The five lives of Cheetah, Wonder Woman's deadliest enemy
It is said that if you really want to know a person's character, you should look to see who his enemies are. And of all the villains in Wonder Woman's vast collection, none of them have been as persistent as that feline feline known as the Cheetah. Considering the many gods, witches, and mad scientists who have opposed the Champion of the Amazons over the years, it's not unreasonable to wonder how exactly this orange agent of evil has remained at the forefront since 1943.
The answer is simple: understudies.
Right. Over the decades, there have been five completely different criminals who have opposed our warrior princess under the name of "Cheetah". But who are they and how to distinguish them? And what is the "real" Cheetah? As part of Super Villain Week here on the way to DC FanDome, we thought we'd put together a handy field guide for spotting cheetahs in the wild.
Priscilla Rich
First appearance: Wonder Woman # 6 (1943)
The original Cheetah is still the longest-running to hold the title, or at least it will be for a few more years. Priscilla was a rich worldly person, looking for strong emotions, loved by everyone for her beauty and charm. He also suffered from two main problems: a series of red-hot jealousy and a severe case of dissociative identity disorder. When Wonder Woman made her debut in the world of men and became the talk of the season, Rich became so furious that he developed a supervillain character to get rid of her.
How to spot: The face is the gift. Priscilla is wearing a jumpsuit, but keeps her face uncovered.
Deborah Domaine
First appearance: Wonder Woman # 274 (1980)
“Debbi” Domaine was the granddaughter of the original Cheetah, raised in luxury by Priscilla after she retired from her career as a supervillain. Debbi's efforts as a young woman were far more noble than those of her aunt, dedicating herself to charitable works and causes. Until, that is, the international terrorist cult of Kobra kidnapped and brainwashed the heiress to turn her into a cheetah of their own.
How to spot: Like her Aunt Priss, Debbi likes to keep her face uncovered, but sports the embellishment of a plunging neckline. Not to blame her… she can get pretty sweaty in those suits. (Why do you think Selina Kyle started cutting out armpit holes?)
Barbara Ann Minerva
First appearance: Wonder Woman # 7 (1987)
While Priscilla Rich may be the longest-lived cheetah, Barbara Ann Minerva is arguably the most famous. The third woman to hold the title, Barbara Ann was the first Cheetah to appear after the title was restarted in Crisis on Infinite Earths, and to this day, he remains the most frequent incarnation of the character. During the New 52, "Priscilla Rich" and "Deborah Domaine" were even reconnected as alternate identities used by Barbara Ann herself. And, of course, it was Ms. Minerva who was brought to life in a memorable way by Kristen Wiig in Wonder Woman 1984.
Once a bright and daring archaeologist with a promising future, Barbara Ann had a bad deal with an ancient African plant god - Urzkartaga, you know him - and was transformed into Cheetah, Urzkartaga's bride and servant in the mortal world. . Her first mission: to get Wonder Woman's lasso. Since then Diana and Barbara have clashed with aims. But as with so many of Diana's enemies, Wonder Woman's real goal isn't to defeat Cheetah, but to redeem him.
How to spot: It is not a costume. If Cheetah's face is as blurry as the rest of her, then we're dealing with Mrs. Minerva.
Sebastian Ballesteros
First appearance: Wonder Woman # 170 (2001)
Aside from Cheetah, perhaps the most irritating villain in Wonder Woman history is the sorceress Circe, the old myth witch with a signature move of turning human subjects into her own hybrid animal slaves. One such servant was Sebastian Ballesteros, an Argentine business tycoon, who took a brief turn in hiring the cheetah cape for himself. He also appealed to Urzkartaga's chauvinism for a while, arguing that a male agent would be a more suitable representative of his power. But Barbara Ann killed this madman in 2004 for stealing her game and hasn't been back since.
How to spot: He's a guy.
Cheetah, Morrigan's agent
First appearance: Wonder Woman # 606 (2010)
To commemorate the 600th issue of Wonder Woman (when all her numbered titles to date had been added up), and just a few months before the New 52's line-level reboot, writer J. Michael Straczynski changed the whole Diana story, so nothing was what it seemed. In this new reality, Cheetah was an unnamed Amazon warrior who was raised from the dead and infused with an ancient spirit by the Morrigans, a coven that sought to eliminate all Amazons from the world, starting with Diana.
How to spot: Is Wonder Woman wearing pants? So this is Morrigan Cheetah.
Well, that's five fewer lives and four to die for, if the old cat legend is to be believed. With nearly eighty years of history already under the cheetah's fur, it may take some time before you see them all in action. But no matter what form it takes, you can rest assured that Wonder Woman will always be the one to claim victory.
After all… cheetahs never thrive.
DC FanDome returns on October 16, 2021! For more articles like this one and to stay up to date on all the latest news, visit dcfandome.com.
Alex Jaffe is the author of our monthly “Ask the Question” column and writes about TV, movies, comics and superhero history for DCComics.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlexJaffe and find it in the DC community as HubCityQuestion.
