For sale! You can buy the very first sketches of the Amazonian warrior princess who battled on the side of good before Jeff Bezos brought her talents to an industrial edge. The sketches made in 1941, predating even Mr, Bezos’ birth, came from the estate of comic book illustrator H.G. Peter. Wonder Woman made her first appearance in a comic book in December of that year, just in time for Pearl Harbor .. a PR coup worthy of today’s Bezos-run company.
The sketch, currently, listed on ComicLink, a marketplace for vintage comics and rare comic art, may move to Amazon unless Mr. Bezos does the right thing by his girl and buys her out of penury. Pricing and a sale date have not yet been set.
Peter writes:
Dear Dr. Marston, I slapped these two out in a hurry. The eagle is tough to handle – when in perspective or in profile, he doesn’t show up clearly — the shoes look like a stenographer’s. I think the idea might be incorporated as a sort of Roman contraption. Peter
Marston writes this response:
Dear Pete – I think the gal with hand up is very cute. I like her skirt, legs, hair. Bracelets okay + boots. These probably will work out. See other suggestions enclosed. No on these + stripes – red + white. With eagle’s wings above or below breasts as per enclosed? Leave it to you. Don’t we have to put a red stripe around her waist as belt? I thought Gaines wanted it – don’t remember. Circlet will have to go higher – more like crown – see suggestions enclosed. See you Wednesday morning – WMM
All of the distinctive features of Wonder Woman’s outfit are present in the original drawings. There’s the red corset-style top; blue bottoms with white stars; crown-like tiara; and wide cuffs at her wrists. Some changes did take place with her outfit. By the time the All Star Comics No. 8 comic book came out in late 1941, she no longer sported a bare midriff.