The Amazons of DC Comics are a fictional all-female society of superhumans, based on the Amazons of Greek mythology. There have been three major incarnations of these Amazons, one before the Crisis, and two after. What two have in common that they are the race which produced Wonder Woman. The third group of Amazons call themselves Bana-Mighdallians. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Amazons (in Greek, ) were a mythical ancient nation of all-female warriors. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... Crisis on Infinite Earths was a 12-issue American comic book limited series (identified as a 12-part maxi-series) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify their then-55-year-old continuity. ... For other uses, see Wonder Woman (disambiguation). ... Bana-Mighdall is a fictional Amazon nation as well as fictional former cities in the DC Comics universe created by writer George Pérez. ...

Origin

The Amazons of Paradise Island were first created by William Moulton Marston as part of the origin story of his creation, Wonder Woman. These Amazons were a race of immortal super-women that lived on the magical Paradise Island. Favored by Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, the Amazons thrived in peace for centuries, but remained aloof from the world of Man. The youngest and most powerful of the Amazons, Princess Diana, left her protective nation of sisterhood, renouncing her immortality to fight the forces of evil in Man's World as Wonder Woman. Themyscirian Amazons Art by Phil Jimenez Themyscira is a fictional island nation in the DC Comics universe. ... Dr. William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947) was a psychologist, feminist theorist, and comic book writer who created the Wonder Woman character with his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston. ... For other uses, see Wonder Woman (disambiguation). ...

History

This comics-related article or section describes an element of the series in a primarily in-universe style. Please rewrite this article or section to explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Pre-Crisis

In the days of Ancient Greece, many centuries ago, the Amazons were the foremost nation in the world. In Amazonia, women ruled and all was well. Then one day, Hercules, the strongest man in the world, stung by the taunts that he couldn't conquer the Amazon women, selected his strongest and fiercest warriors and landed on the Amazons' shores. For other uses, see Hercules (disambiguation). ...

The Amazons' queen, Hippolyte, met Hercules to a personal combat, because she knew that with her magic girdle, given to her by Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, she could not lose. For the Marvel Comics character, see: Hippolyta (Marvel Comics). ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ...

Hippolyte defeated Hercules, but with deceit and trickery, he managed to secure Hippolyta's magic girdle -- and soon the Amazons were taken into slavery. Aphrodite, angry at Hippolyte for having succumbed to the wiles of men, would do nothing to help them.

Finally, the Amazons were no longer able to bear their submission to men, and Hippolyte appealed to the Goddess Aphrodite again. This time not in vain, for she relented, and with her help, Hippolyte secured the magic girdle from Hercules.

With the magic girdle in Hippolyte's possession, it didn't take long for the Amazons to overcome their masters -- and taking from them their entire fleet, they set sail for another shore, for it was Aphrodite's condition that they leave the world of man and establish a new world of their own. Aphrodite also decreed that they must always wear the heavy bracelets fashioned by their captors, as a reminder that they must always keep aloof from men.

Paradise Island

And so, after sailing the seas many days and many nights, the Amazons found Paradise Island and settled there to build a new world. With its fertile soil, its marvelous vegetation, and varied natural resources, there was no want, no illness, no hatreds, and no wars. And as long as the Amazons remained on Paradise Island and Hippolyte retained the magic girdle, they retained the power of eternal life -- so long as they did not permit themselves to again be beguiled by men.

The Magic Sphere

Just after the Amazons conquered the Herculeans and set sail for their island, they were given the Magic Sphere by Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. Through this device, Hippolyte was able to view events in Man's World from the present and past -- and sometimes even forecast the future. With the visions of the future seen from the Magic Sphere, the Amazons were able to far surpass the inventions of man-made civilization. Not only were the Amazons stronger and wiser, but their weapons were more advanced, and their flying machines were faster. This article is about the fortune telling object; for other uses, see Crystal ball (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Athena (disambiguation). ...

