories that seem entertaining for like a few minutes but after awhile I kinda just got tired of it. Maybe it’s more repetitive than bad.
The art in this book is pretty bad. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen a lot of worse art in comics but the art style in this just doesn’t work IMO.
The characters are annoying. Wonder Woman is usually interesting and bad-a** in other comics I’ve read where she shows up but in this she’s a bit annoying for several reasons. Steve Trevor is not interesting and is a bit of an idiot. Etta Candy annoyed the f*** out of me! Imagine if Pam from Archer wasn’t funny but had a weird drug-like addiction to candy and instead of saying something funny like “holy s***-snacks” she constantly screamed “woo-woo!” about pretty much everything. I slightly wanted Etta to be killed off.
Like most of these kinds of stories it is predictable.
The plot convenience is annoying and worse than it is in most superhero comics which is saying something.
I was very surprised by how racist this book is. So, I won’t complain too much about the racism towards German and Japanese people in this book because it was wrong but we were at war with them at the time so I suppose it makes sense especially with this book being propaganda. What I am referring to is the racism towards black people.
First of all, they’re drawn sorta chimp-like, at first I didn’t think much of it because like I said, the art in this book isn’t good but then I noticed how almost every black character in this book is in a job serving white people, they can’t speak properly (example: “This suitcase show am heaby!” or “Has you got yo’ resumvation, lady?”) and white characters (even Wonder Woman) will be mean to black characters with no consequences.
The narrative is annoying. If I’m reading a comic I can see what’s happening in the picture, I don’t need it explained to me!
This book includes many child characters in some of the stories. Those who follow my reviews know I don’t like kids in general but I can tolerate some kids for a little bit (even IRL if they’re well behaved and into cool stuff (example: toy cars. I’m 17 and still play with Hot Wheels cars)) but not for a long time. Well with this being a big book there’s a lot of stories involving little kids so they get very annoying after awhile, especially since they tend to cry, scream, provide horrible (though probably realistic) dialogue, etc.
This book is full of gender stereotypes towards both men and women. Men are often portrayed as a**holes who disrespect women and women are often seen as mean and/or submissive, as well as there being stereotypes of them being super obsessed with men and absolutely loving kids. Of course with the Wonder Woman/Steve Trevor relationship this is pretty much a book about a woman who wouldn’t have discovered her meaning in life if she didn’t run away with a man so what should I expect?
The dialogue is often very cheesy.
Overall:
This could have been a fun book but I had so many problems with it! It’s cheesy, predictable, racist and often sexist (though I suppose I should give DC credit for not censoring it, valuing historical accuracy over political correctness. Good job, DC. Bad job, creators of the book). I didn’t enjoy it and would only recommend it to the biggest fans of the character.
2/5
April 21, 2018
I didn't realize the original Wonder Woman comics were so darn trippy.
May 18, 2020
I was interested in reading the original Wonder Woman comics after seeing the recent wonderful "Wonder Woman" film and learning the history of the writer, who had a kinky lifestyle with two women who inspired him to create the character.
Even without knowing the history of William Moulton Marston, it would not have escaped my notice that Wonder Woman and other women in the comics are tied up an awful lot. Marston was apparently very kinky, and, supposedly, when the publisher threatened him and directed him to stop it with the bondage, he refused to submit.
The publisher of this collection warns early that the stories are a reflection of a different time. The comics are like wartime propaganda, and the Germans and Japanese are portrayed as stereotypes that would not be accepted now.
The stories are fun to read, but it's hard to deny how utterly ridiculous they are. This powerful supernatural being is constantly being rescued by a group of college girls led by the overweight Etta Candy, who says "Woo! Woo!" way too much and is obsessed with -- you guessed it! -- candy!
Just like the recent film, one of Wonder Woman's arch-enemies is the war god, Ares, but he is called Mars in the comics. He has several henchmen: Greed, Deception, and Conquest. The plots featuring Mars are utterly ridiculous, but just laugh and enjoy them.
I might give this book more stars just as a piece of comics history, but I can't give it too many because of how, well, stupid the comics are. If you are interested in the history, I recommend it. If you are truly interested in reading good stories in the form of comics, then maybe you are better off looking for a volume of Spider-Man comics.
