Wonder Woman #37
Wonder Woman #37 (September–October 1949) marks the first comic book appearance of Circe, the immortal sorceress who would eventually become one of Wonder Woman's most formidable and enduring adversaries. Although Circe spent the next three decades primarily antagonizing other DC heroes — Rip Hunter, the Sea Devils, Superman, and Supergirl — before returning as a dedicated Wonder Woman villain, her mythology-rooted power set and her deep narrative ties to the Amazons made her an obvious candidate for revival, culminating in George Pérez's celebrated post-Crisis reinvention of the character in the late 1980s. The issue also arrives at a pivotal editorial seam: Robert Kanigher had only recently assumed sole writing control of the title following William Moulton Marston's 1947 death and Joye Hummel's departure, meaning this Circe debut reflects the new creative voice that would define Wonder Woman through much of the 1950s. Kanigher's characteristically optimistic ending — Wonder Woman defeating Circe but choosing rehabilitation over punishment — gives this Golden Age key an unusual narrative warmth that distinguishes it from typical villain introductions of the era.
In "The Riddle of the Chinese Mummy Case!", Wonder Woman [Diana Prince] journeys to ancient China to unravel the secrets of a mysterious Amazon artifact, encountering Professor Dorane and Dr. Ling as she teams up with Princess Mei and the Chinese Amazons. With Steve Trevor at her side and the cunning villain Chang lurking in the shadows, she must outwit both ancient riddles and modern treachery to protect a forgotten legacy.
Wonder Woman must protect actress Lorelei Lorn from the Gasher Jewel Gang, even as her own heart aches—Steve Trevor has left her for Lorelei, and the tension between duty and emotion runs deep. With Queen Hippolyte’s guidance and the Chief of Police’s help, Diana faces a mission that tests her strength, loyalty, and the very meaning of love.
In a story drawn from history, Bethenia Owens defied the expectations of her time to become the first female physician in the American West, using her courage and skill to confront a deadly epidemic at the age of 65. Her journey from a determined young woman to a pioneering healer is a testament to perseverance and the quiet strength of one woman’s resolve.
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Wonder Woman #37 was produced during a meaningful transitional moment for the series: after Marston's death in 1947, writing duties were shared briefly between Joye Hummel and Robert Kanigher until Hummel left, after which Kanigher took over as sole scripter. By the time this issue reached newsstands, Kanigher was firmly steering the book, with Harry G. Peter — Marston's original artistic collaborator — still providing the pencils and inks that gave the Golden Age run its distinctive visual continuity. Whitney Ellsworth served as editor, overseeing a title that was gradually shifting away from Marston's explicitly feminist framework toward more conventional superhero fare, a transition already underway by September 1949.
Trivia · 7 facts
- First comic book appearance of Circe, the immortal sorceress and major Wonder Woman villain, in the third story of this issue titled 'The Secrets of Circe' (also referenced in some sources as 'The Secret of Circe').
- Circe was written by Robert Kanigher and illustrated by Harry G. Peter — the same Peter who had drawn Wonder Woman since her 1941 debut.
- In her Golden Age debut, Circe is depicted as a blonde enchantress in flowing red robes, banished by Queen Hippolyta to an isolated planetoid called Sorca as punishment for her misdeeds on Earth.
- The issue contains three complete stories: 'The Riddle of the Chinese Mummy Case' (a time-travel adventure to ancient China), 'The Fatal Beauty' (a jewel-theft caper testing Diana's feelings for Steve Trevor), and the Circe debut story.
- The issue ends with Wonder Woman defeating Circe and, rather than leaving her exiled, taking her back to Paradise Island's Transformation Island for rehabilitation — an unusually compassionate resolution for a villain introduction.
- After her 1949 debut, Circe did not appear directly as a Wonder Woman antagonist for roughly 30 years, instead becoming a recurring foe for Rip Hunter, the Sea Devils, and the Superman family of titles throughout the Silver Age.
- The lead story, 'The Riddle of the Chinese Mummy Case,' was later re-imagined for the Earth-One continuity, as revealed in Wonder Woman #207.
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Reprints
Reprinted in A Date with Judy #48 (1955), Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #13 (1959)
Key issues in Wonder Woman
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