| Helena Sandsmark | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #105 (January 1996) |
| Created by | John Byrne |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human |
| Supporting character of | Wonder Woman Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark) |
Professor Helena Sandsmark is a DC Comics character created by writer/artist John Byrne for the Wonder Woman comic book series, first appearing in Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #105. The mother of the second incarnation of Wonder Girl, Cassandra Sandsmark and a distinguished academic in the field of archaeology, Helena is also close friends with her daughter's mentor Wonder Woman. [1]
Helena (and her daughter, Cassie/Wonder Girl) are introduced in the revised DC Universe created after the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time storyline.
Helena studied archeology at Harvard University under Julia Kapatelis, and was one of her brightest students. After graduation, she participated in several digs around the world, including one in Greece, where she made an important discovery that made her famous in her profession. [2] On the merits of her work in Greece and a recommendation from Julia, Helena was awarded a job as curator at the Gateway City Museum of Antiquities, the museum with the largest collection of Greek artifacts outside of Greece. She was the youngest archeologist ever to hold such a position.
Helena met a man whom she later found out was the Olympian god Zeus. She eventually became pregnant with his demigod child, but he had disappeared from her life by the time she gave birth to Cassie. Helena had raised Cassie alone without revealing the identity of her father or her divine parentage.
Julia sent her friend Wonder Woman to Gateway City, so she could study at the museum. While there, Diana befriended Helena and her daughter. Helena had also entered into a short-lived relationship with Jason Blood, a visiting occultist, though she was unaware of his other side at the time. As Diana attracted more and more attention from enemies, Helena became concerned for her daughter. However, she was surprised when Zeus granted her daughter powers. Her former mate also granted Helena the power to remove Cassie's powers by speaking one word, effectively grounding her when she needed to. When Cassie found out Zeus was her father, the revelation nearly destroyed the relationship between mother and daughter.
Around the time Diana left Gateway City, Helena had finally made amends with Cassie and granted her blessing to continue as Wonder Girl with the understanding that she'd be well trained in combat by Artemis. Helena also supervised her daughter's membership in the superhero team Young Justice but openly objected to the fact that Cissie "Arrowette" Jones-King's mother Bonnie encouraged her daughter's participation without regard to the potential dangers. At one point, Helena even judged Bonnie's behavior to be so dangerous that she kept Cissie with her and Cassie in Gateway City. Helena remained there for Cassie in the troubled months that folflowed, adjusting when Wonder Girl's true identity was publicly revealed by the Silver Swan, mending fences when the teen learned that Zeus was her father, and consoling her daughter after her boyfriend Superboy was killed during the Infinite Crisis .
During the "Amazons Attack" incident, Wonder Girl and Supergirl attempted to negotiate an end to the war between the Amazons and the United States but inadvertently made things worse when the president of the United States was killed. Helena was deemed a collaborator by the US government and sent to an internment camp, leading Cassie to mount an attempted rescue. At her mother's insistence that the situation be settled peacefully, Wonder Girl finally departed.
In the war's wake, Wonder Girl and her mother were viewed with a wary eye. Leaving the Gateway Museum, Helena took a sabbatical in Greece and used the Gauntlet of Atlas and Sandals of Hermes to keep her safe. They proved invaluable when she was abducted by the Female Furies and an ensorcelled Hercules. When the latter attacked Wonder Girl, Helena astonished her daughter by sending the demigod reeling with one punch powered by the godly gauntlet. The adventure also reunited Helena with her old friend Aristides Demetrios, who was known as The Olympian and had protected Helena during the young archaeologist's pregnancy.
Helena later joined fellow archeologists Vijay and Rani Singh for an dig in Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan. When Vijay and Rani both mysteriously disappeared, Helena called the Teen Titans for help. Upon arriving, the Titans joined Kiran Singh – the brilliantly super-powered Solstice – in the search for her parents. But the team soon found itself trapped in a lost kingdom as they were attacked by the Hindu god King Rankor and his demonic minions. In the most brilliant display of her powers to date, Solstice unleashed a blinding pulse that drove the demons away, liberating Helena and the Singhs from King Rankor's grasp.
In The New 52 reboot of DC's continuity, Cassie's father is a British super-soldier named Lennox Sandsmark, who turns out to be Wonder Woman's half-brother and himself a demigod son of Zeus. Lennox left the family when Cassie was only four years old, [3] so Helena (again) raised Cassie alone without revealing the identity of her father or her divine parentage. Teenaged Cassie meets Red Robin, [4] joins the Teen Titans and eventually learns that she is the demigoddess niece of Wonder Woman. [5]
Dr. Helena Sandsmark appears in Young Justice: Outsiders , voiced by Mae Whitman.
