DC, Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences and WarnerMedia recently brought the “Wonder” to International Women’s Day through their global campaign honoring the 80-year legacy of DC’s Champion of Truth and Warrior for Peace—Wonder Woman.
Dubbed "Believe in Wonder,” the 80th anniversary celebration highlights the superhero’s timeless and relevant message of hope and empowerment with all-new original content, commemorative comics, books, global fashion collections and more.
The fictional superheroine and founding member of the Justice League first appeared in All Star Comics #8 on October 21, 1941 in a back-up story meant to test her appeal at a time when female superheroes were rare.
Diana, the Amazonian princess became an instant favorite and soon headlined her own standalone title less than a year later, with her first feature in Sensation Comics #1 in January 1942.
Wonder Woman is the only female comic book character to have her own stories continuously published for more than three quarters of a century.
According to DC's official blog, the multi-month #BelieveInWonder campaign will culminate with a worldwide celebration of Wonder Woman Day later this year on Oct. 21, the anniversary of her first appearance.
Believe in Wonder
Wonder Woman’s 80th Anniversary celebration will feature a year-long release of content, comics, books, fashion and much more.
To kick off the campaign, the real life stars behind the heroine shared a new “retro-remix” video on their social media channels, tapping into the nostalgia of Wonder Woman and featuring Gal Gadot doing the signature spin that Lynda Carter made famous in the original series.
DC and WarnerMedia also announced a power-packed video inspired by Wonder Woman showcasing the impact of women around the world and the powerful women connected in the company’s content and products.
This year, WarnerMedia will produce videos that shine a spotlight on 80 “Women of Wonder'' including real women, network journalists and talent, cultural figures, experts, influencers and celebrities advancing representation in their fields and acting as real-life superheroes.
We’re celebrating @DCWonderWoman’s 80th anniversary this #IWD2021 by spotlighting some “Women of Wonder” who – like Wonder Woman herself – are advancing representation in their fields & acting as real-life superheroes. #BelieveinWonder
World-renowned designers Venus Williams, Camilla and Azede Jean-Pierre collaborated with Warner Bros. Consumer Products on Wonder Woman inspired fashion collections.
EleVen’s “I Am Wonder Woman” activewear line by international tennis champion and entrepreneur Venus Williams is currently available along with a luxurious limited-edition collection from Australian designer Camilla. Award-winning designer Azede Jean-Pierre will reveal a custom collection featuring never-before-seen artwork later this month.
DC is set to honor the creation and legacy of Wonder Woman making All-Star Comics #8 (the first appearance of Wonder Woman), Sensation Comics #1 (the first comic headlined by Wonder Woman) and Wonder Woman #1 (1942) free to read on the ultimate fan destination for DC,DC Universe Infinite.
Also revealed is the upcoming Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Spectacular, which will bring together some of the greatest storytellers in comics and entertainment for a tribute to Wonder Woman in a collectible keepsake. The 80th anniversary special will be released in October on Wonder Woman Day, along with original stories and a beautiful art montage by Eisner Award-winning artist Yanick Paquette (Wonder Woman: Earth One) with colors by Nathan Fairbairn.
Other new comic books and original graphic novels that will be released as part of the campaign include Nubia: Real One, Wonderful Women of History, Sensational Wonder Woman Vol. 1 and Wonder Woman Earth One Vol. 3.
Games
Warner Bros. Games will mark the anniversary all year long with special promotions in popular ongoing game titles, including DC Universe Online, Injustice 2 and DC Legends. Nintendo is also joining the celebration on June 4 with the release of DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power, a brand-new title for the Nintendo Switch system which stars Wonder Woman in a lead role alongside Batgirl and Supergirl as they try to protect Metropolis from a fearsome group of foes.
Wonder Woman films and series
This month will see the Digital HD arrival of Wonder Woman 1984 on March 16 followed by a 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD release on March 30, while April and May will see the digital and 4K and Blu-ray releases of the animated feature Justice Society: World War II. According to DC, throughout March, Wonder Woman 1984 will also release digitally across international territories.
Gadot’s first solo film as the heroine in Wonder Woman (2017) and all the episodes of the Wonder Woman television series starring Lynda Carter, which originally aired from 1976 to 1979, are currently available to stream on HBO Max.
Fans can join in on social media using hashtags #WonderWoman80 and #BelieveInWonder. Visit wonderwoman80.com for the latest news and updates.
Kara Santos is a freelance writer and photographer based in Manila. Her blog at www.traveling-up.com is where she writes about travel, motorcycling, and food trips.