The new Wonder Woman movie is out today and we are jazzed. There’s nothing like watching a strong, inspirational woman kick ass on-screen, especially when she’s wielding a pretty awesome sword and even more awesome moves. From stopping bullets with her golden bracelets to repeatedly saving the world from danger, this is the kind of female-driven superhero story we can get behind.
Wonder Woman was originally created in 1941 by psychologist William Moulton Martson and his wife. Martson modeled the female superhero after many famous feminists of the time, particularly Margaret Sanger. We’re definitely not surprised. Other than a very brief hiatus in the 1980s, Wonder Woman has always been a prominent figure in the DC Comics world, including the successful ‘70s TV show, starring Lynda Carter. With so many male superheroes flying around in their capes, it’s heartening to know that Wonder Woman has always been popular, giving girls and women an action heroine to look up to. And now that she’s being rebooted for a younger generation, the pop culture icon will reach an even wider audience than ever before.
Can you tell we’re crazy excited? After watching the trailer 1,000 times or so, how can we not be?!
Starring Gal Gadot as Diana Prince (aka Wonder Woman) and Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, a captain in the US Army, the movie focuses on Diana’s journey from her Amazonian home to Europe in order to help stop World War I. Both a period piece and an action film, Wonder Woman is all about how Diana’s myth becomes forged in the first place, re-introducing us to a powerful heroine who has been inspiring young women for decades. It’s also the first superhero movie starring a woman that’s also directed by a woman (Patty Jenkins). We’re getting goosebumps just thinking about it.
We’ll definitely be the first in line to check it out, but we’re also planning on investing in some great Wonder Woman-themed reads.
Here are three books that are sure to appeal to anyone who’s just as excited as we are to watch Diana Prince save the world as Wonder Woman:
Wonder Woman: The Official Movie Novelization, Nancy Holder (Titan Books, June 6, 2017)
This official movie novelization dives deeper into the events of the movie, giving us a closer look at the journey Diana Prince goes on in order to find her true purpose in the world. Starting on her home island of Themyscira, the Amazonian princess was trained to be a warrior from birth. But when a soldier washes up on her shores, he begs her to come to London with him to stop the Great War from destroying everything. Diana agrees, setting her on a path that will not only solidify her role as a hero, but will help her discover who she really is in the process. If you loved the movie and want even more details about the plot, then be sure and pick up this new read by author Holder.
Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One (Rebirth), Greg Rucka (Author) & Nicola Scott (Illustrator) (DC Comics, May 9, 2017)
Wonder Woman might seem like she’s just now getting a rebirth on screen, but that rebirth has been taking place in the world of comic books for years. In this new volume, author Rucka and illustrator Scott have collected seven alternating Wonder Woman comics, examining the first year after Diana leaves her island home. Just like the movie, this is her origin story in the New 52 era (the 2011 re-launch of DC Comics). Not only have these comics been embraced by fans and highly critically acclaimed, Rucka and Scott have also redefined how we think of Wonder Woman: by openly stating that she’s bisexual. With amazing illustrations and a storyline that you can’t put down, these comics are must-reads for any Wonder Woman fan.
The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen, Hope Nicholson (Quirk Books, May 2, 2017)
Wonder Woman is a female superhero who’s both powerful and compassionate, but she’s not the only one out there. In fact, there have been many “superwomen” throughout history, from Super Girl to Miss Fury to Torchy Brown. Nicholson breaks the book up into decades, creating a complete history of women’s roles in comics. That history can be both regressive or progressive, but Nicholson holds nothing back, diving deep into how different eras have shaped female heroes and vice versa. If you’re a comic book fan, this is a necessary and compelling collection that may introduce you to some heroines you’ve never even heard of before. If you’re not a comic book fan, Spectacular Sisterhood is still a great way to learn about the women in – and behind – an art form that has always shaped the way we think of hero(ines).
