DC Database
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
DC Database
DC Database
127,497
pages
in: Dick Giordano/Executive Editor, George Pérez/Cover Artist, Greg Potter/Writer,
and 54 more

Changes: Wonder Woman Vol 2 1

Back to page
Sign in to edit
No edit summary
m (→‎top: fixing https, replaced: http:// → https:// (2))
(28 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 10: Line 10:
 
| Volume = 2
  
| Volume = 2
 
| Issue = 1
  
| Issue = 1
−
| Month = February
 +
| Day = 6
  ⚫
| Month = 2
 
| Year = 1987
  
| Year = 1987
  +
| Pubmonth = 11 <!-- House ad in Justice League of America #259. -->
⚫
| PreviousIssue = Wonder Woman Vol 1 329
  
  ⚫
| Pubyear = 1986
  ⚫
| PreviousIssue = [[Wonder Woman Vol 1 #329]]
   
 
| Executive Editor = Dick Giordano
  
| Executive Editor = Dick Giordano
Line 25: Line 28:
 
| Letterer1_1 = John Costanza
  
| Letterer1_1 = John Costanza
   
  +
| Quotation = Oh, Gods of Olympus! Though I '''love''' Paradise, I yearn for '''more''' from my life... I yearn for '''purpose!'''
−
| Quotation = We are commanded to choose a champion -- the very best among us! She shall prove herself through tournament and the Trial of Flashing Thunder! She alone can save us and she alone shall face Ares in the world of man!
  
−
| Speaker = [[Menalippe (New Earth)|Menalippe]]
 +
| Speaker = [[Diana of Themyscira (New Earth)|Diana of Themyscira]]
   
 
| StoryTitle1 = "The Princess and the Power!"
  
| StoryTitle1 = "The Princess and the Power!"
   
  +
| Synopsis1 = [[New_Earth#30.2C000_BCE|During the late stone age]], a caveman is exiled from his tribe for failing a hunt - a failure that has also cost him his hand. His pregnant mate tries to console him, but her pity enrages him, spurring him to attack and kill her. Moments later, the caveman is shocked to see his mate's corpse twitching, and hear [[Gaea (New Earth)|a voice whispering from the Earth]].
⚫
| Synopsis1 =
 
−
[[New_Earth#30.2C000_BCE|'''30,000 BCE''']] <br>
  
−
A caveman returns to his home after a harrowing day of hunting. Having lost the use of his arm in battle, he feels weak and ashamed. His pregnant mate tries to console him, but her pity only drives him into a fit of rage. Picking up a club, he brutally bashes her across the head, killing her. The dead woman’s spirit leaves her body and travels into the underworld.
 
   
  +
A blinding light suddenly flies from the cave-woman's corpse, into the sky above.
−
[[New_Earth#1200_BCE|'''1,200 BCE''']] <br>
  
−
A convocation forms in the palace of [[Zeus]] on [[Mount Olympus]]. [[Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt (New Earth)|Artemis]], Goddess of the Hunt petitions Zeus to create a new race of warrior women – a race that will help to lead mankind back towards faithful worship of the Gods. [[Ares (New Earth)|Ares]], the God of War, believes this plan to be pitiful and will only serve to weaken the vitality of the Gods. Zeus has no interest in the idea at all, and leaves the chamber, allowing the other Gods to decide the issue amongst themselves. Artemis addresses Zeus' wife Hera and asks for her blessing in this endeavor. Hera warns her to tread lightly, and to never again ask her to take sides against her husband.
 
