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The Amazons of DC Comics are a race of warrior women who exist as part of Greek mythology. They live on Paradise Island, later known as Themyscira, an isolated location in the middle of the ocean where they are hidden from Man's World (the rest of the world). Depending on the origin story, they are the creation of
Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols include ...
or were created from clay by a coterie of Olympian gods over three thousand years ago to serve as their messengers to the world in the name of peace and justice. For centuries, the women thrived in safety and security apart from a hostile, male-dominated world. As long as Amazons remain on Themyscira they do not age. Circumstances involving the unexpected arrival of Steve Trevor forced their existence to be revealed to the modern world. There have been numerous incarnations of these Amazons after Marston's original depictions: Robert Kanigher's revised depiction (highlighted by the change of Queen Hippolyta's hair from brunette to blonde), George Pérez's reworking following the ''
Crisis A crisis ( : crises; : critical) is either any event or period that will (or might) lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affair ...
'', and changes subsequent to '' Infinite Crisis'' and ''
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero American comic books, comic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint" Fictional crossover, cross ...
''. What these groups have in common is that they are the people from which came DC Comics' superheroine Wonder Woman.


Fictional history

The Amazons of Paradise Island were first created by
William Moulton Marston William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen name Charles Moulton (), was an American psychologist who, with his wife Elizabeth Holloway, invented an early prototype of the lie detector. He was also known as a se ...
as allegories of his love leaders and as part of the origin story of his creation, Wonder Woman, who is also an allegory for the ideal love leader. These Amazons were a race of immortal super-women that lived on the magical Paradise Island. Granted life by Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, the Amazons thrived in peace for centuries, but remained aloof from the world of Man. The youngest, strongest, and most human 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. Marston depicted the origin story of the Amazons as women sculpted and brought to life by Aphrodite, who had been tricked and captured by Hercules and his men. Aphrodite, angry that they had been tricked, left them imprisoned but finally relented and helped them escape. They then moved to their own women-only island, where, in the absence of male aggression, they developed a superior, war-free culture. The unbound cuffs ("
Bracelets of Submission A bracelet is an article of jewellery that is worn around the wrist. Bracelets may serve different uses, such as being worn as an ornament. When worn as ornaments, bracelets may have a supportive function to hold other items of decoration, suc ...
") were still worn to remind them that to give up their independence and/or to allow any man power over them will sapped them of their own power. Marston used bondage as a symbol concept. As a psychologist, Marston was heavily influenced by his polyamorous relationship with two women, one being the niece of Margaret Sanger, a renowned outspoken feminist.


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 Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
, the strongest man in the world, stung by the taunts that he could not conquer the Amazon women, selected his strongest and fiercest warriors and landed on the Amazons' shores. The Amazons' queen,
Hippolyte In Classical Greek mythology, Hippolyta, or Hippolyte (; grc-gre, Ἱππολύτη ''Hippolytē'') was a daughter of Ares and Otrera, queen of the Amazons, and a sister of Antiope and Melanippe. She wore her father Ares' ''zoster'', the Gr ...
, met Hercules in personal combat, because she knew that with her magic girdle, given to her by
Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols include ...
, Goddess of Love, she could not lose. Hippolyte defeated Hercules, but Hercules, with deceit and trickery, managed to secure Hippolyte'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 did not 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 volcanic soil, its marvelous flora and fauna, and varied natural resources, there was no want, no illness, no hatreds, no wars. And the Amazons would remain eternally youthful, as long as they remained on Paradise Island where they have access to their Fountain of Eternal Youth and Hippolyte retained the magic girdle, and as long as they did not permit themselves to again be beguiled by men to avoid submitting to them.


The Magic Sphere

Just after the Amazons conquered the Herculeans and set sail for their island, they were given the Magic Sphere by
Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...
, Goddess of War. 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.


Post-Crisis

In the mid-1980s a storyline took place called
Crisis on Infinite Earths "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Mar ...
in which all comics in the DC Universe ceased to exist and restarted with all new origins. When this happened it was explained that the Amazons were created by the goddess Artemis 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 capital city of the Amazons' former homeland. In this new land, they were granted superhuman strength, speed, durability, agility, superhuman senses, enhanced intellect, immortality, and beauty. Some Amazons chose to remain behind, however, and, lacking immortality, formed the hidden nation of
Bana-Mighdall This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites * the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. * Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for t ...
. Stories featuring the Amazons appeared in Bonus Book inserts in ''Wonder Woman'' (vol. 2) #18 (July 1988) and #26 (January 1989).


