DC’s Wonder Woman Just Canonized a Beloved Part of the Lynda Carter TV Series

Wonder Woman has just made one of the most beloved parts of the classic Lynda Carter TV series an official part of DC canon. And we are of course referring to Lynda Carter’s iconic twirl that transformed her from Diana Prince into Wonder Woman! 

Writer Tom King’s new Wonder Woman comic series has been a piece-by-piece deep-dive into all of the lore and characterization of Wonder Woman from over 80 years of storytelling. A preview for the upcoming Wonder Woman #6 reveals the sequence of panels that show Diana doing the Wonder Woman twirl, to suit up for action. 

Wonder Woman’s transformation twirl was developed during the first season of the TV series, which aired in the mid-to-late-seventies. It quickly became both a major signature of the series, as well as an iconic part of the character’s lore that would go from TV back into the comics and animated series. The Justice League Unlimited animated series of the 2000s gave the Wonder Woman twirl a nod in one episode; Silver Age DC comic books also incorporated a version of the transformation where Wonder Woman twirled her lasso around her body as a method of transformation. Modern DC comic book lore eventually moved past the point of Wonder Woman maintaining a secret identity, but this next chapter of Tom King’s Wonder Woman arc has created a perfect spot for it! 

(SPOILERS) The new Wonder Woman story arc has seen the Amazon princess marked as an enemy of America, thanks to the nation’s evil secret king, The Sovereign. With his powers of lying and manipulation (thanks to a black lasso of lies), The Sovereign has forced Diana into a corner, and the two adversaries have each gathered a team of female warriors for the inevitable showdown. 

In the preview page for Wonder Woman #6 that was shared by artist Daniel Sampere, we see Diana in what looks like a civilian disguise (ponytail, sunglasses, non-descript clothing), doing the twirl and revealing her Wonder Woman costume and lasso. It even looks as though Sampere depicts Diana’s physique changing with her transformation, with her stature and muscle tone changing. 

Wonder Woman #5 left Diana in a place where she was preparing for a dangerous mission to get The Sovereign. She tried to bind her proteges Donna Troy, Cassie Sandsmark, and Yara Flor to a vow of non-interference, but they all refused. Presumably, Wonder Woman #6 will mix espionage with superhero drama, and this panel Sampere shared definitely makes it seem that way. 

Wonder Woman comics are on sale at DC.