   
  +
[[New_Earth#1200_BCE|Many millennia later]], the Gods of [[Mount Olympus]] discuss a pressing issue: their worshipers' dwindling faith. [[Zeus (New Earth)|Zeus, King of Olympus]], hears competing proposals from [[Ares (New Earth)|Ares, God of War]] and [[Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt (New Earth)|Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt]] on the matter. The former proposes cowing man into obedience through force and bloodshed; the latter, creating an all-female race who will enlighten man.
−
Artemis gathers several Gods sympathetic to her cause together including Hermes, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hestia and Athena. Without Zeus' knowledge, they book passage across the River Styx to the Cavern of Souls. The Cavern of Souls represents the womb of Gaea the Earth-Mother and is a swirling maelstrom of disembodied spirits. The Gods pool their resources, extracting the souls and reincarnating them on Earth. On the shores of Greece and the Aegean Sea, the spirit light of thousands of women are reborn as a warrior race of Amazons. One spirit however, is not reincarnated and remains behind in the Cavern of Souls. Athena notes that this one has a special destiny, and that her time of rebirth has not yet come. Athena addresses these newly born Amazons and tells them that they are a chosen race, born to lead humanity in the ways of virtue. Athena selects Hippolyte to serve as Queen of the Amazons, with her sister Antiope acting at her side. Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, forges them a great city and the Amazons live in prosperity for centuries.
  
   
  +
Zeus eventually loses patience with the debates, proclaims the issue beneath him, and leaves; [[Hera (New Earth)|his wife Hera]] likewise refuses to engage. This dissuades neither Ares, who plots to surpass all Olympus, nor Artemis, who has already allied with five other Olympians: [[Pallas Athena (New Earth)|Athena, Goddess of Wisdom]], [[Demeter (New Earth)|Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest]], [[Aphrodite (New Earth)|Aphrodite, Goddess of Love]], [[Hestia (New Earth)|Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth]], and [[Hermes (New Earth)|Hermes, Messenger of the Gods]]. With Hermes' help, the five Goddesses journey to the Cavern of Souls, a portion of the Underworld where Gaea has housed the spirits of all women unjustly killed by men.
−
'''Years later''' <br>
  
−
Years pass, until one day the Greek hero [[Heracles]] learns about this flourishing community of warrior women. Suffering madness at the hands of Eurystheus, Heracles decides to demonstrate his purported superiority over these chosen warriors. <ref>''In Greek mythology, Eurystheus was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid. Eurystheus was an opponent of Heracles and forced him to perform twelve labors after the demigod suffered a bout of madness at the hands of jealous Hera and slew his family''</ref> Heracles' anger and savagery does not go unnoticed by the gods however. From his castle stronghold on Areopagus, Ares uses his influence to intensify Heracles' rage. He manipulates him into waging war against the Amazons.
  
   
  +
By pooling their divine powers, the Goddesses withdraw these spirits - save one Athena notes a "special destiny" for - and reincarnate them into grown women. These reborn women, tasked with raising man's virtue and piety, are dubbed the ''Amazons'' and given blessings by each Goddess; the first two reborn, [[Hippolyta (New Earth)|Hippolyte]] and [[Antiope (New Earth)|Antiope]], are additionally gifted with [[Golden Girdle of Gaea|golden girdles]], crystallizations of Gaea's power, that mark them as the Amazons' leaders. Under Hippolyte and Antiope, the Amazons soon build the renowned city-state of ''Themyscira''.
−
Heracles' army is met by a full compliment of Amazon warriors. Hippolyte herself challenges Heracles to armed combat, and succeeds in defeating him. Impressed with her martial prowess, Heracles decides to call a truce, and declares that there shall be peace between his soldiers and the Amazons. That night, both man and woman alike enjoy each other's company, but as the evening wears on, Heracles' true motives reveal themselves. He viciously attacks Hippolyte and forces her into bondage.
 
   
  +
Unfortunately, the Amazons' success attracts jealousy and suspicion from Greece's other rulers, which Ares wholeheartedly fans. The War-God's influence eventually snares [[Herakles (New Earth)|Zeus' son Herkales]], who gathers an army and tries to invade Themyscira; upon being outfought by Hippolyta, Herakles feigns surrender and proposes an alliance, which the Amazon Queen accepts. The two parties celebrate well into the night, Herakles romancing Hippolyta while his companion [[Theseus (New Earth)|Theseus]] pursues Antiope. None of the Amazons, save the oracle [[Menalippe (New Earth)|Menalippe]], suspect their new "allies" are giving them drugged wine.
−
While shackled inside of a dungeon, the image of Athena appears before [[Hippolyte]]. Athena chastises her for withdrawing from the outside world when she should have been helping humanity to new heights of enlightenment. She beckons Hippolyte to "bathe in the light" of her wisdom. With renewed courage, Hippolyte breaks free of her prison cell and inspires her fellow Amazons to overthrow their male slavers. While signaling a call to arms, Hippolyte reminds her sisters that although they fight against their oppressors, they should never forget the ways of Gaea. Not all of the Amazons fight with compassion however. Antiope, and many like her, crave only vengeance and brutally rebel against Heracles' soldiers. The Amazons prove victorious, but their ranks are split amongst those who follow the peaceful ways of Hippolyte and those who follow Antiope.
 
