My Heroine Addiction : Diana The Huntress

Today’s subject is an obscure strip that ran for 10 issues of YELLOWJACKET COMICS. On a certain level it’s fair to say that “Dianna the Huntress” was an aping of DC’s successful Wonder Woman. Both strips had their roots with Greco/Roman mythology and dealt with supernatural beings who aided the plight of mortals. In this first episode Jupiter decides to have the gods of Olympus join the Allied cause and stand against the Axis.

Man, where to start on this. The writer shows us clearly that the Greeks hold a particular special place in the affection of these immortals, yet he uniformly uses the Roman names of the gods. By all rights the strip should have been called “Artemus the Huntress”. Then these beings have no difficulty with the fact that they are no longer being worshiped, as our heroine’s first act is to recover a Christian Icon for a Greek Orthodox priest! I love that our goddess is a no nonsense kinda gal, as she expertly shoots the Nazi general in the heart.

Although Dianna’s run was relatively short, the penciling chores were divided among 4 different men. Gus Schrotter, a talent whose style was very much in sync with H. G. Paters, drew the story you just read and her second adventure. Peters was the longtime artist on Wonder Woman.

The next man on the drawing board was Leo Morey and he racked up the most pages by illustrating issues 3 through 6. He had a more classically illustrative style. Here is an example of his work on issue number 3.

 

The final Diana artist was Ken Battefield, who was the primary artist on the title’s lead character “Yellowjacket”.

 

The third artist was most remarkable for his inability to draw! Burton Geller under took three of Diana’s stories and I’m giving you what I consider his nader. It’s from YELLOWJACKET COMICS #9 in April 1946.

Pat