Infinite Crisis

Due to the perceived failure of Wonder Woman's mission in Man's World, Themyscira and the Amazons are removed from the earth realm by the Athenian Gods.


Amazons Attack

The returned Amazons, led by a resurrected Hippolyta, invade Washington D.C. In the end they are stripped of their memories and scattered throughout the earth in mortal identities.


Flashpoint

In the reality-changing '' Flashpoint'' event, the Amazons are at war with the Atlanteans in Western Europe, after Hippolyta was killed by an Amazon disguised as an Atlantean during a wedding between Diana and
Aquaman Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a b ...
, causing Diana to become the Queen. They have taken over
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
, killing 12 million in the process. Many female superbeings are shown to be in league with them. It is later revealed the Ocean Master and Diana's aunt were behind this incident.


The New 52

In September 2011,
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero American comic books, comic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint" Fictional crossover, cross ...
effectively rebooted DC's continuity. In this timeline, the history of the Amazons was likewise revised. Here they once again lived on Paradise Island as a race of supernaturally strong women with no use for men save for periodic mating escapades. Three times each century, the Amazons—completely
naked Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to h ...
—would raid ships in their waters and
copulate Sexual intercourse (or coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion and thrusting of the penis into the vagina for sexual pleasure or reproduction.Sexual intercourse most commonly means penile–vaginal penetra ...
with the crew. Upon conception, the men were killed to protect the Island's secrecy. Nine months later, all girls were celebrated while the boys were taken from their mothers. Feeling sympathy for these discarded progeny—as well as recognizing their potential as a workforce—the smith god Hephaestus exchanged weapons to the Amazons in return for the lives of the Amazonian boys. Sparing them from being cruelly drowned, he raised them as his own sons. In this continuity, the Queen Hippolyta is depicted as having blond hair and is the biological mother of Diana. She conceived her daughter after an after-battle liaison with Zeus, master of the gods of Olympus. She invented the "molded from clay" story to protect Diana from Hera.


DC Rebirth

With DC Rebirth, writers went back to the Post-Crisis origins for the Amazons, largely due to the controversial depiction of their mating cycle. It is once again stated that the Amazons are immortal, and that they were conceived from the souls of women who had died at the hands of men.


Society

The fiercest and wisest among the Amazons holds the prestigious title "Wonder Woman – the definition of a Heroic
Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...
and Ambassador-at-Large. Queen Hippolyta was the previous "Wonder Woman" when she freed her people from slavery and led them to "paradise". Princess Diana is the most recent and youngest Amazon to hold the title.


Culture

As shown in the comic, the Amazons hold several customs and observances. Some include:


Courting ritual

When an Amazon wishes to court another, she presents an offering of a coconut. Inside the coconut is a nectarine seed strung onto a necklace and a bracelet made of thorns. The nectarine seed signifies a bounty, hoped for but not yet achieved. The thorn bracelet is partially wrapped in blue, red and gold ribbons. The blue represents hope, the red represents danger, and the gold represents a request to the goddess Athena to provide her blessing. The pursuer then takes out the necklace and says "''That thou art full of promise''", blesses it with a kiss, and places the necklace around her intended lover's neck. She then takes out the bracelet and says "''That thou shall know the heart of another''" and places the bracelet on her intended lover's wrist. If the person gifted chooses to accept the courtship, she then agrees to always wear the necklace and bracelet and never remove them until it can be mutually agreed upon to form a lasting relationship together. Until the two Amazons agree to finalize their relationship, the couple puts each other through a series of physical, mental and emotional tests to see if the intended relationship can withstand life's trials.