  +
  +
Once the wine takes effect, Herakles and his men easily sack Themyscira and enslave the Amazons; subsequently, Herakles claims Hippolyta's girdle as a spoil and rides off in search of new conquests. When the beaten, manacled Hippolyta begs Olympus' forgiveness, Athena replies, chiding the Amazon Queen for forgetting her mission and isolating her race from the rest of mankind. By Athena's instruction, Hippolyta forswears any thoughts of revenge and rededicates herself to the Goddesses, regaining the strength to break her chains.
  +
  +
Hippolyta quickly frees the rest of the Amazons, sparking rebellion against Themyscira's remaining occupiers; and though she repeats Athena's instructions, many Amazons - chief among them Antiope - embrace their hatred and kill the occupiers to the last man. In the aftermath of this brutal "victory", Antiope bitterly renounces Olympus, surrenders her girdle to Hippolyta, and secedes from Themyscira with many like-minded Amazons.
  +
  +
Downcast but still devout, Hippolyta leads the remnants of Themyscira to the Aegean Sea, where the Goddesses have prepared their new destiny. With [[Poseidon (New Earth)|Poseidon, God of the Seas]] as their guide, the Amazons travel to a lush, uncharted island, beneath which lies countless demons. To repent for their failures, Hippolyte and her followers must keep these demons confined and keep the island hidden from all mortal men. So long as they maintain this vigil, they will retain Olympus' favor and remain unaging.
  +
  +
Over the next three thousand years, Hippolyta and her followers hold true to their new purpose, building a stronger, grander Themyscira in the process. Though undisputed Queen of this new Themyscira, Hippolyta remains unfulfilled until her deities tell her - through Menalippe - that she had been reincarnated from a pregnant cave-woman, and thus desires a child. At their direction, Hippolyte sculpts a baby from Themyscira's shoreline clay - which Artemis and her allies bless and infuse with the Cavern of Souls' last occupant.
  +
  +
Thus is born ''[[Diana of Themyscira (New Earth)|Diana of Themyscira]]'', first Princess of the Amazons.
  +
  +
As Diana approaches adulthood, Menalippe receives another vision from the Gods: that Ares has grown in both power and madness, and plots to destroy the entire world. There is but one hope: Themyscira must send a single champion, selected through tournament and "Flashing Thunder", into Man's World to battle Ares. Hippolyta obeys this edict but, fearing for her daughter's well-being, forbids Diana from competing in the tournament.
   
−
The Gods favor Hippolyte's Amazons, and Poseidon parts the Aegean Sea leading them to a new homeland – an island paradise that will come to be known as Themyscira. As penance for their past indiscretions however, the Amazons are now charged with the safekeeping of an ancient evil that remains locked beneath the island. Centuries pass, and the Amazons create a massive city on this ''Paradise Island''.
 
 
[[File:Bullets and Bracelets.jpg|left|thumb|300px|[[Diana of Themyscira (New Earth)|Diana]] participates in the "[[Bullets and Bracelets|Trial of Flashing Thunder]]"]]
  
[[File:Bullets and Bracelets.jpg|left|thumb|300px|[[Diana of Themyscira (New Earth)|Diana]] participates in the "[[Bullets and Bracelets|Trial of Flashing Thunder]]"]]
−
Artemis' congregation decide that it is now time for the final spirit trapped within the Cavern of Souls to be reborn. Hippolyte is the reincarnation of the pregnant cave woman who was slain by her husband over 30,000 years ago. The isolated soul in the Cavern is the spirit of the woman's unborn child. The Amazon oracle Menalippe consults with Hippolyte and tells her that she must go to the shore and mold the form of a child out of clay. Hippolyte does as advised and the Gods breath life into the clay figurine, infusing it with the spirit of the final lost soul. This infant female is the first and only child to actually be birthed on Themyscira. Hippolyte names her [[Diana of Themyscira (New Earth)|Diana]] after a fabled heroine from their past. Diana is raised by all of the Amazons and is trained in every aspect of Amazonian culture.
  