Even without knowing the history of William Moulton Marston, it would not have escaped my notice that Wonder Woman and other women in the comics are tied up an awful lot. Marston was apparently very kinky, and, supposedly, when the publisher threatened him and directed him to stop it with the bondage, he refused to submit.
The publisher of this collection warns early that the stories are a reflection of a different time. The comics are like wartime propaganda, and the Germans and Japanese are portrayed as stereotypes that would not be accepted now.
The stories are fun to read, but it's hard to deny how utterly ridiculous they are. This powerful supernatural being is constantly being rescued by a group of college girls led by the overweight Etta Candy, who says "Woo! Woo!" way too much and is obsessed with -- you guessed it! -- candy!
Just like the recent film, one of Wonder Woman's arch-enemies is the war god, Ares, but he is called Mars in the comics. He has several henchmen: Greed, Deception, and Conquest. The plots featuring Mars are utterly ridiculous, but just laugh and enjoy them.
I might give this book more stars just as a piece of comics history, but I can't give it too many because of how, well, stupid the comics are. If you are interested in the history, I recommend it. If you are truly interested in reading good stories in the form of comics, then maybe you are better off looking for a volume of Spider-Man comics.
April 18, 2023
What a wacky and wild ride Wonder Woman is!
Created in the early days of America's entrance into WWII, Wonder Woman wages war against Nazi spy rings more than the common criminals we've seen in other comics of the time.
William Moulton Marston, the creator of Wonder Woman, was himself a colorful and odd character, and his oddities show up in the stories fairly frequently, but on the whole, it's a wonderful Golden Age adventure.
Created in the early days of America's entrance into WWII, Wonder Woman wages war against Nazi spy rings more than the common criminals we've seen in other comics of the time.
William Moulton Marston, the creator of Wonder Woman, was himself a colorful and odd character, and his oddities show up in the stories fairly frequently, but on the whole, it's a wonderful Golden Age adventure.
May 21, 2018
In April of 1938, the world changed forever with the arrival of Superman in Action Comics #1. It would take until October of 1941 for All-Star Comics #8 to bring the world Wonder Woman, the first and most iconic female superhero. Created by Dr. William Marston specifically to serve as a feminist exemplar -- and a vehicle for Marston's very particular female-supremacist variant of it -- Diana's Golden Age stories are probably the most interesting 1940s comics to read today, as they come with a specific literary goal that most other comics creators didn't have. Older comics are always a bit of an acquired taste, so these won't be for everyone, but for those who enjoy a good stilted adventure yarn with some fascinating themes and undercurrents, Volume 1 of The Golden Age comes highly recommended.
The comics included here span from October of 1941 through to February of 1943, and as you might expect from the timeframe (and a cursory knowledge of what most superheroes were up to in the period), she's entirely preoccupied with the threat of the Axis Powers (this treads into the realm of uncomfortable racist stereotyping whenever the Japanese are involved, it should be noted; similarly, the presentations of some other minority groups wouldn't win Marston any awards for progressivism, despite his liberal advocacy of racial equality; not usual for the period, of course). There are no costumed supervillains of the sort we'd now expect from the genre, though Diana has a couple of recurring nemeses, namely, Baroness Paula von Gunther and Mars, the God of War. The Baroness, who appears with by far the greatest frequency in the stories published here, ends up serving as a vehicle for one of Marston/Diana's major philosophical preoccupations: the possibility of redemption, which was rather unusual for villains of the period, and has, ideally, continued to distinguish the character's stories in the decades since.
The art throughout is provided by H.G. Peter, the oft-overlooked co-creator of Wonder Woman. Peter, a longtime editorial cartoonist who, like Marston, had a history of involvement with the feminist movement, is a very underrated artist. His work is detailed, much moreso than many other comics artists from the period, and he perfectly suits Marston's occasional wild flights of fancy (as well as his barely-disguised bondage fetishism). Volume 1 in some ways only hints at how strange Marston's imagination would become in subsequent years, but the themes of female liberation are impossible to miss, particularly in one story involving Diana going on an adventure to another planet to help quell a rebellion against a benevolent matriarchy where prison is considered a delight because of how wonderful it is for the soul. Steve Trevor, Diana's putative love interest, is a brave, if not especially cunning, fellow, and he's never at all unhappy at playing second fiddle to a female hero. Then there's the buoyant comic relief of Diana's plus-sized friend Etta Candy, who proves consistently to be a great person to have in your corner in a fight.
