When we see the stylized letter “W” we recollect Wonder Woman. This logo is one of the most famous signs of superheroes along with Batman’s bat and Superman’s “S”. In this article, we’ll tell you the history lying behind it.
Wonder Woman first appeared on the cover of Sensation Comics in 1941. The image invented by psychologist William Marston embodied the strength and power of a new type of women who must rule the world. They’re kind, intelligent, and never stop fighting for justice.
The visual metaphor of this character was the image of Diana, an Amazon with an eagle as the main symbol. Since then, Wonder Woman has remained one of the most iconic figures in pop culture.
From ancient Greek myths to modern times, the image of Wonder Woman has changed dramatically over the decades being sometimes inspired by contradictory ideas. However, its visual interpretation remained recognizable because of its color palette and basic elements.
On the magazine cover in 1941, Wonder Woman appeared in a suit of the USA flag colors with a golden eagle on her chest. The inscription “Wonder Woman” was executed in a handwritten style: large red letters with shadows contrasted with a bright yellow background. This image designed by cartoonist Harry Peter accompanied the heroine throughout the Golden Age of comic books.
With the coming of the Silver Age in the 50s, Diana changed. Her history has been supplemented with myths: the heroine should become as beautiful as Aphrodite, as wise as Athena, as strong as Hercules, and as fast as Hermes.
The change of the image was followed by a new Art Deco style logo. Although the main attributes of Wonder Woman including colors and the icon have been preserved, the image has become sharper, bolder, and more dynamic. The font on the cover was changed from handwritten to italic.
In the late 60s, the logo was modernized: Diana’s red-and-blue suit changed into a fashionable dress. By doing so, the comic book creators were trying to expand their target audience and attract the new generation. The new Wonder Woman was to represent the modern woman facing real challenges.
However, this change proved unsuccessful: the fans could not accept the new image, and in 1973 Wonder Woman returned her classic “uniform”.
For her 40th birthday, Wonder Woman received a new iconic emblem. It was created by graphic designer Milton Glaser, the author of the “I Heart New York” logo. The solution was simple and elegant: the open wings of the eagle were combined with the acronym “WW”. This made it possible to leave the symbol recognizable despite the drastic changes. The color of the logo was yellow, and the font was created from scratch.
This logo still accompanies Wonder Woman, although it has been slightly modernized over several decades. For example, in the 2000s, the image got back the attributes of an eagle. In 2006, they added a beak and made the wings more distinct. In 2011, the wings became more curved and changed their color to sandy.
In 2016, the logo got a new look before the release of the film about Wonder Woman. Designer Lindy Hemming tried to make the heroine look both athletic and feminine. Although the idea of the logo remained the same, now the Wonder Woman attribute looks less aggressive. In the movie, the letter “W” that Diana wears on her belt looks as if it is made of wood.
You can draw the popular logo even without special training: start with a sketch and follow the step-by-step video guide.
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