As I write this, I’m wearing a pop-art Wonder Woman T-shirt and sitting in a home office overflowing with TIMELINE Wonder Woman figurines and imagery. Compulsive in the Media by Andy Mangels consumerism aside, why do I have all this stuff? Why do I love the Amazing Amazon so much that I’ve erected a ver- itable altar to her? As usual, it goes back to my childhood. December 1941–January 1942 1977–1979 1996–2004 In today’s context, with women kicking bad-guy butt Wonder Woman debuts in All-Star Comics The New Adventures of Wonder Woman Warner Bros. plans to shoot a big-budget on video and movie screens all over the world, it’s easy to #8. switches networks to CBS and updates Wonder Woman feature film. Ivan Reitman adventures to the 1970s. Carter remained was set to direct in 1996, but eventually forget how rare such characters were before the 1970s, January 1942 the same character (albeit with a skimpier Silver Pictures and producers Jon Peters Sensation Comics #1 debuts, starring costume), but Lyle Waggoner now played and Leonard Goldberg took over. Sandra my formative decade. As a kid, I was an avid reader with Wonder Woman. Steve Trevor Jr. of the Inter-Agency Defense Bullock was going to take the role, but a hearty appetite, devouring science fiction, mysteries, Command (IADC). Beatrice Straight played backed out. Multiple scripts or treatments Summer 1942 the modern Queen Mother of Paradise have been written by: Kimberlee Reed; James ancient mythology from around the globe, and comic Wonder Woman #1 is published. Island. The invisible Plane was summarily R. Harnock and Eve Marie Kazaros (1999); books. I was raised by an unapologetically feminist mom, dumped, but Wonder Woman developed Jon Cohen (1999); Todd Alcott (2001); Anina Bennett with her Wonder Woman shrine. May 1944–December 1945 specialized outfits for diving, motorcycling, Becky Johnston (2002); Philip Levens and I loved watching old movies on TV, usually screwball Wonder Woman newspaper strip appears. and even skateboarding! (2003); and Laeta Kalogridis (2003). Photo by Andy Mangels. comedies or gangster flicks featuring smart, brassy Early 1950s 1977–1978 December 1997 dames. Toss the build-up to the U.S. bicentennial cele- willing to give up a life of privilege and carefree sisterhood Hollywood studios interested in a Wonder The All-New Super Friends Hour (ABC) Warner starts a nationwide casting call for Woman serial, but abandon the idea. features Wonder Woman. an actress to play Wonder Woman for a bration into the mix, and it’s no wonder that in 1975 to fight evil in man’s world. All that, plus a magic lasso new television series for NBC. Deborah Joy I was primed and ready to be dazzled by the Wonder that can compel anyone to tell the truth—now there’s an 1967 1978–1979 Levine (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Wonder Woman live-action television pilot The Challenge of the Super Friends (ABC) of Superman) developed the series and Woman TV show. accessory most of us would’ve given just about anything filmed, starring Ellie Wood Walker (Diana features Wonder Woman, including one wrote the pilot script. Her version found Prince/Wonder Woman), Linda Harrison episode with her origin, and the appear- Diana Prince as a UCLA professor of Greek In retrospect, I can see that much of the fiction I read for! Ye gods, how could anyone in my shoes not have (“mirror” Wonder Woman), and Maudie ance of villainesses Cheetah and Giganta. history. The pilot never filmed. and watched in my youth was a form of the “universal” been captivated by her? Prickett (Mother). Executive produced by ANINA BENNETT • Wonder Woman collector William Dozier; written by Stan Hart, Larry 1979–1980 November 2001 heroic/personal journey, the search for self-definition and True, the TV Wonder Woman is relatively heavy on Siegel, and Stanley Ralph Ross; directed by The World’s Greatest Super Friends (ABC) The Cartoon Network debuts a new purpose in a complex, threatening world. But I wasn’t the glitz and light on classic mythology, but she fought Les Martinson. It is never aired. features Wonder Woman. animated Justice League weekly series, from Warner Bros. animation. Wonder consciously thinking any of that when Lynda Carter first for truth and justice, and she came along right when I/we 1967–1968 1980–1981 Woman (voiced by Susan Eisenberg) is a Animated Wonder Woman series consid- The Super Friends Hour (ABC) features no-nonsense warrior who has been exiled flashed onto the small screen in all her star-spangled needed her most—just like a true hero. ered by Filmation, but never produced. Wonder Woman. from her home on Themyscira. Some glory. I was thinking: Wow! There’s nothing cooler than episodes have shown Queen Hippolyta, 1972 1981–1984 World War II hero Steve Trevor, and villain- a super-strong, statuesque Amazon besting baddies! *Many years later, I would discover earlier TV fare such Diana Prince/Wonder