   
  +
With Athena's blessing, the stubborn Diana disobeys her mother and enters the tournament, knowing all the contestants will be masked to guarantee impartiality. The disguised Diana out-performs her fellow Amazons and proves herself worthy of being the Champion - much to Hippolyta's horror. Though remorseful, Diana insists she has only obeyed the Gods' will, and Hippolyta has little choice but to give her the Champion's silver bracelets and let her take the final challenge – the Trial of Flashing Thunder.
−
As Diana grows to adulthood, Hippolyte receives word that Ares has grown in power and has been driven insane. He has been drawn to the world of man by some unspeakable horror. The after-effects of Ares' thirst for war are felt all across Themyscira. Menalippe tells Hippolyte that a champion must be chosen to face Ares. Hippolyte decides to hold a tournament in order to select the perfect warrior. Whomever succeeds in the Trial of Flashing Thunder will be decorated with a hero's raiment and go forth to battle Ares. Diana volunteers to participate in the tournament, but Hippolyte forbids it. She secretly enters the tournament anyway, her identity concealed by a battle helm. Diana overcomes every obstacle and wins the tournament. Hippolyte is horrified to see Diana remove her helmet revealing herself to the assembly. Hippolyte has little choice but to obey the will of the Gods though, and Diana participates in the final challenge – the Trial of Flashing Thunder. She is outfitted with twin silver bracelets – a reminder of her people's years in bondage. An Amazon warrior, Philippus, uses a weapon of Man's world (a handgun) and fires it at Diana. Diana succeeds in deflecting the bullets with her impervious silver bracelets. With the conclusion of the trial, there is no longer any doubt. Diana is destined to become Themyscira's champion.
 
  +
  +
The "Flashing Thunder" is revealed to be a handgun - a weapon from "Man's World" wielded by Queen Hippolyta's chief general [[Philippus (New Earth)|Philippus]]. Diana is ordered to defend herself against it with nothing but her silver bracelets, and succeeds, though not without difficulty. With this final challenge concluded, Diana is officially proclaimed Themyscira's Champion, attired in the armor of a [[Diana Rockwell (New Earth)|great warrior from ages past]], and readied for her journey into Man's World.
   
 
| Appearing1 =
 
| Appearing1 =
 
'''Featured Characters:'''
  
'''Featured Characters:'''
−
* {{apn|[[Diana of Themyscira (New Earth)|Wonder Woman]]|-}} {{Origin|Wonder Woman}} {{1stChron}}
 +
* {{apn|[[Diana of Themyscira (New Earth)|Diana of Themyscira]]|-}} {{Origin|Wonder Woman}} {{1stChron}}
 
'''Supporting Characters:'''
  
'''Supporting Characters:'''
−
* {{a|[[Amazons of Themyscira]]}} {{1stOr}}
 +
* {{a|[[Amazons of Paradise Island|Amazons of Themyscira]]}} {{1stOr}}
−
:* {{a|[[Hippolyta (New Earth)|Queen Hippolyta]]}} {{1stOr}}
 +
** {{a|[[Hippolyta (New Earth)|Queen Hippolyta]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Menalippe (New Earth)|Menalippe]]}}
 +
** {{a|[[Menalippe (New Earth)|Menalippe]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Philippus (New Earth)|Philippus]]}}
 +
** {{a|[[Philippus (New Earth)|Philippus]]}}
 
