These days, the Invisible Plane is often reserved for in-jokes and Easter eggs, with the occasional serious twist devised by writers with Silver Age nostalgia. However, given the fact that this strange aircraft appeared in countless comics, as well as cartoons such as Super-Friends and Justice League Unlimited, and even the Lynda Carter series, it's not super surprising that Patty Jenkins wanted to pay tribute to it.
Still, why does Wonder Woman need an invisible plane, in the first place? And who came up with this idea?
Believe it or not, this quirky trope is almost as old as Wonder Woman herself, having first appeared in 1942's Sensation Comics #1. Back in the early days when creator William Moulton Marston was putting together Wonder Woman's origins, he depicted Themyscira as a place of highly advanced technology, so the notion of a plane that was invisible from radar (and the naked eye) wasn't such a stretch as it would be in later depictions of the island, which go for a more ancient, magical vibe. DC Comics is known for its history of reboots, so the backstory of the Invisible Plane has varied quite a bit — sometimes it's depicted as a creation of Diana herself, sometimes a gift from her mother, and sometimes even as an extraterrestrial "morphing crystal" — but arguably, the more interesting point is why Marston inserted this plane into his stories in the first place. It is often theorized that the plane's invisibility was a form of social commentary regarding how women entered the previously male-dominated workforce during WWII, working just as hard and effectively as their male counterparts while not receiving the same degree of credit and appreciation (I.E., being invisible). This does seem like a parallel that Marston would have intended, since his feminist and politically-charged intentions for Wonder Woman's origin are deeply rooted in every aspect of the character.
History aside, though, it's entirely possible that the Invisible Plane might be hinting toward some surprising twists awaiting Diana's future in the now-confirmed Wonder Woman 3.