The comics included here span from October of 1941 through to February of 1943, and as you might expect from the timeframe (and a cursory knowledge of what most superheroes were up to in the period), she's entirely preoccupied with the threat of the Axis Powers (this treads into the realm of uncomfortable racist stereotyping whenever the Japanese are involved, it should be noted; similarly, the presentations of some other minority groups wouldn't win Marston any awards for progressivism, despite his liberal advocacy of racial equality; not usual for the period, of course). There are no costumed supervillains of the sort we'd now expect from the genre, though Diana has a couple of recurring nemeses, namely, Baroness Paula von Gunther and Mars, the God of War. The Baroness, who appears with by far the greatest frequency in the stories published here, ends up serving as a vehicle for one of Marston/Diana's major philosophical preoccupations: the possibility of redemption, which was rather unusual for villains of the period, and has, ideally, continued to distinguish the character's stories in the decades since.
The art throughout is provided by H.G. Peter, the oft-overlooked co-creator of Wonder Woman. Peter, a longtime editorial cartoonist who, like Marston, had a history of involvement with the feminist movement, is a very underrated artist. His work is detailed, much moreso than many other comics artists from the period, and he perfectly suits Marston's occasional wild flights of fancy (as well as his barely-disguised bondage fetishism). Volume 1 in some ways only hints at how strange Marston's imagination would become in subsequent years, but the themes of female liberation are impossible to miss, particularly in one story involving Diana going on an adventure to another planet to help quell a rebellion against a benevolent matriarchy where prison is considered a delight because of how wonderful it is for the soul. Steve Trevor, Diana's putative love interest, is a brave, if not especially cunning, fellow, and he's never at all unhappy at playing second fiddle to a female hero. Then there's the buoyant comic relief of Diana's plus-sized friend Etta Candy, who proves consistently to be a great person to have in your corner in a fight.
Read
June 4, 2024Obsessed with the ways early Wonder Woman comics serve two masters: at once blunt WWII propaganda and thinly (VERY thinly) veiled fetish porn. Every issue provides an excuse to put a woman in bondage and ends with a plea to buy war bonds. The worldview in both manners is blindingly simple, colorful and blunt - same as the paneling, art, and coloring. There's something so compelling about it? These comics are bursting at the seams, conflicted by their own contradictions. It grapples with some incredibly complex ideas: what is freedom? Who deserves it? If freedom is good then why do girls in shackles make me feel tingly?
And always they are forced to find an easy solution.
"If girls want to be slaves there's no harm in that. The bad thing for them is submitting to a master or to an evil mistress like Paula! A GOOD mistress could do wonders with them!"
The comics are thoroughly shaped by their culture. Unreadably racist at times (the Japanese portrayals are exactly what you may expect) (shout-out to my favorite bit villian, the horrible racist caricature and inexplicable crossdresser, Dr. Poison). Of particular note is Sensation Comics No. 7, in which a company price-gouging milk is revealed as an evil German scheme to raise a generation of weak American children. So many very particular preoccupations of the time rolled into one! Fixation on milk (courtesy of the dairy industry), generational panic over children's health and strength (because weak children can't grow up to be soldiers), the general miasma of fear and paranoia– and, of course, seeing the fruits of American industry and capitalism and pinning them on foreign invasion. Some of this stuff is perhaps not so outdated.
It's one thing reading weird old pulp that has been buried in the annals of memory, but it's something else when it has the weight of culture on it. Like, I know these characters! I'm American! This bitch has been in the miasma of pop culture my entire life! I know Wonder Woman, I know her origin, I know her lasso! And yet they're SO goddamn weird. I can't get over this. Why didn't anyone tell me?
Would not recommend anyone read these. The actual reading experience is kind of a slog. But I'm obsessed. Forever maybe.
(I have to at least read until Dr. Poison, the love of my life, shows up again)
And always they are forced to find an easy solution.
"If girls want to be slaves there's no harm in that. The bad thing for them is submitting to a master or to an evil mistress like Paula! A GOOD mistress could do wonders with them!"