* {{a|[[Gods of Olympus]]}}
  
* {{a|[[Gods of Olympus]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Aphrodite (New Earth)|Aphrodite]]}}
+
** {{a|[[Aphrodite (New Earth)|Aphrodite]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Phoebus Apollo (New Earth)|Apollo]]}}
+
** {{a|[[Phoebus Apollo (New Earth)|Apollo]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt (New Earth)|Artemis]]}}
 +
** {{a|[[Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt (New Earth)|Artemis]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Pallas Athena (New Earth)|Athena]]}}
+
** {{a|[[Pallas Athena (New Earth)|Athena]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Charon (New Earth)|Charon]]}}
 +
** {{a|[[Demeter (New Earth)|Demeter]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Demeter (New Earth)|Demeter]]}}
 +
** {{a|[[Hera (New Earth)|Hera]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Hera (New Earth)|Hera]]}}
+
** {{a|[[Hermes (New Earth)|Hermes]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Hermes (New Earth)|Hermes]]}}
+
** {{a|[[Hestia (New Earth)|Hestia]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Hestia (New Earth)|Hestia]]}}
+
** {{a|[[Poseidon (New Earth)|Poseidon]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Zeus (New Earth)|Zeus]]}}
 +
** {{a|[[Zeus (New Earth)|Zeus]]}}
−
'''Villains:'''
 +
'''Antagonists:'''
 
* {{a|[[Ares (New Earth)|Ares]]}}
  
* {{a|[[Ares (New Earth)|Ares]]}}
−
* {{a|[[Herakles (New Earth)|Heracles]]}}
 +
* {{a|[[Herakles (New Earth)|Herakles]]}}
 
'''Other Characters:'''
  
'''Other Characters:'''
−
* {{a|[[Amazons of Themyscira]]}}
 +
* {{a|[[Amazons of Paradise Island|Amazons of Themyscira]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Aella (New Earth)|Aella]]}} {{1st}}
 +
** {{a|[[Aella (New Earth)|Aella]]}} {{1st}}
−
:* {{a|[[Antiope (New Earth)|Antiope]]}} {{1stOr}}
 +
** {{a|[[Antiope (New Earth)|Antiope]]}} {{1stOr}} {{Quits}}
  +
* {{a|[[Charon (New Earth)|Charon]]}}
  +
* Eurystheus {{Mentioned}}
 
* {{a|[[Gaea (New Earth)|Gaea]]}} {{BTS}}
  
* {{a|[[Gaea (New Earth)|Gaea]]}} {{BTS}}
 
* {{a|[[Theseus (New Earth)|Theseus]]}}
 
* {{a|[[Theseus (New Earth)|Theseus]]}}
Line 84: Line 97:
 
* {{a|[[Areopagus]]}} {{1st}}
  
* {{a|[[Areopagus]]}} {{1st}}
 
* {{a|[[Greece]]}}
  
* {{a|[[Greece]]}}
  +
** [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]] {{Mentioned}}
−
:* The first City of Themyscira {{1st}}
 +
** {{a|[[Amazonia|Old Themyscira]]}} {{1st}}
 
* {{a|[[Mount Olympus]]}}
  
* {{a|[[Mount Olympus]]}}
−
* {{a|[[Themyscira]]}} {{1st}}
 +
* {{a|[[Paradise Island|Themyscira]]}} {{1st}}
−
:* {{A|[[Doom's Doorway]]}} {{1st}}
 +
** {{a|[[Doom's Doorway]]}} {{1st}}
−
:* Temple of Hades {{1st}}
 +
** Royal Palace {{1st}}
  +
** Temple of Hades {{1st}}
 
* {{a|[[Hades (Realm)|The Underworld]]}}
  
* {{a|[[Hades (Realm)|The Underworld]]}}
−
:* {{a|[[Cavern of Souls]]}} {{1st}}
 +
** {{a|[[Cavern of Souls]]}} {{1st}}
−
:* {{a|[[River Styx]]}}
 +
** {{a|[[River Styx]]}}
 
'''Items:'''
  
'''Items:'''
 
