Joe Chierchio Draws Wonder Woman & Other Female Heroes

With the massive popularity of Wonder Woman—which has earned over $435 million at box offices worldwide since opening on June 2—prolific Dan’s Papers cover artist Joe Chierchio offered to share his recent artwork featuring the iconic DC comics character.

“I made Wonder Woman long before I knew about the movie coming out,” Chierchio says, explaining his colored pencil drawing of the mighty Diana Prince in her super-heroic regalia. “I am doing a series of superheroes, including Batwoman [it’s actually Batgirl], Catwoman and Rosie the Riveter, who was a superhero during World War II, building planes at the home front while their men were overseas fighting the wars.”

In the drawing, Chierchio’s Wonder Woman wields her magic lasso—which forces her opponents to tell the truth—and wears the somewhat lesser-used cape, which has appeared on certain incarnations of the character, such as Lynda Carter’s version—though the cape only appeared in promotional photos—from the 1970s television show. Carter first appeared as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince on the World War II-set ABC series called Wonder Woman, which lasted one season, and then CBS’s The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, which had a much less expensive contemporary setting and lasted two seasons. By 1980, the show was over, but Carter had carved her place in TV history. It’s a shame she wasn’t given at least a cameo in the new film, directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Israeli stunner Gal Gadot in the title role, though it’s possible Carter turned it down.

Somewhat inexplicably, Chierchio’s Wonder Woman also stands in front of the Batmobile, as seen in Tim Burton’s mega hit 1989 Batman film starring Michael Keaton in the title role and Jack Nicholson as the Joker. That movie was by all accounts a giant hit at the time, but it only brought in $411.3 million at the worldwide box office—a number Gadot’s female-directed Wonder Woman has already eclipsed in 10 days.

“I think women are stronger today then ever. They do it all,” Chierchio adds, describing his inspiration for creating these colorful images of Wonder Woman, Batgirl and Rosie the Riveter.

Judging by the numbers, he’s right.