The comics are thoroughly shaped by their culture. Unreadably racist at times (the Japanese portrayals are exactly what you may expect) (shout-out to my favorite bit villian, the horrible racist caricature and inexplicable crossdresser, Dr. Poison). Of particular note is Sensation Comics No. 7, in which a company price-gouging milk is revealed as an evil German scheme to raise a generation of weak American children. So many very particular preoccupations of the time rolled into one! Fixation on milk (courtesy of the dairy industry), generational panic over children's health and strength (because weak children can't grow up to be soldiers), the general miasma of fear and paranoia– and, of course, seeing the fruits of American industry and capitalism and pinning them on foreign invasion. Some of this stuff is perhaps not so outdated.
It's one thing reading weird old pulp that has been buried in the annals of memory, but it's something else when it has the weight of culture on it. Like, I know these characters! I'm American! This bitch has been in the miasma of pop culture my entire life! I know Wonder Woman, I know her origin, I know her lasso! And yet they're SO goddamn weird. I can't get over this. Why didn't anyone tell me?
Would not recommend anyone read these. The actual reading experience is kind of a slog. But I'm obsessed. Forever maybe.
(I have to at least read until Dr. Poison, the love of my life, shows up again)
July 30, 2025
Maybe more like 3.7 stars.
I really enjoyed this. HG Peter’s interior art and covers were fantastic. It was lots of fun seeing early Wonder Woman stories and the intro of the magic lasso, Etta Candy, Ares God of War, and even the invisible plane! Steve Trevor was a good soldier but he’s also a dolt.
If I have any nit picks it’s that I think this collection was a little too long. Golden Age comics are a lot longer than comics today. Or even in the 80s-90s. 14 issues of Sensation Comics. 3 issues of Wonder Woman. 1 issue of Comic Cavalcade and All-Star Comics. Each of those issues were like 70 pages. It was a lot of pages with not really a lot of story. A lot of the same things happened over and over again. I think if it was cut to just 8-10 issues of Sensation and maybe one or two issues of Wonder Woman it would have been better.
Like I said I really enjoyed it, there were a lot of fun stories, but I was really struggling to finish in the later issues of the collection.
I really enjoyed this. HG Peter’s interior art and covers were fantastic. It was lots of fun seeing early Wonder Woman stories and the intro of the magic lasso, Etta Candy, Ares God of War, and even the invisible plane! Steve Trevor was a good soldier but he’s also a dolt.
If I have any nit picks it’s that I think this collection was a little too long. Golden Age comics are a lot longer than comics today. Or even in the 80s-90s. 14 issues of Sensation Comics. 3 issues of Wonder Woman. 1 issue of Comic Cavalcade and All-Star Comics. Each of those issues were like 70 pages. It was a lot of pages with not really a lot of story. A lot of the same things happened over and over again. I think if it was cut to just 8-10 issues of Sensation and maybe one or two issues of Wonder Woman it would have been better.
Like I said I really enjoyed it, there were a lot of fun stories, but I was really struggling to finish in the later issues of the collection.
January 23, 2021
Read this if you want to know the real Wonder Woman, why she is so beloved and why Harry G. Peter is hands down the best Golden Age era artist period. For those who don't want to do it, you can always go for sucky Hikiteia instead. Too old my ass..
Edit: first time in years I've re-read a comic a second time, and I'm glad I did it because the real (and violently against-establishment) messages of this comic would have not become apparent without reading the psychological material that served as its basis, with themes like female body and sex issues, the difference between pure unrestrained (lesbian) love vs. love tainted by appetite, the importance of the eye in the reflex machine/inner unit response, the way how inductment on the part of women should work, polyamor based on women's natural inductment vs. strict social rules based on "toxic masculinity" etc. Far more violent in its attacks against the "good society" of the day than Golden Age Superman ever was, and far more out-of-the-world than both Superman and Batman of the same period. Easily the best DC strip from those days period and easily putting to shame 99,9999% of the material produced on the character, child's play in comparison.