* {{a|[[Wonder Woman's Tiara|Boomerang Tiara]]}} {{1stChron}}
  
* {{a|[[Wonder Woman's Tiara|Boomerang Tiara]]}} {{1stChron}}
  +
* {{a|[[Caduceus]]}}
 
* {{a|[[Bracelets of Submission]]}} {{1stChron}}
  
* {{a|[[Bracelets of Submission]]}} {{1stChron}}
 
* {{a|[[Golden Girdle of Gaea|Girdle of Gaea]]}} {{1stChron}}
  
* {{a|[[Golden Girdle of Gaea|Girdle of Gaea]]}} {{1stChron}}
Line 101: Line 117:
   
   
−
| Notes =
+
| Notes = * This issue is reprinted in the following:
−
* This issue is reprinted in ''[[Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals]]'' and [[Millennium Edition: Wonder Woman Vol 2 1|''Millennium Edition: Wonder Woman'' #1]].
 +
** ''[[Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals (Collected)|Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals]]''
  +
** [[Millennium Edition: Wonder Woman Vol 2 1|''Millennium Edition: Wonder Woman'' #1]]
−  
  +
** ''[[Wonder Woman: A Celebration of 75 Years (Collected)|Wonder Woman: A Celebration of 75 Years]]''
  +
** [[Wonder Woman by George Pérez Omnibus (Collected)|''Wonder Woman by George Pérez'' Omnibus, Vol. 1]]
 
* Includes a one-page editorial by [[George Pérez]] on the interior front cover.
  
* Includes a one-page editorial by [[George Pérez]] on the interior front cover.
  ⚫
* ''[[Herakles (New Earth)|Herakles]]'' and ''[[Hippolyta (New Earth)|Hippolyte]]'' would come to be spelled ''Heracles'' and ''Hippolyta'' in later issues.
  +
* Herakles' relation to [[wikipedia:Heracles|his mythological counterpart]] is not clear; while {{WP|Eurystheus}} and [[wikipedia:Labours of Heracles|the Labours]] are mentioned, his attack on the Amazons appears to be an independent conquest, and his famed madness is more linked to Ares than Hera.<ref>''In Greek mythology, Eurystheus was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid. Eurystheus was an opponent of Heracles and forced him to perform twelve labors after the demigod suffered a bout of madness at the hands of jealous Hera and slew his family.''</ref>
  +
* The fate of Herakles will be revealed in [[Wonder Woman Vol 2 13|''Wonder Woman'' #13]] and [[Wonder Woman Vol 2 14|#14]].
  +
* The fates of Antiope and the other Themysciran separatists will be revealed in [[Wonder Woman Vol 2 19|''Wonder Woman'' #19]] and [[Wonder Woman Vol 2 33|#33]].
  +
* Diana is noted to bear the name - and eventually armor - of [[Diana Rockwell (New Earth)|"a great and holy warrior"]]. The full story behind this warrior will be revealed in [[Wonder Woman Vol 2 12|''Wonder Woman'' #12]].
   
  +
| Trivia = * Poseidon briefly mentions a son killed by Ares - probably a reference to {{WP|Halirrhothius}}.
⚫
* [[Herakles (New Earth)|Hercules]]' and [[Hippolyta (New Earth)|Hippolyta]]'s names are spelled ''Heracles'' and ''Hippolyte'' in this issue.
  
−  
⚫
| Trivia =
 
−
* Diana is actually named after Diana Trevor, an American who crash-landed on Themyscira years ago and became a great hero to the Amazon people. Diana Trevor is the mother of [[Steven Trevor (New Earth)|Steve Trevor]], whom Diana will meet [[Wonder Woman Vol 2 2|next issue]]. <ref>''The story of Diana Trevor is revealed in greater detail in the "Challenge of the Gods" storyline running through issues #10-14 of Wonder Woman''</ref>
  
   
 
| Recommended = {{Wonder Woman RR}}
  
| Recommended = {{Wonder Woman RR}}
   
 
| Links =
 
| Links =
−
* [http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=3396 Wonder Woman (Volume 2) series index at the Grand Comics Database]
 +
* [https://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=3396 Wonder Woman (Volume 2) series index at the Grand Comics Database]
−
* [http://www.comicbookdb.com/title.php?ID=185 Wonder Woman (Volume 2) series index at Comicbookdb.com]
 +
* [https://www.comicbookdb.com/title.php?ID=185 Wonder Woman (Volume 2) series index at Comicbookdb.com]
 
