Although Wonder Woman's arch-nemesis is up for debate in the DCEU, none of her comic enemies stand out as much as Cheetah. The savage villain has had several appearances over the years, but none are as prominent as Doctor Barbara Ann Minerva's version. In Dick Giordano and George Pérez's 1980s Wonder Woman run, Cheetah got a refreshing and new origin instead of just being another character in a costume.
Even though Dr. Minerva isn't the original DC Comics Cheetah, she's absolutely the main one. The new Cheetah first appears in Giordano and Pérez's Wonder Woman #7. Fans can read Dr. Minerva's origins in issues #28-29. During a research mission in an African jungle, Dr. Minerva meets a native Urzkartagan high priest named Chuma. She soon discovers that the village is looking for an offering for their cheetah god. Eventually, another tribe kills everyone, except for Minerva and Chuma. Minerva offers to participate in the ritual herself, but it goes wrong, and she becomes the feral Cheetah. She regularly fights Wonder Woman and often teams up with Lex Luthor in variations of the Legion of Doom.
The bodypainter Charr just posted her latest appearance on Reddit (u/rednamrahC). She dawns a definitive Cheetah look and proves that fans may be the best at bringing comic-accurate costumes to life. The colors, yellow eyes, and overall design most resemble Dr. Minerva from the New 52 comics, especially Geoff Johns and Tony S. Daniel's Justice League #14. She goes even further on her Instagram (@Charrar.b), where she records a video of herself menacingly growling at the camera. The way the black, orange, and yellow paint moves around reveals how comic art can come to life.
[Self] I'm a bodypainter and this week I painted myself into Cheetah from DC Comics. I hope you like it! from cosplay
While most fans agree that the New 52 came and went too quickly, it still has some comic moments worth recollecting. Johns and Daniel's Justice League #14 possibly marks one of Cheetah's best moments in DC Comics. Dr. Minerva attacks the Justice League and actually stands a fighting chance. She keeps up with Flash and even defeats Superman. This moment has become one of the main scenarios where Superman fights Wonder Woman, and it's all because of Diana's feline foe.
Tony S. Daniel's art from the New 52 years, especially in Superman/Wonder Woman, Justice League, and Deathstroke, prove that he's one of the best designers for Wonder Woman and Cheetah today. Of course, some fans prefer George Pérez's retro design to Daniel's contemporary classic but, most, if not all, agree that Cheetah definitely earns her spot as Wonder Woman's top villain. Whether she plots to destroy Wonder Woman as a strategic ally of Lex Luthor or directly rampages her way to claw at the Amazing Amazon, Cheetah's animalistic instincts make her one of the most dangerous threats for DC's heroes.