Edit: first time in years I've re-read a comic a second time, and I'm glad I did it because the real (and violently against-establishment) messages of this comic would have not become apparent without reading the psychological material that served as its basis, with themes like female body and sex issues, the difference between pure unrestrained (lesbian) love vs. love tainted by appetite, the importance of the eye in the reflex machine/inner unit response, the way how inductment on the part of women should work, polyamor based on women's natural inductment vs. strict social rules based on "toxic masculinity" etc. Far more violent in its attacks against the "good society" of the day than Golden Age Superman ever was, and far more out-of-the-world than both Superman and Batman of the same period. Easily the best DC strip from those days period and easily putting to shame 99,9999% of the material produced on the character, child's play in comparison.
March 13, 2018
Okay, so I was a big Wonder Woman fan when I was a kid in the 50's and 60's. But these comics are from the 40's (Wonder Woman spends a lot of time fighting Nazi's and the Japanese) are very different. Perhaps my view was tinted by having just read about the creator William Marston and his two wives. But I sure had fun reading them - maybe I'll read some more comics compilations.
November 9, 2018
Nice to see the origins. Marston was way too into BDSM and it shows in the stories. On the other hand, Etta Candy is awesome as well. Strong women all the way around in the stories with the overall message of love over hate - even if it's done in weird ways. Some attitudes are definitely of the era but on the whole an enjoyable read.
May 16, 2020
On some levels, arguably more progressive in its portrayal of gender than a lot of modern comics; strong female characters dealing with men being shitty, getting no credit because they live in a male focused world, and the male characters are often the ones in distress rather than the damsels. Yet, still clings to outdated notions of associating women with love and submission, and men with dominance and aggression. Also very very racist, even by ww2 era comic standards. Furthermore, Moulton is clearly very into bondage and there's a lot of weird BDSM subtext in this that I don't know how to feel about.
It's also just really poorly written, for the most part. It's clear that, while being a psychologist, Moulton's goals with this series were much more tailored to his polemic aims than actually applying believable behaviour to his characters. There's a lot of unintetionally farcical moments here, like when Diana yells "heil hitler" and does the Nazi salute to trick some German dudes into revealing their Nazi-ness, after which they fire off 2 "heil hitler"s as if by instinct, then loudly exclaim "ooops" (you know it's serious when there's a 3 o oops) and try to kill her.
I know there wasn't much communication between writers and artists back in the day, which is what leads to the excessive captioning and such, but even by the standards of the time this is really choppy to read, and sometimes the captions straight up contradict the art. Speaking of, H.G. Peter's art is decent in the first few issues, but quickly loses any semblance of creativity as the series goes on, minimising itself to a monotonous 9-panel grid where every panel uses the same type of composition, often drawn so unclearly that the excessive captioning becomes a nessecity. It's not worth your time.
It's also just really poorly written, for the most part. It's clear that, while being a psychologist, Moulton's goals with this series were much more tailored to his polemic aims than actually applying believable behaviour to his characters. There's a lot of unintetionally farcical moments here, like when Diana yells "heil hitler" and does the Nazi salute to trick some German dudes into revealing their Nazi-ness, after which they fire off 2 "heil hitler"s as if by instinct, then loudly exclaim "ooops" (you know it's serious when there's a 3 o oops) and try to kill her.
I know there wasn't much communication between writers and artists back in the day, which is what leads to the excessive captioning and such, but even by the standards of the time this is really choppy to read, and sometimes the captions straight up contradict the art. Speaking of, H.G. Peter's art is decent in the first few issues, but quickly loses any semblance of creativity as the series goes on, minimising itself to a monotonous 9-panel grid where every panel uses the same type of composition, often drawn so unclearly that the excessive captioning becomes a nessecity. It's not worth your time.
Read
June 12, 2019I really like Wonder Woman, though I’ve read few books with her name on the cover; my appreciation for the the character comes from animated shows and JLA comics. So, in an effort to read more solo WW - and owing to my completist tendencies - I figured I’d start at the very beginning. And what a trip these comics are.
Cheesy as they are today, I kind of enjoy Golden Age comics. The pulpy sensibilities and unfiltered creativity give them a unique charm. Sure, I’m reading this book for historical purposes, but as with Golden Age Batman, I’m surprised at how fun these stories can be. The situations are often ridiculous, and there’s a sense of go-get-em adventure that I find endearing. All stories follow roughly the same formula: Diana, in her role as military intelligence secretary (and army nurse), hears of a plot involving Nazi or Japanese spies. She, Steve Trevor, and Etta Candy, with her sorority sisters in tow, work to stop the threat, as Diana ultimately saves the day. Some stories, like the ones with Ares, break the mold a bit.
