An original member of DC’s Justice League, Wonder Woman gained prominence with her first-ever feature in a comic book with Sensation Comics #1. Her abilities were already quite extraordinary back then, and she had already left her life as Diana Prince on her women-only homeland of Themyscira to help the less fortunate in the outside world. And over time, as Sensation Comics grew in stature, so did Wonder Woman’s many accomplishments and abilities.
It’s difficult to focus on any other character in the presence of such a powerhouse, but there were other characters as well that were introduced and included in Sensation Comics over time. And though none of them were ever as popular as Diana, they were all entertaining in their own way.
10 Diana Meets Diana Prince
Having deposited Steve in a hospital, in Sensation Comics #1, Wonder Woman first finds work with a promoter named Al Kale. But after finding him to be corrupt, she leaves the job and decides to check on Steve thereafter.
It's near the hospital that she comes across a nurse who bears a striking resemblance to her. In a most direct manner then, she asks the nurse if she could take on her identity and job and let the young woman live out the life she wants. The nurse is naturally taken back, but with only a little more convincing, she agrees to Wonder Woman's deal. There is another moment of amusement right after when they realize both are named Diana.
9 The Feminist Creator — William Moulton Marston
Apart from the creation of Wonder Woman, the other important invention that William Moulton Marston had a direct hand in was the lie detector. He built an apparatus that could measure blood pressure, and would one day help develop the modern-day polygraph.
It was his work on this device that, in fact, led him to conclude that women were not only the fairer sex but also the more honest one. He truly believed that women were far superior to men. "Frankly," he said once, "Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world."
8 The Gentleman In Jeopardy
The "damsel in distress" is an oft-repeated trope, wherein a frail and delicate young woman (almost always the love interest) must be saved from a mustache-twirling villain in the nick of time by the swashbuckling hero. Even in comic books, it's a very common plotline. Superman and Lois Lane, for example, fall neatly into this trope.
But it is not always so. Not in Wonder Woman's case, especially. No, here it's the man—Steve Trevor—who usually finds himself in situations where he must be saved by the woman, the Amazonian Diana. Such is the case in the very first Wonder Woman Story.
7 The Romantic Turn
For a while, starting from the 94th issue, Sensation Comics took on a decidedly romantic turn. It featured Steve Trevor popping the question to Wonder Woman and then going on to handle all her missions on his own, to show that he could bear some of her stress if they were to be married. But, in the end, it turned out that he needed some rescuing of his own.
Another loved-up story in the issue was one called "A Cure for Romance." Created by Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino, and Frank Giacoia, the story was the first one about Dr. Pat in the series and ended with a character being love-struck by Dr. Pat.
6 Invisible Plane Appears For The First Time
Most superheroes who can fly can't really carry more than one or two people in the time of an emergency. Wonder Woman is a lot more considerate. Sure, she is strong enough to carry the weight of another during flight, but she also knows that a plane would be a much better option. More so when a larger section of people needs to be rescued.
In that regard, she uses her invisible plane to ferry people from one place to another. She even uses the plane in Sensation Comics #1, when she transports an injured Steve Trevor to the U.S.
5 The Very First Story
Even though her 1942 appearance in Sensation Comics #1 was her first feature in comic books, Wonder Woman had been introduced as a character in the October 1941 issue of All-Star Comics #8, in a story titled "Introducing Wonder Woman."
In it, Steve Trevor crashes his plane on the island of the Amazonian women and finds himself being cared for by Diana and Mala. As Diana falls for him, her mother, Queen Hippolyta, grows weary of the situation and asks that Steve be sent back to his world as soon as possible the moment he seems capable of it. What happens next is covered in the feature in Sensation Comics #1.
4 Wonder Woman Doesn't Have Her Lasso With Her
It seems shocking to read now, but back when Sensation Comics #1 was published, Wonder Woman didn’t have the Lasso of Truth at her side. She is given the lasso back at the Amazonian island and told that it can make anyone yield and reveal their secrets and hidden truths. And that it can also allow the wielder to make the captured individual obey any command.
Created on the orders of Queen Hippolyte, the lasso was built from Aphrodite's Magic Girdle and had powers that were awarded to it by Athena and Aphrodite herself.
3 The Series Debuted Many Characters
Over the course of its many issues, Sensation Comics would go on to provide a launchpad for several characters, writers, and artists. One such individual was Mister Terrific, a fictional character that was the alter ego of a physically and mentally gifted man called Terry Sloane.
An excellent student in school and in college, Terry also tried his hand at athletics and excelled at that too. He was only 13 when he graduated from college and felt like he had achieved all he had to achieve by the age of 20. He felt a bit disheartened by the fact, but that was soon taken care of when he soon helped a young woman and her brother from a local gang. He decided, then and there, to help those less fortunate by using the Mister Terrific persona.
2 Inspiration For Wonder Woman
A creation of writer William Moulton Marston and artist Harry G. Peter, Wonder Woman was said to be inspired by the look and style of Marston’s wife, Elizabeth, and their Olive Byrne, who was a partner of them both (Marston famously believed in polyamory).
Apart from the two women in his life, Marston also looked for inspiration in famous feminists, such as Margaret Sanger, who promoted the use of birth control, when building the character of a strong and determined individual like Wonder Woman. Sanger’s essay "Woman and the New Race" had a most definite impact on his thought-process.
1 Several More Stories In The Issue
Apart from "Wonder Woman Arrives in Man's World," there were quite a few other stories in Sensation Comics #1. One of them was the Black Pirate story "The Marriage of Jon Valor."
Having debuted in Action Comics #23, Jon Valor a.k.a. Black Pirate (developed by Sheldon Moldoff) lived his life according to a very strict code of justice. When, in "The Marriage of Jon Valor," he realizes that his love, Donna Bonita is in the clutches of the evil Don Carlos, he throws caution to the wind and forgoes his secret identity to fight the Spanish armada. He is caught, of course, and is set to be executed very soon. But then Donna Bonita reaches his site of execution, marries him right then and there, and adds even more drama to the tale.