Comments
This issue uses a pretty clumsy plot device to create the tension in this storyline, whereby Diana has to last the whole day without her Amazonian powers, because apparently she automatically loses them on the 18th June every year (for some unexplained reason)!!!
Synopsis
At an airfield near the Nation’s Capital, Wonder Woman bids Colonel Steve Trevor farewell as he boards a jet fighter for a routine mission. As the pair cuddle each other fondly, three gaunt looking men watch from the shadows. The Star Triplets look at Wonder Woman adoringly. Joey believes she will easily fall for him; Jackie says that in fact she is going to marry him; Johnny on the other hand says that they are both mad and that he is going to snatch the beautiful Amazon for himself.
The three identical twins’ mouths twist in a secret smile as they hold up a test tube full of liquid revel in their plan. Although they may look like leftovers from a Halloween party, their newly developed secret formula will change them into men that Wonder Woman will be unable to resist!
Meanwhile, as Steve takes off in his jet, Wonder Woman suddenly sees an approaching bomber with its engines on fire. The out of control plane swerves into Steve’s path and Wonder Woman instantly removes her lasso. She hurls one end of the glowing golden rope up into the air and loops it over the tail fin of the bomber, yanking out of Steve’s path. She then whirls the bomber round and around in the air until the flames have been whipped out. As she gently lowers the plane to the ground the Star Triplets step forward, thinking to themselves that soon such feats as this will pale into comparison compared to what they will be able to perform. Then she will have no choice but to marry one of them! They introduce themselves to Wonder Woman and tell her that she will be retiring soon in order to marry them. She casually replies that she will not be marrying anybody and she is certainly not ready to retire!
At that moment they hear the wailing of police sirens in the distance and Wonder Woman rushes to the scene of a car chase. A car full of gun toting hoods is being pursued by a police car which is being riddled by their bullets. The Amazon races after the gunmen who turn their gunfire onto her. She uses her bracelets to deflect the deadly projectiles but a stray ricochet clips her forehead and she crumples to the ground! Seeing her lying prone in the middle of the street, the gunmen turn their car around and accelerate, intending to run her over and finish her!
Even as the getaway car roars down on her, the dazed Wonder Woman reacts instinctively and uses her legs to lift the car up and roll it over. The hoods tumble out as she kicks the empty car across the street, smashing it. The hoods reload and charge forward, intent on killing her as the still dazed Amazon Princess struggles to her feet, barely able to focus. Yet, through the haze covering her eyes from the effects of the bullet, Wonder Woman hurls herself against the crooks. She charges into them and punches her opponents left right and centre until they are all out for the count!
After the police arrest the subdued gunmen, the three Star brothers return home to give their unique super hero costumes a final inspection. Once home, they each remove their costumes which are several sizes too big for them; Red Star, White Star and Blue Star. Donning their new outfits, they enter a sauna and pour the formula over the hot coals. As the vapour is absorbed into their bodies the three brothers begin to transform, mutating into handsome, invincible, muscle bound men – who now fill their costumes perfectly!
Meanwhile Wonder Woman has returned to work at Military HQ and transformed back into her civilian guise of Lt. Diana Prince. She glances at the desktop calendar and suddenly realises that the date is June 17th. Tomorrow will be the most dangerous day of the year for her! A little later at her apartment, she washes her hair in her bathroom and wishes she could wash June 18th out of her hair so easily! As she retires to bed she muses that the best thing would be for her to stay in bed all day until June 18th is over. But when dawn finally breaks she prepares herself for what will hopefully be a peaceful day that does not require the services of “Wonder Woman” – because for the next twenty four hours she will have no special powers whatsoever!
Across town, the Star Triplets are monitoring the Police frequencies and agree to take it in turns to go out to emergencies where Wonder Woman is likely to be summoned to. They will then stun her with their super powers and make her feel like a poor helpless girl! One of them can then sweep her off her feet. With that the three brothers dash off in separate directions, all intent on winning the hand of the Amazon Princess for them.