Across this volume, we see the Amazons’ origin, Diana’s going to America, her relationship with Steve Trevor, friendship with Etta Candy, the invisible plane, Ares, and the advent of her first recurring villain, Baroness Paula Von Gunther. Wonder Woman is painted as a champion of justice and compassion. In other words, all the seeds of her mythos and character are planted here.
Theme there’s the bondage/submission/punishment aspect. It’s no secret that William Moulton Marston was a progressive guy for the time, what with his sexual proclivities and belief in female superiority. These comics are basically a platform for him to present his worldview. First off, Wonder Woman is far and away more powerful and heroic than the men around her. Then of course, she carries around a rope and wears tight bracelets. And every story here includes at least one instance of Diana (and usually other characters) getting chained or tied, and enjoying it. Like it or not, the bondage stuff gives these comics a distinct flavor, and, I would argue, charm.
Some random bits I like: the Paradise Island tournament contests, featuring roping and riding kangaroos; the story narrated by a fur tree; Diana’s mental radio she uses to contact the Amazons and Etta; the issue where Diana confronts the National Milk Conpany; the Baronesses’ turn in the last two stories; this quote from Diana: “Abracadabra, hocuszay, dance on the air, my little fey! How do you like my magic?”
Cheesy as they are today, I kind of enjoy Golden Age comics. The pulpy sensibilities and unfiltered creativity give them a unique charm. Sure, I’m reading this book for historical purposes, but as with Golden Age Batman, I’m surprised at how fun these stories can be. The situations are often ridiculous, and there’s a sense of go-get-em adventure that I find endearing. All stories follow roughly the same formula: Diana, in her role as military intelligence secretary (and army nurse), hears of a plot involving Nazi or Japanese spies. She, Steve Trevor, and Etta Candy, with her sorority sisters in tow, work to stop the threat, as Diana ultimately saves the day. Some stories, like the ones with Ares, break the mold a bit.
Across this volume, we see the Amazons’ origin, Diana’s going to America, her relationship with Steve Trevor, friendship with Etta Candy, the invisible plane, Ares, and the advent of her first recurring villain, Baroness Paula Von Gunther. Wonder Woman is painted as a champion of justice and compassion. In other words, all the seeds of her mythos and character are planted here.
Theme there’s the bondage/submission/punishment aspect. It’s no secret that William Moulton Marston was a progressive guy for the time, what with his sexual proclivities and belief in female superiority. These comics are basically a platform for him to present his worldview. First off, Wonder Woman is far and away more powerful and heroic than the men around her. Then of course, she carries around a rope and wears tight bracelets. And every story here includes at least one instance of Diana (and usually other characters) getting chained or tied, and enjoying it. Like it or not, the bondage stuff gives these comics a distinct flavor, and, I would argue, charm.
Some random bits I like: the Paradise Island tournament contests, featuring roping and riding kangaroos; the story narrated by a fur tree; Diana’s mental radio she uses to contact the Amazons and Etta; the issue where Diana confronts the National Milk Conpany; the Baronesses’ turn in the last two stories; this quote from Diana: “Abracadabra, hocuszay, dance on the air, my little fey! How do you like my magic?”
December 12, 2022
From a cultural history standpoint this is an interesting read, but the stories themselves are pretty dumb. They were literally intended to be propaganda for a combination of wartime American nationalism and first wave feminism, and that doesn't lend itself to particularly great plots or character development. And Marston's need to make this comic as kinky as possible without portraying actual sex is just too weird for me. Also the book reprints all the comic stories about Wonder Woman, but it doesn't reprint the complete issues. This is sort of a bummer bc the Wonder Woman comics (not Sensation Comics etc where Wonder Woman stories appeared) had a section of stories about real life Wonder Women, and those stories were comic book biographies of key figures in women's history designed for a child audience. I wanted to read those, but they're not here. Additionally, everything has been recolored, so it doesn't have the retro feel I was hoping for. Everything is very bright and solid, and the effect is garish and not true to how a 1940s audience would have experienced them. Speaking of 1940s, these stories are often very racist, particularly against Japanese people, so just be ready for that if you decide to read them.
