Sandra Woosan

Sandra Woosan (later spelled Wu-San) is a supremely gifted martial artist who honed her extraordinary natural talent into mastery of virtually every fighting discipline, eventually becoming Lady Shiva — widely feared as one of the deadliest hand-to-hand combatants in the DC Universe.

Bronze Age DC has no shortage of memorable martial arts figures, and Sandra Woosan — introduced in Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter #5 in 1975 by the formidable creative trio of Denny O'Neil, Ric Estrada, and Wally Wood — is one worth seeking out. Over a remarkable publishing span stretching more than five decades, she's migrated from her kung-fu fighter origins into the heart of the Bat-family corner of the DC Universe, turning up most frequently in Batgirl, Detective Comics, and Batman itself. The company she keeps is genuinely elite — Green Lantern, Batman, Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, and Lady Shiva all share her pages — which speaks to how naturally she fits among DC's most compelling characters. With a key issue to her name and over 50 catalogued appearances across 51 years, Sandra Woosan is a Bronze Age original with real staying power.