Meanwhile Diana’s own monitoring system picks of the same distress calls and donning her Wonder Woman costume, hoping that by the time she arrives on the scene everything will have been cleared up. But minutes later as the Amazon arrives in her invisible jet at the scene of an armoured car robbery, she sees the armed robbers have shot the guards and are already removing the cash from the truck. Valiantly she disembarks and rushes at the gunmen, ordering them to surrender. They decide to try and stop her with their guns and Wonder Woman instinctively prepares to play bullets and bracelets with the oncoming projectiles, but she finds that without her powers she is too slow and barely manages to avoid herself being riddled with lead as the bullets fizz past her!
Suddenly though “Red Star” arrives and lays into the surprised gunmen. He easily decks them in turn, out speeding even their bullets as Wonder Woman watches in amazement. As he kicks the final thug away into the distance with a “Tell your pals Red Star sent you!”, the Amazon Princess finds herself impressed by his sense of humour and handsome good looks. The next moment she is swept into a powerful embrace as the dashing Red Star tells her that her crime fighting days are ended. He is going to take over so that she can retire and marry him! With that he kisses her passionately and Wonder Woman is barely able to tear herself loose.
As she rushes back to her plane, she yells back that she cannot think straight when in his arms and that she needs some space while she considers his proposal of marriage. Red Star watches her take off, confident that her answer will be “yes”.
A second emergency alarm soon has Wonder Woman racing out to the ocean where a Passenger Steamer has grounded on the reef and is tearing apart. She leaps down from her plane hoping to hold the ship together but as the cries of the trapped passengers fill her ears she finds herself unable to keep the vessel afloat. At that moment though, before he startled gaze, the whole ship lifts out of the water and she sees that “White Star” is carrying it one handed! As he swims to shore still carrying the steamer, Wonder Woman realises that he must be a twin of the Red Starred man who swept her off her feet earlier in the day. She marvels at his incredible strength as he docks the ship safely and tells him he has performed a magnificent feat. Her senses reel as he pulls her into the water and embraces her, saying that as a result she no longer needs to bother with rescue work anymore and can instead become his bride! Again she manages to break loose and climbing aboard her waiting robot plane, yells back that he must give her a chance to catch her breath and she will give him an answer shortly.
Later that night a third emergency alarm calls Wonder Woman out to a burning Ferris wheel. As the Amazon manages to unload a few passengers she realises that those at the top are doomed. Suddenly though “Blue Star” arrives on the scene and tells her that everything is under control and although a rescue is beyond her, it is not beyond him. As he leaps into action she realises that this must be the third of a set of triplets. She watches in amazement as he spins the Ferris wheel so fast that the flames are whipped out. While it is still whirling around, he tells the trapped passengers to jump and he catches each and every one of them.
In moments the crisis is over and she thanks him for saving all the passengers. He is such an amazing man and her very heart is beating faster. He grabs her in a tight embrace and asks her to marry him. She stammers that she cannot because he is crushing her! She finally manages to wrench herself free only to find herself also in the grip of Red Star and White Star. An annoyed Blue Star tells them that they had agreed to take turns to convince Wonder Woman which one of them she wanted to marry. His brothers reply that they got tired of waiting.
Wonder Woman tells them that they are all so wonderful and it is hard for her to make up her mind. She cannot think straight when they are holding on to her like this. Just then they hear gunshots and she pleads with them to let her go so she can give assistance. They refuse, saying she must give them her answer. She in turn replies that she will give them their answer after she has investigated the reason for the shots. With that she runs in the direction of the commotion followed by the Triple Stars. As they arrive at the box office they see that armed robbers have already killed several people as they attempt to make their getaway. A frustrated Wonder Woman realises she is powerless to prevent the carnage and as the Triple Stars step forward to take them on, their formula suddenly wears off. The robbers burst out laughing as the three brothers transform before their eyes back into small, thin and weedy men wearing oversized costumes!
The Amazing Amazon decides that she must stop the slaughter no matter what cost to her and charges at the gunmen. The robbers raise their weapons and tell her that even though it is midnight, they still have time to turn her into Swiss cheese and make their getaway before the police arrive. As the hail of bullets rain down on her, she is not cut down but instead casually deflects their bullets using her bracelets. Smiling, she thanks them for letting her know that midnight has struck and that the day is over. Her powers are now back! With that she then unleashes those powers, taking the robbers apart in seconds.
A short while later as the police take the pummelled robbers away into custody, the crestfallen triplets receive their answer from Wonder Woman. She tells them that she cannot marry anybody as long as her services are needed to battle crime and injustice.