Wonder Woman Reading Order: Where to Start With Diana

Wonder Woman has been published almost continuously since 1941, which means more than eight decades of stories, several rebooted timelines, and countless creative teams with very different ideas about who Diana of Themyscira is. If you try to read every issue in order, you will burn out fast. The good news is that you do not have to. Diana is one of the most approachable characters in superhero comics, because so many of her defining stories are self-contained runs and graphic novels you can hand to a total newcomer.

This is the Wonder Woman reading order we actually recommend to friends. It is not a complete continuity map and it is not exhaustive. It is a sensible path through the best material, arranged so each stage builds on the last without asking you to memorize decades of Amazon lore first. Read these in order and you will understand who Diana is, why she matters, and where to go next.

The books to buy, in reading order

These are the collected editions that cover the path below, in the order to read them.

Start here

Our take: The definitive modern origin. George Perez reintroduced Diana in 1987 after Crisis on Infinite Earths, grounding her in Greek myth and giving her a clear, powerful first mission. Collects Wonder Woman (1987) #1-7.

First, the good news: you do not need decades of continuity

The biggest myth about Wonder Woman is that she is hard to get into because her history is messy. It is true that her backstory has been rewritten more than once, but that actually helps a new reader: each relaunch was designed as a fresh starting line. You never need to read the previous version to enjoy the next one. Pick a strong run, and it will teach you everything you need as you go.

DC has periodically reset its universe, most notably with Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) and the New 52 (2011), and each reset gave Wonder Woman a clean number-one issue. So when a longtime fan insists you must read everything first, smile and ignore them. If you want the wider view of the publisher, our best DC graphic novels guide is a good companion, and our best Wonder Woman comics list ranks the highlights on their own terms.

Stage 1: The essential origin — Gods and Mortals (1987)

Start with Wonder Woman by George Perez, Vol. 1: Gods and Mortals, collecting Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #1-7 from 1987. After Crisis on Infinite Earths wiped the slate clean, writer-artist George Perez rebuilt Diana from the ground up, rooting her firmly in Greek mythology. Princess Diana is sculpted from clay and granted life by the goddesses, trained on the hidden island of Themyscira, and sent into the modern world as an ambassador of peace who must stop the war god Ares.

Why start here? Because it assumes you know nothing, Perez's art is gorgeous and detailed, and the mythological framework it establishes underpins nearly every Wonder Woman story that follows. Perez wrote or co-plotted the title for about five years, and the run is collected across several trade paperbacks and deluxe hardcovers if you want to keep going.

Stage 2: The stylish standalone — The Hiketeia (2002)

Next, read Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (2002), a original graphic novel by Greg Rucka with painted art by J.G. Jones. Diana grants an ancient rite of protection to a desperate young woman, then finds herself bound by sacred honor to shield her even from Batman, who is hunting the same fugitive. It is short, self-contained, and one of the best distillations of what makes Diana tick: her code is not negotiable, even when it puts her at odds with a friend.

This is the book to hand someone who thinks Wonder Woman stories are simple. The Batman confrontation is a clinic on how the two heroes see justice differently, and it pairs naturally with our Batman reading order if you want the Dark Knight side of that coin.

Stage 3: Greg Rucka's first run (2003-2006)

If The Hiketeia clicks, move to Greg Rucka's first ongoing run on the character, roughly 2003 to 2006, with artists including Drew Johnson and Cliff Richards. Rucka leaned into Diana as a diplomat and public figure, writing her as the author of a book on Amazon philosophy and letting the drama play out through politics as much as punching. The essential arcs, in order, are:

1. Down to Earth — Diana as a controversial public intellectual.
2. Bitter Rivals — the return of her nemesis, Circe.
3. Eyes of the Gorgon — a brutal, tragic confrontation with Medusa.
4. Land of the Dead and Mission's End — the run builds to a devastating, character-defining choice.

This run is where many longtime readers fell in love with Diana as a thinker and leader, not just a warrior. It is collected in trade paperbacks and reads as a complete saga.

Stage 4: Gail Simone's run (2007-2010)

Gail Simone became one of the most celebrated modern Wonder Woman writers with her run beginning in 2007, drawn by artists including the Dodsons and Aaron Lopresti. Simone balanced blockbuster superheroics with genuine warmth and wit, and she clearly adored the character. Start with The Circle, a story that revisits Diana's birth and the Amazons who guarded her, then continue through Ends of the Earth and the acclaimed Rise of the Olympian.

Simone's Diana is fierce, funny, and deeply compassionate, and her run is a great argument that Wonder Woman can carry big action and big heart at once. It is widely available in trades and remains a fan-favorite era.

Stage 5: The modern on-ramp — Blood (New 52, 2011)

Now jump to the modern relaunch. In 2011 DC restarted its line with the New 52, and Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood is a superb entry point. It reimagines Diana as the secret daughter of Zeus and treats the Greek gods as a scheming, monstrous crime family, blending superhero action with dark fantasy and horror. Chiang's clean, striking art makes it one of the best-looking Wonder Woman runs ever.

Because it launched a fresh number-one, you can start here even if you skipped everything above, though you will appreciate the mythological grounding more having read Perez. This is the book we recommend to anyone who found the older art styles off-putting.

Stage 6: The rest of the Azzarello and Chiang run

If Blood lands, the rest of the Azzarello and Chiang run is one of the most cohesive modern superhero stories DC published in that era. Continue in order:

• Vol. 2: Guts — Diana journeys into the underworld to bargain with Hades.
• Vol. 3: Iron — the family conflict escalates as the First Born rises.
• Vol. 4: War through Vol. 6: Bones — the saga builds to its confrontation with the gods.