Marriage

In 2015, ''
Sensation Comics ''Sensation Comics'' is the title of an American comic book anthology series published by DC Comics that ran for 109 issues between 1942 and 1952. For most of its run, the lead feature was Wonder Woman, a character which had been introduced in ''Al ...
'' featured Wonder Woman officiating a same-sex wedding (''Issue #48'') drawn by Australian illustrator Jason Badower. Inspired by the June Supreme Court ruling that established marriage equality in all 50 United States, Badower says DC Comics was "fantastic" about his idea for the issue. The Amazon people are not to be labelled sexually; Wonder Woman stated "...my country is all women. To us, it’s not ‘gay’ marriage. It's just marriage"; being a society that was only populated by women, "lesbian" in he world'seyes may have been "straight" for them. “No Amazon is going to look at another Amazon and say they are "Amazoning wrong". Because that wouldn't be paradise. The society accepts everyone in it. The requirement is, you're here and you're female ..Nobody says a dress is inappropriate. Nobody says, ‘Why are you wearing pants?’ Nobody says you're too heavy. Nobody says you're too skinny, or not strong enough.”


Feast of the Five

One of the most revered observances the Themyscirian Amazons hold dear is called ''The Feast of the Five''. On this day the Amazons pay homage to the five original goddesses who took part in their creation. Aside from constant prayer and worship, the occasion begins with a hunt in honour to the goddess Artemis. A harvest is also celebrated in honor of the goddess Demeter. A feast is then held in honor of the remaining goddesses. This is said to be the Themyscirians' most holy holiday. The Feast of the Five can be seen almost as a holy birthday for each of the Themyscirian Amazons, with the glory of the occasion being placed in honor to their creators.


Hiketeia

The Amazons observe an ancient Greek custom called Hiketeia, in which one person supplicates themselves to another in exchange for sustenance and protection. The supplication does not have to be accepted once offered, but when it is accepted both parties agree to take the contract very seriously. Should either the guardian or supplicant ever falter in their duties, the Erinyes, ancient and savage judgement bringers, will slaughter them instantly. When Hiketeia is offered, the supplicant says the following words to their intended guardian: "(Name of potential guardian), I am (name of potential servant). I offer myself in supplication to you. I come without protection. I come without means, without honor, without hope, with nothing but myself to beg for your protection. In your shadow I will serve, by your breath will I breathe, by your words will I speak, by your mercy will I live. With all my heart, with everything I can offer, I beg you, in Zeus' name, who watches over all supplicants, accept my plea."


Send Forth

When a female child is lost at sea, the child is rescued from drowning by the goddess Thetis. Thetis would rescue mortal female children she deemed "special" and safely transport them to the shores of Themyscira's Island of Healing (Male children were taken someplace else). Once on the island the Amazons' chief physician Epione would discover them and tend to their care. After this the child would be taken to the royal palace where one Amazon is selected as the child's "Guardian of Inspiration". The baby is then granted great wisdom and strength of spirit via a magical kiss. According to the Amazon Pythia, Julia Kapatelis was the last of hundreds of babies to experience this in 1937. This "blessing" in actuality is a subliminal suggestion for the child to teach peace and equality throughout their lives. This blessing can extend to descendants as well. This custom is called "Send Forth". Once this is done the child is considered an Amazon and spiritual daughter to the Amazon who blessed them. After a few days of recuperation and blessings, the child is taken to the island shores again, where she is taken back into the ocean and returned, again by Thetis who magically travels back in time to return the child to the exact point in time when the child first left her homeland.


Union with the Earth

All Themyscirian Amazons possesses the ability to relieve their bodies of physical injury and toxins by becoming one with the Earth's soil and then reforming their bodies whole again.''Wonder Woman'' (vol. 2) #30 The first time Diana does this she prays to her god
Gaea In Greek mythology, Gaia (; from Ancient Greek , a poetical form of , 'land' or 'earth'),, , . also spelled Gaea , is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthen ...
saying: "''Gaea, I pray to you. Grant me your strength. You are the Earth who suckled me, who nurtured and bred me. Through you all life is renewed. The circle which never ends. I pray you, mother Gaea, take me into your bosom. Please, let me be worthy.''" This is a very sacred ritual to the Themyscirians, only to be used in the most dire of circumstances.''Wonder Woman'' (vol. 2) #120


