The 1979 Soft Head Wonder Woman PEZ Dispenser Is the Golden Age DC Treasure Every Vintage Collector Has to Track Down
If there is one dispenser from the late 1970s that makes my heart skip a beat every single time I spot it at a show, it is the Soft Head Wonder Woman. She showed up in 1979 as part of a very special DC Comics series, and she has been turning heads on collector shelves ever since.
What Makes This Dispenser Special
The 1979 Soft Head Wonder Woman is part of a five-piece DC Comics series that PEZ released in the late 1970s. The lineup includes Batgirl, Batman, Joker, Penguin, and Wonder Woman, and the thing that unites them all is that remarkable soft, pliable head. Unlike the hard plastic dispenser tops that collectors are used to, these heads were made from a softer, rubber-like material that gives each character an almost tactile warmth. Run your thumb across Wonder Woman's molded tiara and you can feel why collectors went wild for these back in the day.
The Sculpt and the Details
PEZ nailed the character design here. Wonder Woman's signature red tiara sits front and center, and the soft head construction allowed for finer facial detail than many hard-plastic dispensers of the same era. Her coloring reflects the classic DC Comics palette that fans of the late 1970s television series would recognize immediately. The dispenser sits on a standard no-feet stem, which itself is a collector detail worth knowing. No-feet stems were the norm before PEZ introduced footed bases, so finding a no-feet example in clean condition is a genuine prize. The rear of the head is typically marked "DC Comics" or "Hong Kong DC Comics" depending on the production run, and that marking is one of the first things seasoned collectors check when evaluating authenticity.
The Soft Head series from 1979 is one of those rare moments where PEZ and a major comics license came together to produce something that felt genuinely collectible even at the time. Wonder Woman does not show up in clean condition very often, and when she does, she goes fast.
The Series Context
Understanding that Wonder Woman is one of five characters in this DC Comics Soft Head run makes each individual piece more meaningful. Completing the set, Batgirl, Batman, Joker, Penguin, and Wonder Woman, is a goal that serious vintage PEZ collectors pursue for years. Wonder Woman in particular tends to be harder to find in top condition because the soft head material is susceptible to fading and discoloration over time. A bright, clean example with sharp paint apps on the tiara and strong facial color is genuinely difficult to come by after more than four decades.
No Feet, No Problem
The no-feet stem is part of the dispenser's vintage identity. PEZ shifted to footed stems starting in the 1980s, so these pre-feet examples carry an authenticity that collectors prize. When you display the 1979 Wonder Woman alongside other no-feet vintage pieces, the cohesive look is unmistakable. I love grouping the full DC Comics Soft Head set together on a small dedicated shelf, heroes on one end and villains on the other, with Wonder Woman anchoring the hero side.
Collector Notes
This dispenser is officially retired and has been for decades. It surfaces most often through estate sales, vintage toy lots, and established PEZ collector channels. Condition varies widely: look for vivid color retention in the soft head, no cracking or brittleness in the material, and a stem that still functions cleanly. Whether you collect by character, by era, or by DC Comics tie-in, the 1979 Soft Head Wonder Woman belongs in that conversation. She is exactly the kind of piece that makes vintage PEZ collecting endlessly rewarding.
- 🍬 Callie
