Customer Reviews

The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia

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Running nearly 500 pages, the Esseintal Wonder Woman Encyclopedia bills itself as the "ultimate guide to the Amazon Princess" and that claim is not to far off the mark. Written by comics historian John Wells and Wonder Woman writer/artist Phil Jimenez, the book features thousands of entries of characters, places, things, and events all relating to the world's oldest and best-known female superhero.

Formatted in alphabetical order the book covers everything and everyone from Senator Abernathy to Felix Zumac, noting the first appearances of every character. Included are the various Wonder Woman incarnations such pre and post-crisis versions, Donna Troy, And Wonder Girl. Items such as Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth, Bracelets of Submission, and Invisible airplane are also included. Two 16-page full-color sections featuring fantastic art from the comics complement the whole book.

One thing that book regrettably doesn't include is any information on Dr. William Moulton Marston, a psychologist, feminist theorist, inventor, and comic book writer who created Wonder Woman. Two women, his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston and Olive Byrne (who lived with the couple in a polyamorous relationship), served as exemplars for the character and greatly influenced her creation. There's also no mention of the 1970s TV show starring Lynda Carter. I think to be an ultimate guide, the book needed to include these mentions as well.

Running nearly 500 pages, the Esseintal Wonder Woman Encyclopedia bills itself as the "ultimate guide to the Amazon Princess" and that claim is not to far off the mark.

As a collector of all things Wonder Woman, this only makes my heart sing that much louder and my collection grow larger concerning the Amazon Princess!!

Around the 1st of Dec 2010 I purchased this book for a close friend who is a Wonder Woman freak. He went insane when I sent it to him, has mentioned it everytime I have seen him since and seems not to be able to thank me enough. What more can I say? I was lucky enough to have found, like, the one hardcopy in the Universe. Best money I spent all Christmas!

That says it all.
I love Wonder Woman. I love her even with the weirdness fully in place that came from creator.
It would have been nice if these writers would have been willing to address these ideas.
Mostly I don't like how this enclclopedia comes out right before a huge change in direction for my Amazon. I think it would have been neat to give buyers something about it.
But still, for the WW completist this is a welcome addition.

First there was Michael Fleisher, then Robert Greenberger. Phil Jiminez and John Wells have tackled the Amazon Princess with enthusiasm and applomb in a stylish, well illustrated and documented comprehensive history.

Adam Hughes provides a stunning cover and the full color section is a touch that only a big publisher like Ballantine/Del Rey could manage. Earlier superhero histories have not been able to include 16 pages of color, and this is very welcome!

To the history.

A comprehensive history of a fictional character always builds on previous efforts. In this case, all previous 'histories' of Wonder Woman have been instrumental in some way in this book. What was not quite so 'good' in another, has been tweaked, and so on. I enjoy, and appreciate all Encyclopedias, and know the work it takes. This is truly a team effort, and reflective of it.

The entries are good, and there is no shortage of illustrations which I appreciate. Golden age images are always cool by the way. His letter breaks are uniquely chosen and appropriate. Unlike a strict forensic look, this is more like a story well told.

Well done and congratulations on a fine book.