The Victor's Circle

Created by Antiope in 1041 BCE, the Victor's Circle is a secret, quasi-official fighting organization where Amazons compete in unarmed combat (implied to be a form of pankration), either as a way to resolve disputes or simply to " lowoff some extra steam." Fights are conducted in a cavern hidden behind a waterfall, within a small circular arena with semicircular seating both hewn out of the rock. Within the ring, all ranks and titles are considered irrelevant, and combatants fight as equals. At any given session, an Amazon may fight multiple times, such as a winner of a bout issuing a challenge to or being challenged by an audience member. A number of notable Amazons hold records in the Victor's Circle, such as Diana holding the record for most submissions, Nubia holding the record for most knockouts, and Philippus the record for most fights.''Nubia & the Amazons'' #2


Death

Originally a cavern was built under the Amazons' Temple of the Dead, which is where those dead are remembered. After an Amazon's funeral is completed, the body is lowered into the cavern where it is laid to rest in a city of the dead. Queen Hippolyta assigns the chief temple priestess to remain alone in the city to watch over the dead for a thousand years before a replacement is made. This tradition was later changed as the Amazons discovered that the priestess often went mad in her solitude. One such priestess brought the dead to life through the use of magic during a mad outburst. The Amazons soon after burned their dead, during which the souls of the slain Amazons took form among the flames before traveling onto the plane of afterlife called the Elysian Fields.


Inherent abilities

All Themyscirian Amazons are themselves wonder women and possess various degrees of incredible superhuman strength, speed, stamina and extraordinarily acute senses and the ability to glide on aircurrents, as seen in the second competition for the title of Wonder Woman won by Orana. All these were gifts blessed to them by their gods. As shown by various tribe members, they have the capability to break apart steel and concrete with their bare hands, jump over 1,200 feet from a standing position, have a high durability factor, enhanced healing, and the ability to absorb and process a vast amount of knowledge in a short period of time. Themyscirian Amazons also possess immortality that allows them to live indefinitely in a youthful form, but does leave them open to potential injury and death depending on their actions.''Wonder Woman'' #1 They also have developed high levels of hand-to-hand combat training, mastered over 3,000 years, and are experts in the use of various hand held weapons. Themyscirian Amazons also possess the ability to relieve their bodies of physical injury and toxins by becoming one with the Earth's soil and then reforming their bodies whole again. The first time Diana does this she prays to her god
Gaea In Greek mythology, Gaia (; from Ancient Greek , a poetical form of , 'land' or 'earth'),, , . also spelled Gaea , is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthen ...
saying: "''Gaea, I pray to you. Grant me your strength. You are the Earth who suckled me, who nurtured and bred me. Through you all life is renewed. The circle which never ends. I pray you, mother Gaea, take me into your bosom. Please, let me be worthy.''" During writer John Byrne's time on the comic it was stated that this is a very sacred ritual, to be used only in the most dire of circumstances.


Technology

The
Purple Ray Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...
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 Wonder Girl is the alias of multiple superheroines featured in comic books published by DC Comics. Donna Troy, the original Wonder Girl, was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani and first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #60 (June/July ...
, and as a weapon.


List of notable Amazons


Major Amazons


Introduced Pre-Crisis

* Atalanta - Queen of the lost
Amazon River The Amazon River (, ; es, Río Amazonas, pt, Rio Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the disputed longest river system in the world in comparison to the Nile. The headwaters of ...
tribe. * Dalma - A renegade Amazon who left Paradise Island and battled Wonder Woman * Fatsis * Orana * Penthesilea - First Queen of the Amazons on Earth-One * Sofia Constantinas


