Still a wonder: a new Wonder Woman DVD boxed set rekindles the Amazon love among gay and lesbian fans.

Before I consciously knew I was a lesbian ... I knew that the idea of living on an island populated entirely by women was definitely paradise," says Wonder Woman fan Nicole Moricca. No surprise then that the atoll in question was known as Paradise Island, all-female home of the comic-book world's and television's "Amazing Amazon," Wonder Woman.

Years before Madonna draped herself provocatively in the American flag and decades before Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction robbed her of her broadcasting powers, Lynda Carter was forging those pathways and more. In star-spangled pants and an eagle-covered red bustier, Carter fought crime as the TV incarnation of Wonder Woman. The tall brunet actor--whom thousands of drag queens have simulated over the last three decades--says that she tried to imbue her character with diva stature, something that women "and gay men, certainly" could relate to. If her belt was tipped away, Wonder Woman lost all of her superstrength but still had her natural powers and a few handy accessories: Her bracelets could deflect bullets, her tiara was a boomerang, and her lasso compelled others to tell the truth. She could also spin around to change into fabulous outfits.

Released just in time for gay pride, Warner Home Video's new Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season DVD boxed set recaps Wonder Woman's intermittent ABC season (1976-1977), featuring episodes set in World War II wherein the heroine fought Nazis, spies, and even an angry gorilla. Though some of the stories were camp classics, Carter played it straight, all the way through dialogue that espoused "sisterhood" as one of the strongest forces on Earth.

Now the mother of two teenagers, Carter lives in Washington, D.C., with her lawyer husband. She often speaks out about issues related to women's rights and has worked for many charities over the years since hanging up her satin tights. As the Wonder Woman DVD set introduces a whole new generation of fans to her star-spangled alter ego, Carter embraces her queer fans, as she has since her early days. "Before I got Wonder Woman I was a singer," she says. "Bette Midler, in the early '70s, had done the whole bathhouse scene. I had such respect for her, that those were her roots: people that society was trying to ignore, largely. It was that community that really pushed her out front, and I thought it was great. I thought to myself, Now, that would be the epitome of success. I'll know I'm successful if the gay community embraces my character."

Carter got her wish. Moricca admits that "Wonder Woman is one of the main reasons that at the age of 24, I read comics, watch cartoons, collect action figures, and have a definite appreciation for most things camp."

It's men who are more likely to twirl around for the "wonder spin," however, especially on the dance floor. Jon Sauer is a longtime fan who owns his own homemade golden lasso. He notes, "Being that Wonder Woman is not a gay character, I think Lynda Carter played her with an innocence and understanding of all people--women, men, gay, straight. She would embrace all people searching for their personal freedom."

Mangels is a best-selling Star Trek, Star Wars, and entertainment writer.