Post-Crisis

In the mid-1980s a storyline took place called Crisis on Infinite Earths in which all comics in the DC Universe ceased to exist and re-started with all new origins. When this happened it was explained that the Amazons were created by the goddess Aphrodite from the souls of women who had died at the hands of men, and were given new and stronger bodies, made from clay transformed into flesh and blood. These Amazons, like the Pre-Crisis versions, escaped Heracles (the Greek name for Hercules) and his men to an isolated and magically protected island, this one called Themyscira after the lost capitol city of the Amazons' former homeland. In this new land, they were granted eternal youth and beauty. Some Amazons chose to remain behind, however, and, lacking immortality, formed the hidden nation of Bana-Mighdall. Crisis on Infinite Earths was a 12-issue American comic book limited series (identified as a 12-part maxi-series) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify their then-55-year-old continuity. ... Cover to the History of the DC Universe trade paperback. ... Themyscirian Amazons Art by Phil Jimenez Themyscira is a fictional island nation in the DC Comics universe. ... Bana-Mighdall is a fictional Amazon nation as well as fictional former cities in the DC Comics universe created by writer George Pérez. ...

Purple Ray

The Purple Ray is a quasi-mystical healing device used by the Amazons. In the Pre-Crisis continuity, it was invented by Diana herself. It has also been used for other purposes, such as empowering Wonder Girl, and as a weapon. The Purple Ray is a fictional healing device created in early Golden Age Wonder Woman comics by a German scientist and (former) spy, the Baroness Paula von Gunther. ... Crisis on Infinite Earths was a 12-issue American comic book limited series (identified as a 12-part maxi-series) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify their then-55-year-old continuity. ... Donna Troy is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Universe. ...

Named Amazons

Pre-Crisis

• Antiope (plotter of coup d'état, Wonder Woman #328)
• Artemis, the first Wonder Woman (Wonder Woman #301)
• Atalanta, queen of the lost Amazon River tribe
• Athleta
• Diana, sister of Queen Hippolyta
• Princess Diana
• Princess Donna
• Fatsis (Wonder Woman #1)
• Mala
• Nubia
• Orana
• Paula
• Penthesilea, first queen on Earth-One
• Sofia Constantinas

Antiope, in the fictional DC Comics universe, was the Amazon sister of Queen Hippolyta, and aunt to Wonder Woman. ... For the Marvel Comics character, see: Hippolyta (Marvel Comics). ... For other uses, see Wonder Woman (disambiguation). ... Donna Troy is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Universe. ... Mala is a fictional character who first appeared in the DC Comics universe as one of Wonder Womans fellow Amazons. ... NuBia is a DC Comics character from the Wonder Woman family of books who was originally known as Nubia. ... Dark Angel is a DC Comics villain who battled Wonder Woman. ... Sofia Constantinas was a character who appeared in the pre-Crisis adventures of Wonder Woman as a reformed Greek terrorist who moved to Paradise Island for Amazon training, where she learned the secrets of Wonder Womans missing memories. ...

Post-Crisis

• Aella
• Artemis of Bana-Mighdall
• Clio
• Cassandra Sandsmark
• Euboea
• Grace Choi
• Helene
• Mala
• Melia
• Menalippe, oracle
• Mnenosyne, historian
• Nu'Bia
• Pallas
• Penelope
• Philippus, army general and later chancellor
• Polycasta
• Pythia, spiritual mentor to Julia Kapatelis
• Timandra
• Venelia
• Princess Diana
• Princess Donna

Artemis of Bana-Mighdall is a fictional Amazon superheroine created by writer William Messner-Loebs, appearing in DC Comics comic books. ... Cassandra Cassie Sandsmark, aka Wonder Girl, is a DC Comics superheroine. ... Grace Choi is a fictional character, a superhero from DC Comics. ... NuBia is a DC Comics character from the Wonder Woman family of books who was originally known as Nubia. ... For other uses, see Wonder Woman (disambiguation). ... Donna Troy is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Universe. ...

See also

• List of women warriors in folklore, literature, and popular culture

This article is about examples of woman warriors in a number of contexts. ...

External links

Since the debut of Wonder Woman in the 1940s, there have been many versions of the Amazons in the DC Comics universe. For a more in-depth and differentiating source on the Amazons of DC Comics, see the link below at the DC Database Project:

• Amazons - DC Database - a Wikia wiki
• Carol A. Strickland's Amazon Indices - A list of post-Crisis Amazons (work in progress)