Introduced Post-Crisis

* Acantha — A senator (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #10) * Aella — A warrior with a particular affinity for hawks; died during the Amazon civil war (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #1) * Callineira - (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #121) * Calyce — A
carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenters t ...
(first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' Annual #1) * Clio — A royal scribe (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #38) * Consivia — The chief
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
, slain defending Doom's Doorway (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' Annual #1) * Cydippe — The aid to Princess Diana (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #53) * Egeria — A lieutenant in the Amazon army and Captain of the Guard; died defending Doom's Doorway (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' Annual #1) * Epione — The chief healer (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #2) * Euboea — A warrior and companion to Diana (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #10) * Eudia — She helped Diana unlock the secrets of the Amazons’ reversion to stone (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #12) * Faruka - An eyepatch-wearing Amazon ''Wonder Woman'' (vol. 2) #33 * Grace Choi * Hellene — A senator and historian, a close friend to Diana who opposed the opening of Themyscira's shores to Patriarch's World; she was murdered by the Cheetah during the War of the Gods (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #14) * Hope Taya - Bodyguard to
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: April ...
along with Mercy Graves. * Hypsipyle — A former queen of Lemnos, mother of Phthia, the martyr of the Lost Tribe of Amazons (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' Annual #1) * Iphthime — A sculptor and lover to Anaya of the Lost Tribe of Amazons (first appearance ''Wonder Woman'' #27) * Magala — The court sorceress; she appears as a cavewoman in Greek garb; she is responsible for casting the spell which transferred a portion of Wonder Woman's powers to Artemis, and for the creation of Donna Troy. Magala was possessed by Ariadne, the woman who murdered Queen Antiope, and used Magala to start the Amazon civil war. Magala was killed by Fury. (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #124) * Melia *
Mercy Graves Mercy Graves is a supervillain appearing in multimedia and American comic books published by DC Entertainment and DC Comics. Created for the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), she first appeared in 1996 on '' Superman: The Animated Series'' as the perso ...
- Bodyguard to
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: April ...
along with Hope Taya. * Mnemosyne — The chief historian (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #10) * Myrrha — The chambermaid of the Royal Palace; died during the Imperiex War (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #53) * Nione — A priestess. (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #38) * Oeone - A botanist (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #27) * Orithia * Pallas — A forger of arms and armor, created Diana's Eagle armor: (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman Secret Files'' #1) * Penelope — A high priestess and oracle of Themyscira, former lover of Menalippe (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #21) * Penthiselea — A mighty Amazon captain and the daughter of Phthia and
Melanippus :''The name Melanippus is the masculine counterpart of Melanippe.'' In Greek mythology, there were eleven people named Melanippus (): *Melanippus, one of the sons of Agrius and possibly Dia, daughter of King Porthaon of Calydon. Along with his ...
, the Amazons martyr; died in battle with Achilles (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #33) * Phthia — Biological daughter of the Amazon queen of Lemnos:
Hypsipyle In Greek mythology, Hypsipyle ( Ancient Greek: Ὑψιπύλη) was a queen of Lemnos, and the daughter of King Thoas of Lemnos, and the granddaughter of Dionysus and Ariadne. When the women of Lemnos killed all the males on the island, Hypsip ...
and the
Argonaut The Argonauts (; Ancient Greek: ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War (around 1300 BC) accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, ''Argo'', ...
Jason. Jason abandoned Hypsipyle, Phthia, and her twin brother when they were infants. Phthia was adopted by Queen Antiope when Hypsipyle died, becoming the first Post-Marston non-Themyscirian born Amazon to join the tribe. After Antiope's death, Phthia became queen of Antiope's tribe of Amazons which later became the Amazons of
Bana-Mighdall This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites * the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. * Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for t ...
. * Polycasta * Pythia — The silver haired spiritual mother of Julia Kapatelis (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' Annual #1) * Tender Mercy - An Amazonian supervillain and partner of
Doctor Impossible Dan the Dyna-Mite Dan Turpin Damien Darhk The enigmatic Damien Darhk is an elusive and dangerous criminal mastermind and enemy of the Teen Titans. He makes his first appearance in ''Titans'' #1 (March 1999). Claiming to be a major player in t ...
* Timandra — The chief architect (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #38) * Trigona — An Amazon athlete (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #0) * Venelia — A warrior and competitor in the second Contest (first appearance: ''Wonder Woman'' #91)


Introduced in the New 52

* Aleka - A large, muscular amazon that often picked on Diana when she was younger. She was killed during the battle with the First Born. She bears resemblance to Artemis of the Bana-Mighdall. * Daphne * Demi * Derinoe - An elderly amazon who had at one point been Hippolyta's lover. She lost her youth due to an encounter with one of Hecate's minions. She later allied herself with Hecate to create Donna Troy to turn the Amazons against Wonder Woman. She was killed after trying to stab Diana herself. * Dessa - A black Amazon and one of Hippolyta's most trusted friends. She bears resemblance to General Philippus. * Exoristos - An exiled Amazon who joined the Demon Knights. * Hessia - An Amazon who, like Diana, left Themyscira and sacrificed her immortality. She was responsible for leaking Diana's relationship with Superman to news sources. * Myrina Black - An Amazon who helped Darkseid to father Grail.


