Can Wonder Woman fly? Her powers explained in DC Comics

Wonder Woman is the most enduring superhero of all time, and while that idea may seem outdated in a world with characters like… Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and all her complicated legacy), Jessica Jones, and hundreds if not thousands of others, remember that when Wonder Woman first appeared in 1941 in All Star Comics #8, American women had only gained the right to vote 20 years earlier. Her character arose from the feminist movements of the early twentieth century. Its creator, William Moulton Marston, was part of these, and wanted to inspire women to be their best selves and men to listen to them, if not submit to them. Clearly, Marston realized what better way to deliver these lessons than to publish them in children’s picture books when readers are of a formative age?

So, really write amazing Woman, did Marston create the world’s first flying woman? Can Diana of Themyscira fly like Superman? It varies, and yes, the answer reflects the political and feminist themes in Wonder Woman.

Long story short: For the first forty years of Wonder Woman’s publication, she generally couldn’t fly. (Superman wasn’t even able to fly originally “Superman” animated shorts produced by Fleischer Studios in the 1940s But when writer/artist George Perez rebooted Wonder Woman in 1987, Diana gained the ability to fly and has kept it ever since.

So, if you look at some of the earlier versions of Wonder Woman, she’s stuck on Earth. In 1972, when Gloria Steinem’s feminist magazine “Mrs. Wonder Woman becomes independent, and Wonder Woman appears on the cover of the issue (note that her leg divides the background between peace and war). As you can see, it’s not flying over the city, it’s walking through it.

Ms. Magazine

In the actual 1972 Wonder Woman comics, Diana ditches her superpowers and classic costume to become an Emma Peel-style martial artist. (This era began with Wonder Woman #178 by writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Mike Sekowski, and ended in 1973 with issue #204.)

Perez’s “Wonder Woman” was the lightning bolt (as if thrown by Zeus) that Diana needed. After decades of mediocrity, the comics have made her a top-tier heroine in more than just name. Perez, who wasn’t afraid to put feminist themes front and center, made Wonder Woman the equal of Superman not only in popularity, but in power as well.