Dr. Helena Sandsmark appears as a non-playable character (NPC) in Young Justice: Legacy , voiced by Mae Whitman.
Wonder Girl is the alias of multiple superheroines featured in comic books published by DC Comics. Donna Troy, the original Wonder Girl, was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #60. The second Wonder Girl, Cassie Sandsmark, was created by John Byrne and first appeared in Wonder Woman #105. Both are protégées of Wonder Woman and members of different incarnations of the Teen Titans. The alias has also been used in reference to a younger version of Wonder Woman as a teenager. In the 2020s, DC introduced a third Wonder Girl in Yara Flor, who hails from a Brazilian tribe of Amazons and was shown in a flashforward to one day succeed Diana as Wonder Woman.
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes.
Arrowette is a superheroine that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Donna Troy is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the original Wonder Girl and later temporarily adopts another identity, Troia. Created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, she first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #60. Donna has been commonly featured in stories involving the Teen Titans, which she originally joined during their second adventure and is since depicted as a founding member of the team.
The Olympian is the name of two fictional characters in DC Comics.
Cassandra "Cassie" Sandsmark, also known as Wonder Girl, is a superheroine appearing in DC Comics. She was created by John Byrne and first appeared in Wonder Woman #105. The second Wonder Girl, Cassie is a sidekick of the superheroine Wonder Woman and has been featured as a member of the Teen Titans.
Ares is a character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based on the eponymous Greek mythological figure, he is the Olympian god of war and major recurring adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman. He has been featured significantly as a persistent foe throughout every era of Wonder Woman's comic book adventures, and in many adaptations of her stories in other media.
Julia Kapatelis and her daughter Vanessa "Nessie" Kapatelis are fictional characters created by writer/artist George Pérez for the Wonder Woman ongoing series published by DC Comics. Debuting in 1987, the Kapatelises would serve as recurring supporting characters for Wonder Woman until the 2000s.
"Titans Tomorrow" is a storyline of a possible alternate future in the DC Comics Universe, from Teen Titans vol. 3 #17–19 (2005), by Geoff Johns and Mike McKone. The story arc has been collected as part of the Teen Titans: The Future is Now trade paperback.
Hercules is a fictional Olympian god in the DC Universe based on the Greek demigod and hero of the same name.
The Olympian Gods are characters based upon classical mythology who appear primarily in Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and Aquaman comics.
The Titans of Myth are mythological deities who appear in the Teen Titans and Wonder Woman comic book series by DC Comics.
Amazons Attack! is a six-issue comic book limited series that was published by DC Comics. Written by Will Pfeifer and pencilled by Pete Woods, the first issue was released on April 25, 2007.
"Who is Wonder Woman?" is a five-issue comic book story arc written by Allan Heinberg with art by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson.
Zeus is a fictional deity in the DC Comics universe, an interpretation of Zeus from Greek mythology. His appearances are most significant in stories of Wonder Woman. With the 2011 relaunch of DC Comics dubbed The New 52, Zeus has received a prominent role in the Wonder Woman mythos, as he is now the biological father of Wonder Woman through Hippolyta.
Solstice is a superhero published by DC Comics. The character has appeared as a new member in DC's long-running Teen Titans comic book series, and was created by JT Krul and Nicola Scott. Krul has described the character as being "a positive spirit - influenced by the various cultures she’s encountered during her travels throughout the world. She embraces life and all the adventure and experiences it offers."
Zola is a fictional DC Comics character, created by writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang. She first appeared in Wonder Woman #1, and since then as played an integral part in the series. Zola is featured as a young woman carrying Zeus' child, thus entering dangerous situations, the first one being of Hera aiming to punish her for sleeping with her husband. Wonder Woman takes Zola under her protection and tries to fight off forces that might try to harm her or her baby. Zola was a ploy used by Athena to make herself a human to restore Zeus to the throne of Olympus by mating and giving birth to him as a human. She is a young woman and a mother to Zeke, a child of Zeus.
"Trial of the Amazons" is a seven issue crossover event from DC Comics written by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Jordie Bellaire, Vita Ayala and Joelle Jones. The story details a civil war between the Amazons, and has Wonder Woman crossing paths with Nubia, Yara Flor, Cassie Sandsmark, Donna Troy, Hippolyta and Artemis of Bana-Mighdall. The event received positive reviews, although the ending received criticism for it being rushed.
Yara Flor is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is one of the heroines to use the identity of Wonder Girl. Created by Joëlle Jones, she first appeared in Dark Nights: Death Metal #7.