Introduced in DC Rebirth

* Andromeda - A former lover of Nubia's who was reborn as an Amazon in the Well of Souls. * Areto - An Amazon astrologer and member of the Council of Themyscira. * Bia - A trans woman who was reborn through the Well of Souls on Themyscira. * Castalia - An oracle and member of the Council of Themyscira. When Diana and Steve returned to Themyscira, Steve questioned where Castalia was, though the amazons had no idea who he was speaking of. This led to Wonder Woman discovering that she had never returned to Themyscira in the past. * Delphine * Karessi * Kasia - Diana's lover on Themyscira. After Diana left the island and became Wonder Woman, she revealed to Steve Trevor that it was difficult to say goodbye to Kasia. *
Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Thos ...
- A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman, Medusa has recently been redeemed by Queen Nubia and invited to stay on Themyscira as an honorary Amazon. * Raina - A red-haired amazon who often wears a scarf around her hair. * Sofia - A blonde-haired amazon and friend to Diana. She was one of the finalists in the contest to become Wonder Woman. * Zina


Other versions


Flashpoint

In the '' Flashpoint'' reality, the Amazons are shown to be at war with the Atlanteans led by Emperor Aquaman. Besides Queen Hippolyta and Princess Diana, the known Amazons are Artemis, Penthesileia, and Philippus. Following the death of Queen Hippolyta, Princess Diana and her Amazons have caused havoc in Western Europe during their war with the Atlanteans and have conquered the United Kingdom killing 12 million in the process. The Amazons also have a group of female warriors on their side called the Furies that are loyal to Princess Diana out of fear of her which consisted of
Arrowette Arrowette is a superheroine that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. Publication history The Bonnie King version of Arrowette appears in ''World's Finest Comics'' #113 and was created by Dave Wood and Lee Elias. The Cissie Kin ...
,
Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialize ...
,
Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county tow ...
,
Giganta Giganta is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as a recurring adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman, and an occasional foil of the superhero the Atom (Ray Palmer), Atom. She debuted as a brutish ...
,
Hawkgirl Hawkgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders Hall, was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, and first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' ...
, Huntress, Katana, Lady Vic, Silver Swan, Starfire,
Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...
, and
Vixen Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
. In addition, Enchantress is depicted as a spy working for the Amazons.


Injustice: Gods Among Us

Several Amazons appear in the comic series based on the '' Injustice 2'' video game. Among them include
Mala Mala may refer to: Comics * Mala (Amazon), an Amazon from Wonder Woman's side of the DC Universe * Mala (Kryptonian), a villain from Superman's corner of the DC Universe Films and television * ''Mala'' (1941 film), a Bollywood drama film * , ...
, Nubia, Menalippe, Philippus, and Antiope.


