A new graphic novel anthology from DC Comics, Wonder Women of History, will recognise real-life superheroes inspired by the heroic Wonder Woman including Beyoncé and Janelle Monáe.

The novel will recognise Wonder Woman’s impact with bestselling young adult author Laurie Halse Anderson at the helm.

Wonder Women of History celebrates “real-world heroes who take up Wonder Woman’s iconic mantle and work in the fields of science, social justice activism, politics, and more.”

In the Wonder Woman anthology, 18 revolutionary women including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren, Beyoncé, Edith Windsor, Marsha P. Johnson, Emma Gonzalez, Tig Notaro and Janelle Monae will be honoured.

“Wonder Woman has been an iconic figure for girls and women around the world for generations,” Anderson told Nerdist. “She gave me the example of a woman who combined justice, compassion, athleticism, and power that I needed. When the good people at DC brought up the idea of an anthology of real-life Wonder Women to me, I was on board instantly.

“Our kids are hungry for examples of women and girls who have fought against oppressive systems to make the world a better place,” the author explained. “The incredible writers and artists in this anthology have created a masterpiece filled with those examples. Our book will inspire and strengthen every reader who picks it up!”

Many of the women who will be celebrated in the anthology are strong LGBT+ advocates and members of the LGBT+ community.

Edith Windsor was an American LGBT+ rights activist and a technology manager at IBM. She was the lead plaintiff in the 2013 Supreme Court of the United States case United States v. Windsor, which overturned Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act and was considered a landmark legal victory for the same-sex marriage movement in the United States. The Obama Administration and federal agencies extended rights, privileges and benefits to married same-sex couples because of the decision.

A sequel to 2017’s Wonder Woman has faced delays due to COVID-19 restrictions. Critics have long debated the superhero’s sexuality.

Wonder Woman writer Greg Rucka said that the badass superhero was “obviously queer”, but her sexuality was not explored in the 2017 film.

Rucka explained that when living on the island of Themyscira, which is populated with only females, Wonder Woman had been in same-sex relationships.

“When you start to think about giving the concept of Themyscira its due, the answer is, ‘How can they not all be in same-sex relationships?’ Right?

“Are we saying Diana [Wonder Woman] has been in love and had relationships with other women? The answer is obviously yes,” he said.

Wonder Women of History will be released this December, you can pre-order a copy here.