Woman appears The Super Friends (ABC) features Wonder ess Cheetah. (And magically changing her outfit just by spinning as Honey West (a 1960s’ show starring Anne Francis as as a guest on one episode of Filmation’s Woman. The Brady Kids (ABC). April 2004 around! How many kids imitated that move while a private eye) and The Avengers, but during the ’70s 1984–1985 Lynda Carter awarded “Most Superest 1973–1977 Super Friends—The Legendary Super Super-Hero” at the TV Land Awards, and envisioning their own super-heroic metamorphoses? they temporarily faded into obscurity. We didn’t have Wonder Woman is a founding member of Powers Show (ABC) features Wonder she “spins” into Wonder Woman (played by C’mon, everybody, raise your hands.) VCRs, cable TV, or the Internet way back then. Hanna-Barbera’s Super Friends (ABC). Woman, now voiced by B.J. Ward, and another actress) and exits the ceremony to Comics legend Alex Toth designed her featuring the new “double-W” design of the take care of a double-parked Invisible Plane. Before Wonder Woman hit the airwaves, the strongest simplified costume; her voice was by comic-book bodice. woman I’d ever seen on TV (not counting the aforemen- Anina Bennett is a comics writer and editor who’s done Shannon Farnon. June 2004 1985–1986 Wonder Woman: The Complete First tioned vintage movies) was Bewitched’s Samantha,* who more than 15 years of hard time in publishing, at First March 1974 The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians Season is released as a Warner DVD boxed The first Wonder Woman live-action tele- (ABC) features Wonder Woman, and one set. Lynda Carter and producer Doug Cramer was doomed to a lifetime of domestic strife because her Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and the transnational film airs on ABC, but is unfaithful to the episode with Steve Trevor. do a commentary track for the pilot telefilm. breadwinner hubby didn’t think she should “cheat” by Egmont Publishing. She’s best known as the writer/co- comic book. Cathy Lee Crosby played the title role, with Kaz Garas as Steve Trevor, 1988 Fall 2004 using her magical powers—a none-too-subtle dynamic creator of the sci-fi comic Heartbreakers, the longtime Anita Ford as a rogue Amazon, and Ricardo Wonder Woman guest-stars on the ani- Cartoon Network’s series is renamed Montalban as villainous Abner Smith. John mated Superman (CBS) series, in an episode Justice League Unlimited, and villains reflecting the rapidly shifting gender relations of that era. editor of Nexus, and one of the few editors to have D. F. Black was producer/ screenwriter, about Themyscira (the renamed Paradise Circe and Ares appear. So there I was, a ten-year-old lass who knew worked with Harlan Ellison and lived to tell the tale. while Vincent McEveety directed. Island). B.J. Ward again provides the voice. Bewitched wasn’t the whole picture but didn’t know Anina is scripting a new Heartbreakers graphic novel November 1975 1993 *Look for a future what was missing . . . until Wonder Woman came along, for publication later this year, illustrated by her hus- The New, Original Wonder Woman telefilm Producer-director Boyd Kirkland works on a “Greatest Stories Never Told” debuts on ABC, with a story taken directly Wonder Woman and the Star Riders BACK ISSUE article detailing and then Charlie’s Angels, Bionic Woman, and Princess band, Paul Guinan (yes, the guy who did the fabulous from the Golden Age comic books. Starring pilot, promoting a planned Mattel toy line. plans for these shows. Lynda Carter (Diana Prince/Wonder Woman), Only a minute of test animation was pro- Leia. The Angels were a bit too glam—and too beholden Wonder Woman vs. Nazis illo in this issue). The first with Lyle Waggoner (Steve Trevor). Other duced before the project was cancelled.* to an invisible male benefactor/boss—to fully capture my Wonder Woman “stuff” she remembers acquiring was comics characters: Amazon Queen Mother (Cloris Leachman and Carolyn Jones), Etta 1994–1995 heart, and so Wonder Woman, Leia, and Jaime Somers a vintage metal trash can and a cheap vinyl doll in the Candy (Beatrice Colen), and Wonder Girl Kirkland develops a more serious Wonder became my personal heroic trio. 1980s. Her fondest wish as a collector is for some gen- (Debra Winger); Wonder Woman’s Invisible Woman cartoon, but Warner Bros. passes Plane is also appropriated from the comics. on ordering a series.* But Wonder Woman will always hold the top spot. erous soul to give her the Ideal Super Queens Wonder Stanley Ralph Ross wrote the pilot. A semi- regular series followed which included sev- She’s got it all: She’s smart, tough yet kind-hearted, Woman figure. Visit Anina and Paul’s virtual selves at eral specials and a truncated first season, Comic art Live action Animation noble, beautiful, royal yet down-to-earth, mythic, and www.BigRedHair.com. ending in 1977.

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