In other media


Television

* The Amazons appeared in the 1974 television film '' Wonder Woman'' starring
Cathy Lee Crosby Cathy Lee Crosby (born December 2, 1944) is an American actress and former professional tennis player. She achieved TV and film success in the 1980s and was a co-host of the television series ''That's Incredible!'' Early life Crosby was born in ...
as Diana. Other Amazons included Queen Hippolyta (
Charlene Holt Verna Charlene Stavely, professionally known as Charlene Holt, (April 28, 1928 – April 5, 1996) was an American actress known for her supporting roles in television and film. Early life Holt was born on April 28, 1928, in Snyder, Texas, to ...
) and Ahnjayla (
Anitra Ford Anitra Ford (born 1942) is an American former actress and former model. She is best known for her work as a model from 1972 to 1976 on the CBS daytime and syndicated nighttime game show ''The Price Is Right'' starring Bob Barker (CBS) and Dennis ...
). * The Amazons again appeared in the 1970s live action television series of '' The New, Original Wonder Woman'' and " The New Adventures of Wonder Woman", starring
Lynda Carter Lynda Jean Cordova Carter (born July 24, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World USA 1972 and finished in the top 15 at the Miss World 1972 pageant. Carter is best known as the star of t ...
. Among them are the Queen Mother (
Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...
,
Carolyn Jones Carolyn Sue Jones (April 28, 1930 – August 3, 1983) was an American actress of television and film. Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy ...
and
Beatrice Straight Beatrice Whitney Straight (August 2, 1914 – April 7, 2001) was an American theatre, film and television actress and a member of the prominent Whitney family. She was an Academy Award and Tony Award winner as well as an Emmy Award nominee. ...
), Diana (
Lynda Carter Lynda Jean Cordova Carter (born July 24, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World USA 1972 and finished in the top 15 at the Miss World 1972 pageant. Carter is best known as the star of t ...
), the Amazon Doctor (
Fannie Flagg Fannie Flagg (born Patricia Neal; September 21, 1944) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is best known as a semi-regular panelist on the 1973–1982 versions of the game show ''Match Game'' and for the 1987 novel '' Fried Green Tom ...
), Rena, Drusilla ( Debra Winger), Magda, Dalma, Asclepia (Bettey Ackerman) and Evadne. * The Amazons appears in the ''
Challenge of the Super Friends ''Challenge of the Superfriends'' is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from September 9, 1978, to December 23, 1978, on ABC. The complete series (16 episodes) was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions a ...
'' episode "Secret Origins of Super Friends". * The Amazons appeared in several episodes of '' Justice League'' and '' Justice League Unlimited''. They were most prominently featured in the two-part ''Justice League'' episode "Fury" where a rogue Amazon named Aresia attempted to unleash a plague that would kill all men on Earth. The Amazons also appeared in the ''Justice League'' episodes "Secret Origins" and "Paradise Lost", as well as the ''Justice League Unlimited'' episode "The Balance". * The Amazons briefly appeared in the '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' episode "Triumvirate of Terror!", where Queen Hippolyta held a tournament on Paradise Island. Joker infiltrated the island by disguising himself as a woman, and won the tournament by using his trademark
Joker venom The Joker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, and first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book ''Batman (comic book), Bat ...
to poison all of the Amazons present in the arena. * The Amazons appear in the ''
Justice League Action ''Justice League Action'' is an American superhero animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero team Justice League. The series is produced by Jim Krieg, Butch Lukic, and Alan Burnett. The show debuted on Cartoon Network UK on N ...
'' episode "Luthor in Paradise". They attempt to fight off
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: April ...
when
Circe Circe (; grc, , ) is an enchantress and a minor goddess in ancient Greek mythology and religion. She is either a daughter of the Titan Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perse or the goddess Hecate and Aeëtes. Circe was renowned for her vast kno ...
assists him in his plot to obtain the Oculus of the Argo that would grant him the powers of Zeus that had been entrusted to Hippolyta by Hera. * The Amazons appear in the ''
Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker (character), Joker in ''Batman: The An ...
'' episodes "Bachelorette" and "The Runaway Bridesmaid". * The Amazons appear in the ''
DC Super Hero Girls ''DC Super Hero Girls'' or ''DC Superhero Girls'' (in various countries) is an American superhero web series and franchise Produced by Warner Bros. Animation for Cartoon Network based on characters from DC Entertainment that launched in the th ...
'' episode "#SweetJustice" (part 3 and 4).