November 10, 2023
A fascinating collection of the earliest Wonder Woman stories.
It’s interesting how these stories are across four different titles, and maintains the same writer and artist.
All these stories are we in the early days of America’s involvement in World War II, which adds another element of historical importance.
At once very progressive and pro-feminism, and good o,d fashioned chauvinism- Wonder Woman’s costume is incredibly skimpy for the time and she cares not for the stares she receives; at the same time, she falls head over heels in love with the first man she ever sees, and takes first a nurse position and then work as a secretary.
The kink factor has been pointed out by others, and while I confirm the assessment, I will not pile on.
Recommended
It’s interesting how these stories are across four different titles, and maintains the same writer and artist.
All these stories are we in the early days of America’s involvement in World War II, which adds another element of historical importance.
At once very progressive and pro-feminism, and good o,d fashioned chauvinism- Wonder Woman’s costume is incredibly skimpy for the time and she cares not for the stares she receives; at the same time, she falls head over heels in love with the first man she ever sees, and takes first a nurse position and then work as a secretary.
The kink factor has been pointed out by others, and while I confirm the assessment, I will not pile on.
Recommended
November 13, 2021
I read this book because it’s the original Wonder Woman. It was interesting to read because of the WW2 propaganda and the time period in general.
These comics are racist and misogynistic. Wonder Woman’s side kick Etta Candy, a chubby college aged woman who loves candy, is also demeaned for her body. Due to these themes, it was hard to read at times and I would put it down for a long period of time and then come back to it.
The art work was colorful and fun.
I rate it 3 stars because of the time period and history but if I were judging it by today’s standards I’d rate it a 1 or 2 and probably not read it.
These comics are racist and misogynistic. Wonder Woman’s side kick Etta Candy, a chubby college aged woman who loves candy, is also demeaned for her body. Due to these themes, it was hard to read at times and I would put it down for a long period of time and then come back to it.
The art work was colorful and fun.
I rate it 3 stars because of the time period and history but if I were judging it by today’s standards I’d rate it a 1 or 2 and probably not read it.
March 4, 2020
This was good, but for the DC Trinity's Golden Age adventures, its probably the weakest. It might due to how more comedic the stories are compared to the previous two books and unfortunately, men abusing their wives is presented here as jokes when back in Superman's GA stories, abusing women was met by punishment by Superman.
I loved the character of Etta Candy, so far she's my favourite Golden Age sidekick. She and her sorority beat the shit out of Nazis without a moment's hesitation and drive this big car with "Blondes prefer Gentlemen" painted on it, I love them so much.
I loved the character of Etta Candy, so far she's my favourite Golden Age sidekick. She and her sorority beat the shit out of Nazis without a moment's hesitation and drive this big car with "Blondes prefer Gentlemen" painted on it, I love them so much.
May 18, 2021
Hey, if you can get into just the sheer wildness of this Golden Age Wonder Woman, it's a stitch. It's off the wall and just weird. I would say read it for the subtext, but truly it's text. If you think you will like this give them a read.
The color transfers and clean up of the originals are really nice.
One thing I can absolutely condemn is the racism
On gender: At times progressive, at times regressive...sometimes in the same panel, almost also entertaining and weird.
I do prefer the shorter stories in sensation vs the longer multipart stories in Wonder Woman.
The color transfers and clean up of the originals are really nice.
One thing I can absolutely condemn is the racism
On gender: At times progressive, at times regressive...sometimes in the same panel, almost also entertaining and weird.
I do prefer the shorter stories in sensation vs the longer multipart stories in Wonder Woman.
November 10, 2021
Stories are sometimes well done, sometimes rushed and overall the entirety is difficult to read at a quick pace. What the book lacks in cohesion, it makes up with pure off-the-wall bondage, kink and lesbian overtones.
While the book is fat-phobic*, sexist and racially offensive at points, the sheer gall of its depictions creates more of a Fun House atmosphere.
* to be fair, Etta Candy may be trashed for her appearance regularly and often but she is a sorority gang leader, Wonder Woman’s right-hand before her man-crush Steve Trevor, and unapologetic about her life choices.