}}
  
}}
 
{{Post-Crisis Reboot}}
  
{{Post-Crisis Reboot}}

Revision as of 16:44, 5 March 2019

""The Princess and the Power!"": During the late stone age, a caveman is exiled from his tribe for failing a hunt - a failure that has also cost him his hand. His pregnant mate tries to console him, but her pity enrages him, spurring him to attack and kill her. Moments

Quote1 Oh, Gods of Olympus! Though I love Paradise, I yearn for more from my life... I yearn for purpose! Quote2
— Diana of Themyscira

Wonder Woman (Volume 2) #1 is an issue of the series Wonder Woman (Volume 2) with a cover date of February, 1987. It was published on November 6, 1986.

Synopsis for "The Princess and the Power!"

During the late stone age, a caveman is exiled from his tribe for failing a hunt - a failure that has also cost him his hand. His pregnant mate tries to console him, but her pity enrages him, spurring him to attack and kill her. Moments later, the caveman is shocked to see his mate's corpse twitching, and hear a voice whispering from the Earth.

A blinding light suddenly flies from the cave-woman's corpse, into the sky above.

Many millennia later, the Gods of Mount Olympus discuss a pressing issue: their worshipers' dwindling faith. Zeus, King of Olympus, hears competing proposals from Ares, God of War and Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt on the matter. The former proposes cowing man into obedience through force and bloodshed; the latter, creating an all-female race who will enlighten man.

Zeus eventually loses patience with the debates, proclaims the issue beneath him, and leaves; his wife Hera likewise refuses to engage. This dissuades neither Ares, who plots to surpass all Olympus, nor Artemis, who has already allied with five other Olympians: Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, and Hermes, Messenger of the Gods. With Hermes' help, the five Goddesses journey to the Cavern of Souls, a portion of the Underworld where Gaea has housed the spirits of all women unjustly killed by men.

By pooling their divine powers, the Goddesses withdraw these spirits - save one Athena notes a "special destiny" for - and reincarnate them into grown women. These reborn women, tasked with raising man's virtue and piety, are dubbed the Amazons and given blessings by each Goddess; the first two reborn, Hippolyte and Antiope, are additionally gifted with golden girdles, crystallizations of Gaea's power, that mark them as the Amazons' leaders. Under Hippolyte and Antiope, the Amazons soon build the renowned city-state of Themyscira.

Unfortunately, the Amazons' success attracts jealousy and suspicion from Greece's other rulers, which Ares wholeheartedly fans. The War-God's influence eventually snares Zeus' son Herkales, who gathers an army and tries to invade Themyscira; upon being outfought by Hippolyta, Herakles feigns surrender and proposes an alliance, which the Amazon Queen accepts. The two parties celebrate well into the night, Herakles romancing Hippolyta while his companion Theseus pursues Antiope. None of the Amazons, save the oracle Menalippe, suspect their new "allies" are giving them drugged wine.

Once the wine takes effect, Herakles and his men easily sack Themyscira and enslave the Amazons; subsequently, Herakles claims Hippolyta's girdle as a spoil and rides off in search of new conquests. When the beaten, manacled Hippolyta begs Olympus' forgiveness, Athena replies, chiding the Amazon Queen for forgetting her mission and isolating her race from the rest of mankind. By Athena's instruction, Hippolyta forswears any thoughts of revenge and rededicates herself to the Goddesses, regaining the strength to break her chains.

Hippolyta quickly frees the rest of the Amazons, sparking rebellion against Themyscira's remaining occupiers; and though she repeats Athena's instructions, many Amazons - chief among them Antiope - embrace their hatred and kill the occupiers to the last man. In the aftermath of this brutal "victory", Antiope bitterly renounces Olympus, surrenders her girdle to Hippolyta, and secedes from Themyscira with many like-minded Amazons.