Film

* The Amazons appear in the animated film '' Wonder Woman''. * The Amazons appear in the animated film '' Superman/Batman: Apocalypse''. * The Amazons appear in the animated film '' Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox''. Like the comics, they are at war with the Atlanteans. * The Amazons appear in the animated film '' DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year''. * The Amazons appear in the animated film '' Wonder Woman: Bloodlines''. * The Amazons appear in the films set in the DC Extended Universe: ** The Amazons appear in '' Wonder Woman''. Their home of Themyscira was created by Zeus in his dying breath to be a sanctuary for the Amazons following Ares' massacre of his fellow gods. ** The Amazons appear in '' Justice League'' and its director's cut. It was revealed that the Amazons assisted the tribes of man, the Atlanteans, the Olympian Gods, and the Green Lantern Corps in fighting Steppenwolf's invasion (in the ''Justice League'' film) or
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
's invasion (in the "Snyder Cut" film) of Earth. Many centuries later, Steppenwolf attacks Themyscira to seize the Mother Box guarded by them. ** The Amazons appear in ''
Wonder Woman 1984 ''Wonder Woman 1984'' (also known as ''WW84'') is a 2020 American superhero film based on the DC character Wonder Woman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films, Atlas Entertainment, and The Stone Quarry, and distributed by Warner Bros. ...
''. There is an artifact called the Armor of Asteria which was worn by the legendary Amazon of the same name who bought her fellow Amazons time to evacuate to Themyscira. Wonder Woman later wore the armor when fighting Cheetah and confronting Maxwell Lord. In a mid-credits scene, it revealed that Asteria (portrayed by
Lynda Carter Lynda Jean Cordova Carter (born July 24, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World USA 1972 and finished in the top 15 at the Miss World 1972 pageant. Carter is best known as the star of t ...
) is still alive among the humans. ** In December 2019, ''Wonder Woman'' and ''Wonder Woman 1984'' director Patty Jenkins and star/producer
Gal Gadot Gal Gadot-Varsano ( he, גל גדות ; born 30 April 1985) is an Israeli actress and model. At age 18, she was crowned Miss Israel 2004. She then served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years as a combat fitness instructor, whereafter she ...
announced at Comic Con Experience 2019 that they are considering producing a spin-off film focusing on the Amazons. * The Amazons appear in the Looney Tunes live-action/animation film '' Space Jam: A New Legacy''.New Legacy, New Lola: Why Space Jam wanted to do better by one Tune
/ref> Lola Bunny is depicted as having moved with the Amazons from the DCEU.


Miscellaneous

Amazons appear in the '' Smallville Season 11'' digital comic based on the TV series.


Video games

* The Amazons appear in several
cutscenes A cutscene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, interrupting the gameplay. Such scenes are used to show conversations between characters, set the mood, reward the ...
in ''
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe ''Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe'' is a 2008 fighting video game, developed and published by Midway Games. The last entry in the franchise before the company went bankrupt in 2009 and sold the franchise to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment ...
'', as well as Wonder Woman's in-game ending. In the game's storyline, they are shown defending Paradise Island after Shang Tsung and his Tarkatan warriors invade it. * The Amazons appeared in ''
DC Universe Online ''DC Universe Online'' (''DCUO'') is a free-to-play action combat massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional universe of DC Comics. Developed by Dimensional Ink Games and co-published by Daybreak Game Company and WB Games, the game ...
''. Besides Wonder Woman, Io, Mala, and Clio are the only known Amazons from the comics that appear in this game. Wonder Woman rallies the Amazons to fight Circe's Beastiamorph army in Metropolis. The foot soldiers of the Amazons consists of Amazon Hoplite Minors, Amazon Hoplite Majors, Amazon Hoplite Spearmaidens, Amazon Archer Minors, Amazon Archer Majors, Amazon Panarchos, an Enchanted Statue. * The Amazons appear in Wonder Woman's entry and victory poses in '' Injustice: Gods Among Us''. In the story mode, the Justice League's Wonder Woman is brought to Themyscira by the alternate Ares who tells her that her counterpart in the Regime is amassing the Amazons into helping out in High Councillor Superman's plot to cause fear in Metropolis. After defeating the alternate Raven, Wonder Woman defeats her alternate counterpart and persuades the Amazons to help the Insurgency fight against the forces of the Regime. They are convinced and help Wonder Woman in fighting off the Atlantean Army led by the alternate Aquaman. In the aftermath of Superman's victory over High Councillor Superman, Wonder Woman is shown dethroning her alternate counterpart who is then taken away by the Amazon guards.


See also

* Woman warrior *
List of women warriors in folklore This is a list of women who engaged in war, found throughout mythology and folklore, studied in fields such as literature, sociology, psychology, anthropology, film studies, cultural studies, and women's studies. A ''mythological'' figure d ...


External links


Amazons of Themyscira - DC Comics Database - a Wikia wiki


- A list of post-Crisis Amazons (work in progress).
Lorendiac's Lists: Long-Lost Amazon Tribes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amazons (Dc Comics) Characters created by H. G. Peter Characters created by William Moulton Marston Comics characters introduced in 1941 DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds DC Comics characters with superhuman strength DC Comics female characters DC Comics LGBT characters Fictional characters by gendered occupation Fictional characters with superhuman senses Fictional matriarchies Fictional secret societies Fictional human races Fictional warrior races Human-derived fictional species Wonder Woman characters