Updated on December 10, 2021
On the heels of my Superman and Batman lists, here’s a list of my recommended Wonder Woman comics. The comics come from across the decades, from the Golden Age to the present. I also try to favor trade paperback collections over single issues.
Golden Age
- Wonder Woman Chronicles. Affordable trade paperback reprints of the earliest Wonder Woman stories, in chronological order.
- Wonder Woman Archives. While I usually lean toward cheaper collections, these archival hardcover volumes (printed on nice paper) seem to be the best way to get most of Wonder Woman’s Golden Age stories.
Silver Age and Bronze Age
- Showcase Presents. A black-and-white series of cheap reprints of stories from the Silver and Bronze Ages. Covers some of Wonder Woman’s wackier years, including the Wonder Girl and Wonder Tot “Impossible Tales.” Those consist of Diana’s teenage and toddler selves (respectively) teaming up in (basically) “imaginary stories” stories via “Amazon magic.”
- Diana Prince: Wonder Woman. The stories from the late 60s and early 70s period when Diana had given up her powers, but continued to fight crime as a non-powered crimefighter.
- Wonder Woman: The Twelve Labors. The 70s followup storyline to the “Diana Prince” period above. Diana subjects herself to various tests to judge her fitness to rejoin the JLA, with her teammates as judges.
Modern Age
George Perez’s run. There’s been various collections of Perez’s 1987 post-Crisis reboot of Wonder Woman, but his run’s worth collecting all the same.
Phil Jimenez’s run. Includes the classic “Wonder Woman” (vol. 2) #170, a story about a day Lois Lane spends with Diana. Trade paperback volumes collecting some of Jimenez’s run include “Paradise Lost” and “Paradise Found.”
Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman. A digital-first comic that ran from 2014 to 2015, “Sensation” was a revival of the Golden Age series of the same name. This “Sensation” was an anthology series set outside the DCU, with an excellent rotating cast of writers and artists.
The Legend of Wonder Woman. A digital-first comic set outside the DCU, it prominently features classic Wonder Woman supporting characters such as Etta Candy. The series has been well received since it started in 2015.
Wonder Woman ’77. A digital-first comic based on the classic 70s TV show.
The Hiketia. Greg Rucka’s well regarded 2002 graphic novel featuring Batman as a guest-star.
Miscellaneous
Wonder Woman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told.
Wonder Woman: A Celebration of 75 Years.
Conclusion
If you’re just looking for one Wonder Woman book, the “Greatest Stories Ever Told” or “Celebration of 75 Years” volumes are the ones I’d choose. Otherwise, Marston’s Golden Age run and Perez’s post-Crisis runs are probably the defining classic books for Wonder Woman.
Can’t say I like any of Wonder Woman’s recent portrayals in “mainstream” comics, if wondering why no New 52 material. It often feels like DC forgot or ignores Diana has superpowers, as she’s almost always now shown carrying an unsheathed sword. Either that, or it’s a straw-feminist portrayal of her mythos, down to the New 52’s Amazons literally being man-hating murderers. Hopefully future writers/management will do better by Wonder Woman, given her constantly-changing status quo.
