- They KNOW that Man will someday evolve to a higher being -- that he will one day be CIVILIZED! But the WAIT would have been disastrous! Man's aggressiveness would most likely spread to the stars! This must NOT BE allowed to happen! So they chose ME -- EVOLVED ME PAST the savage ages of Man -- to this! The ULTIMATE MAN who end the age of DEATH!
Wonder Woman #242 is an issue of the series Wonder Woman (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 1978.
Synopsis for "Tomorrow's Gods and Demons"
When Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor are on a parade in celebration of the end of World War II, Steve is kidnapped by a flying saucer. The aliens inside the ship, the Cerberons, transform Steve into a humanoid being in white robes and skin. Entitled Ultimate Man, Steve begins to turn other humans into beings like himself, and these begin to transform others as well. Hippolyta expects her daughter to remain on Paradise Island, but Steve's situation requires the attention of the Amazon Princess.
There's a confrontation and a struggle between Wonder Woman and the Ultimate Man's transformed legions, all of whom look and speak identically to one another. Hippolyta watches via her Magic Sphere and is rooting for Steve's side to win, and is tempted to recall Diana to Paradise Island, which would end the argument and, theoretically, end all evil. At that moment she is contacted from the Nether Realms by two grim figures: Doctor Fate and the Spectre! They advise the Queen that Wonder Woman's battle for individual freedom for all people IS the right side of the argument, and Hippolyta relents. Diana meanwhile flies out to face off with the Cerberons' starship, and she harangues them into changing their minds. There is a rush of hot wind, cold darkness, and bright light, and everybody including Steve has been restored to normal.
One week later, in the Pentagon, General Blankenship announces his imminent retirement, Major Trevor and Yeoman Prince have re-enlisted, and Private Candy is leaving the Army to attend Holliday College, where she has already been "rushed" by the Holliday Girls. Watching all of this from a future year in a parallel universe is the Angle Man.
Appearing in "Tomorrow's Gods and Demons"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Amazons
- Etta Candy
- Holliday Girls (Mentioned only)
- General Blankenship
- Steve Trevor
Antagonists:
- Cerberons (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Angle-Man of Earth-One (Cameo)
- Doctor Fate
- New York City Police Department
- Spectre
- United States Air Force
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This story takes place on V-J Day.
- In Earth-Two chronology, this story is simultaneous with All-Star Comics #27, after page F, which is why Wonder Woman did not help any of the handicapped children.[1]
- Dr. Fate and the Spectre participate only minimally in this story; the duo advises Hippolyta via Magic Sphere to let Diana remain in "Man's World" as a heroine, since her presence is absolutely necessary.
- Dr. Fate is again wearing his Helmet of Nabu in this story. This powerful artifact was last seen in 1942, when it was sent away thru an infinity of dimensions.[2]
- Hippolyta is blonde in this story. Golden Age stories describe Hippolyta as black-haired, and Silver Age stories depict her as blonde.
- Steve Trevor is once again transformed into a mutated life-form, and then back into a normal man. This also happened to him in Wonder Woman #235/#236.
See Also