The whole run is collected in six trade paperbacks and in oversized deluxe editions, and it reads as a single, escalating epic with a clear beginning and end. It is the modern equivalent of the classic run you started with.

Stage 7: Rucka returns — The Lies and Year One (2016)

For DC's 2016 Rebirth initiative, Greg Rucka came back to the character with artists Liam Sharp and Nicola Scott. The run cleverly acknowledges that Diana's origin had been rewritten so many times that even she was not sure which version was true. It alternates two storylines: The Lies, a present-day mystery about who has been manipulating her memories, and Year One, a beautifully drawn fresh retelling of how Diana first left Themyscira.

This is arguably the most welcoming single starting point in the whole list, because it was literally built to reintroduce the character to new and returning readers at once. It is collected across several volumes beginning with Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: The Lies.

Stage 8: The deep cut — Wonder Woman: Earth One (2016)

Once you are comfortable, Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette's Wonder Woman: Earth One is the ambitious, out-of-continuity option. This original graphic novel trilogy reinvents Diana from scratch, drawing directly on the strange, bondage-tinged ideas of her original 1940s creator, William Moulton Marston, and Paquette's lush art is a showcase. It is not part of the main timeline, so it goes near the end of the list as a rich curiosity rather than a foundation.

Come to Earth One after you know the character, and Morrison's swings become fascinating rather than confusing. It is a strong companion piece to the more traditional runs above.

Reading order at a glance

Step	Title	Collects / era	Best for
1	Gods and Mortals	Wonder Woman (1987) #1-7	The essential origin
2	The Hiketeia	Original graphic novel (2002)	A stylish standalone
3	Greg Rucka run one	2003-2006	Diana as diplomat and leader
4	Gail Simone run	2007-2010	Action with heart
5	Blood	New 52 Vol. 1 (2011)	A modern jumping-on point
6	The rest of Azzarello and Chiang	New 52 (2011-2014)	A sustained modern epic
7	The Lies and Year One	Rebirth (2016)	The most welcoming reboot
8	Wonder Woman: Earth One	OGN trilogy (2016- )	Ambitious deep dives

Work down the table in order and you will have read the best of Wonder Woman without ever needing a continuity wiki open in another tab.

Where to buy and how to collect

Almost everything here is collected in trade paperbacks, and the classics are easy to find. If you fall for a run, DC publishes oversized deluxe and omnibus editions that show off the art. Libraries also carry most of these, so you can sample before you commit.

Get Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Gods and Mortals on Amazon

Where to go after Wonder Woman

Once you have Diana sorted, the natural next step is the wider DC universe. Browse our DC hub for more, and see how she works in a team with our Justice League reading order. From there, the other pillars of the DC trinity are a short hop: our Superman reading order covers the Man of Steel, and if you want a villain-focused change of pace, our Two-Face reading order digs into Gotham.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to read Wonder Woman comics in order?

No. Most of the essential Wonder Woman stories are self-contained runs or graphic novels you can read in any order. The order in this guide simply gives you the smoothest experience, with each stage enriching the next. Feel free to jump straight to whichever premise grabs you.

What is the best Wonder Woman comic for a complete beginner?

For a modern art style and a clean start, begin with Azzarello and Chiang's Blood (2011) or Greg Rucka's Rebirth run, The Lies (2016). For the definitive origin, George Perez's Gods and Mortals (1987) remains the foundation everything else builds on.

Do I need to read old comics to understand the modern ones?

Generally no. DC's relaunches, like the New 52 in 2011 and Rebirth in 2016, were designed as clean entry points. You will occasionally miss a reference, but every run on this list stands on its own well enough to enjoy without homework.

Which Wonder Woman run should I read if I only read one?

Azzarello and Chiang's New 52 run, beginning with Blood, is the best single sustained modern story and looks fantastic. If you prefer a foundational classic, read George Perez's Gods and Mortals instead.

Ready for more? Our best Wonder Woman comics list and best DC graphic novels guide are the natural next reads.

What is Wonder Woman Historia?

Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons is a DC Black Label miniseries by Kelly Sue DeConnick with artists Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha and Nicola Scott, telling the myth of how the Amazons were created long before Diana's birth. It is a lavish, standalone prequel with some of the most beautiful art in any Wonder Woman book. Read it after an origin story like Gods and Mortals for the most impact.

Is Absolute Wonder Woman a good place to start?

Absolute Wonder Woman is a good place to start if you want a modern, standalone take. Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman's series is part of DC's Absolute line, reimagining Diana outside the main DC continuity with a darker, more mythic edge. You can read it from volume 1 with no prior knowledge. If you'd rather meet the classic Diana first, begin with Gods and Mortals.

What are Wonder Woman's powers?

Wonder Woman's powers include super strength, speed, durability and flight, gifts from the Greek gods. She is also a superb warrior trained on Themyscira, and carries the Lasso of Truth, which compels anyone bound by it to tell the truth, plus bulletproof bracelets that deflect attacks. The exact source of her powers has changed across reboots, but the core abilities stay the same.

Is Wonder Woman a member of the Justice League?

Wonder Woman is a founding member of the Justice League in most versions of DC continuity, standing alongside Superman and Batman as the team's core trio. Many of her best moments come in team books, though her solo runs in this guide stand fully on their own. If you want to see her in the team setting, our Justice League reading order is the next stop.

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