Downcast but still devout, Hippolyta leads the remnants of Themyscira to the Aegean Sea, where the Goddesses have prepared their new destiny. With Poseidon, God of the Seas as their guide, the Amazons travel to a lush, uncharted island, beneath which lies countless demons. To repent for their failures, Hippolyte and her followers must keep these demons confined and keep the island hidden from all mortal men. So long as they maintain this vigil, they will retain Olympus' favor and remain unaging.

Over the next three thousand years, Hippolyta and her followers hold true to their new purpose, building a stronger, grander Themyscira in the process. Though undisputed Queen of this new Themyscira, Hippolyta remains unfulfilled until her deities tell her - through Menalippe - that she had been reincarnated from a pregnant cave-woman, and thus desires a child. At their direction, Hippolyte sculpts a baby from Themyscira's shoreline clay - which Artemis and her allies bless and infuse with the Cavern of Souls' last occupant.

Thus is born Diana of Themyscira, first Princess of the Amazons.

As Diana approaches adulthood, Menalippe receives another vision from the Gods: that Ares has grown in both power and madness, and plots to destroy the entire world. There is but one hope: Themyscira must send a single champion, selected through tournament and "Flashing Thunder", into Man's World to battle Ares. Hippolyta obeys this edict but, fearing for her daughter's well-being, forbids Diana from competing in the tournament.

Bullets and Bracelets

Diana participates in the "Trial of Flashing Thunder"

With Athena's blessing, the stubborn Diana disobeys her mother and enters the tournament, knowing all the contestants will be masked to guarantee impartiality. The disguised Diana out-performs her fellow Amazons and proves herself worthy of being the Champion - much to Hippolyta's horror. Though remorseful, Diana insists she has only obeyed the Gods' will, and Hippolyta has little choice but to give her the Champion's silver bracelets and let her take the final challenge – the Trial of Flashing Thunder.

The "Flashing Thunder" is revealed to be a handgun - a weapon from "Man's World" wielded by Queen Hippolyta's chief general Philippus. Diana is ordered to defend herself against it with nothing but her silver bracelets, and succeeds, though not without difficulty. With this final challenge concluded, Diana is officially proclaimed Themyscira's Champion, attired in the armor of a great warrior from ages past, and readied for her journey into Man's World.

Appearing in "The Princess and the Power!"

Featured Characters:

  • Template:Apn (Origin) (First appearance chronologically)

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:

  • None

Notes

Trivia

  • Poseidon briefly mentions a son killed by Ares - probably a reference to Halirrhothius.


See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References

  1. ↑ In Greek mythology, Eurystheus was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid. Eurystheus was an opponent of Heracles and forced him to perform twelve labors after the demigod suffered a bout of madness at the hands of jealous Hera and slew his family.
The Man of Steel 1A
Post-Crisis Reboot
DC Rebirth Logo

After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a 1985–1986 maxiseries which completely reset the continuity of the entire DC Universe, all of DC's major characters and franchises needed to be updated to reflect the changes in the events of their lives. Multiple story arcs were put out to explain these rebooted versions of popular characters.

Superman: The Man of Steel
The Man of Steel #1 • The Man of Steel #2 • The Man of Steel #3 • The Man of Steel #4 • The Man of Steel #5 • The Man of Steel #6
Batman: Year One
Batman #404 • Batman #405 • Batman #406 • Batman #407
Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals
Wonder Woman #1 • Wonder Woman #2 • Wonder Woman #3 • Wonder Woman #4 • Wonder Woman #5 • Wonder Woman #6 • Wonder Woman #7
Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn I and II
Emerald Dawn #1 • Emerald Dawn #2 • Emerald Dawn #3 • Emerald Dawn #4 • Emerald Dawn #5 • Emerald Dawn #6 • Emerald Dawn II #1 • Emerald Dawn II #2 • Emerald Dawn II #3 • Emerald Dawn II #4 • Emerald Dawn II #5 • Emerald Dawn II #6
Hawkworld
Hawkworld #1 • Hawkworld #2 • Hawkworld #3
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms