Nubia (comics)

Nubia / Nu'Bia
Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #204, (January 1973)
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Nubia: Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #204, (January 1973) Nu'Bia: Wonder Woman (vol. 2) Annual #8, (1999)
Created by	Nubia: Robert Kanigher (writer) Don Heck (artist) Nu'Bia: Doselle Young (writer) Brian Denham (artist)
In-story information
Species	Amazon
Place of origin	Themyscira
Notable aliases	Nu'Bia, Wonder Woman of the Floating Island/Slaughter Island
Abilities	Super strength, speed, agility, reflexes, senses, stamina, and endurance Flight Superior hand-to-hand combatant Magical weaponry, including a magical sword and armor Paralyzing "Cold Sight". Possesses the ability to open dimensional portals Possesses the ability to relieve her body of physical injury and toxins by becoming one with the Earth's soil and then reforming her body whole again

Nubia is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. The original Nubia was created by Robert Kanigher and Don Heck, and debuted in Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #204, (January 1973). The modern character named Nu'Bia was created by Doselle Young and Brian Denham, her first appearance in Wonder Woman Annual (vol. 2) #8 (1999).

In Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #204, (January 1973), Diana (Wonder Woman) has her memories restored by the Amazons and is soon confronted by an armored female warrior who challenges her to single combat. The two initially wrestle, then face each other with swords. Diana and the intruder seem evenly matched until the intruder knocks the sword from Diana's hands, but then hesitates to kill her. The dark-skinned stranger introduces herself as Nubia, the one true Wonder Woman, and tells Diana that they will meet again someday to decide which of them has the right to the title. Diana's mother, Queen Hippolyta, secretly believes she recognizes Nubia, who returns to her own Floating Island.

A short Nubia story in WW #205 picks up with her departure from Paradise island, including a short conversation and an embrace from Hippolyta. Back on her mist-concealed Floating Island, Nubia rules a community of all men. Upon her return, two men claim the right to fight for her, citing the "law of the Floating Island" or "Mars' law of conquest." Declaring "No man will ever own Nubia!" she fights one of the men herself, defeating him but letting him live. She says, "A woman doesn't destroy life, she cherishes it!".

In WW #206, Hippolyta flashes back to the truth, a revised version of Wonder Woman's origin story: Hippolyta had formed two babies from clay, one dark and one light. They are brought to life by the gods, but Mars the god of war abducts baby Nubia, whom Hippolyta never sees again. Nubia is raised by Mars as his weapon of destruction against the Amazons. Mars and Nubia launch an attack on Paradise Island from their so-called "Slaughter Island." Coming to assist, Diana recognizes Mars' ring and removes it from Nubia's hand, breaking the god's mind control over Nubia. She and Diana oppose Mars, who flees, and Nubia leaves to lead her warriors "into ways of peace." Hippolyta reveals Nubia's origin to Diana.