While the book is fat-phobic*, sexist and racially offensive at points, the sheer gall of its depictions creates more of a Fun House atmosphere.
* to be fair, Etta Candy may be trashed for her appearance regularly and often but she is a sorority gang leader, Wonder Woman’s right-hand before her man-crush Steve Trevor, and unapologetic about her life choices.
November 26, 2018
A huge book of the EARLY Wonder Woman.
WHO is she? What IS the magic lasso? WHY does she wear bracelets? Where did she get her girdle? WHEN did she start her crusade? All of these, and more, are answered, definitively for the reader.
I just wish the current WRITERS (ahem) would pay a bit more attention...
WHO is she? What IS the magic lasso? WHY does she wear bracelets? Where did she get her girdle? WHEN did she start her crusade? All of these, and more, are answered, definitively for the reader.
I just wish the current WRITERS (ahem) would pay a bit more attention...
May 28, 2020
Old Fashioned Fun
See the original of the "feminist" classic. Very simple - minded, with WW II stereotypes of Germans and Japanese, and 1930s "girlies". But there are uncompromising strong women and the idea that women should rule. See bios of Marston and of course the film.
See the original of the "feminist" classic. Very simple - minded, with WW II stereotypes of Germans and Japanese, and 1930s "girlies". But there are uncompromising strong women and the idea that women should rule. See bios of Marston and of course the film.
Read
January 13, 2022I DNFed this comic. Although it was somewhat interesting, I found it sexist. Despite being a product of its time, I was unable to enjoy this. I also do not particularly like comic books. However, I may revisit this in the future.
August 20, 2025
Wonder words and Pictures
The words and Pictures of RG Peter and C Milton so match the times and the harts of the US. I have always liked Wonder Woman this chance to read her early adventures is a treat for the Hart and soul.
The words and Pictures of RG Peter and C Milton so match the times and the harts of the US. I have always liked Wonder Woman this chance to read her early adventures is a treat for the Hart and soul.
September 15, 2018
I was a bit surprised that extramarital sex was featured in some of these episodes, even though it was never depicted. As I said before, her best years were when she was fighting Nazis.
Read
November 1, 2019this book is decent but i do not recommend this book if you like comic books.
July 4, 2021
60%
4 stars for historical value and ease of reading, but 3 stars for actual content. Once you've read about 5, the rest are redundant to read. Wonderful art, and a fun way to step back in time.
4 stars for historical value and ease of reading, but 3 stars for actual content. Once you've read about 5, the rest are redundant to read. Wonderful art, and a fun way to step back in time.
December 10, 2017
One must always go into things like this with a bit of a historian's mind: remember that you're looking at something created in the past, and judge it by the values of that past. Okay, preliminaries out the way, how is this? Better than I expected! Wonder Woman herself is pretty badass, and the other female characters are more fully realized than I thought they'd be. That's particularly important here, since the hero is, well, Wonder *Woman*. The women in general are smart and capable. Even Etta, in many ways a problematic character for a modern reader, is smart and capable. Now, these are simple stories written for children, and charming for that, but they've resonated down to present time. (And the cover art reflects that, our Princess Diana looking a lot like Gal Gadot.) I like Golden Age comics, and these are among the best.
July 29, 2018
Comics have come a long way since the "Golden Age", and it is kind of difficult to enjoy this collection without any kind of context or background knowledge - at least if you are above the age of ten years and aren't a camp affocionado. These were simpler times, with vastly different values and outlooks ("haha, the fat girl wants more candy!").
However, there is another, fascinating aspect to this. Wonder Woman was intended to be didactic, and her creator was a polyamorous BDSM practitioner who believed in women's rights and celebrated strong women. With this in mind, the silly 1940s strips reveal their true potential, their subversive quality.
However, there is another, fascinating aspect to this. Wonder Woman was intended to be didactic, and her creator was a polyamorous BDSM practitioner who believed in women's rights and celebrated strong women. With this in mind, the silly 1940s strips reveal their true potential, their subversive quality.
April 22, 2018
Ok, I am big fan of Wonder Woman, particularly the '70's incarnation by Lynda Carter. Those of you who remember the first season or so remember them reincarnating the WWII roots, and that's part of what I loved about this - going back to the source.
May 28, 2019
Yes, I'm still reading Wonder Woman things.
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