Dian Belmont was a woman who wore many hats – and not just the stylish hats of the 1940s. She was a thief who became a detective, a socialite, and an ally to Wesley Dodds, the Sandman. Introduced 85 years ago in Adventure Comics #47 (February 1940), she was created by Gardner Fox and Ogden Whitney.

Her story began when Dian was still the thief known as “the Woman in Evening Clothes” who was stopped by the Sandman. A few issues later, her character was revealed to be a rich socialite who was dating Wesley Dodds, Sandman’s alter ego.

Dian’s story differed from its contemporaries because she knew that Wesley was a superhero, rather than being kept in the dark. She was a detective in her own right who worked alongside Sandman and was less of a damsel than some female comic characters of the time.

After nearly two years in comics, Dian disappeared in favor of giving Sandman a boy sidekick. She had a comeback in the ‘90s in Sandman Mystery Theatre, reintroduced as a party girl who decides to fight crime after meeting the Sandman. Their relationship was at once more mature than the original version but also light hearted and teasing, similar to the one shared by Nick and Nora Charles in The Thin Man series. Later in her life, Dian became a popular crime novelist and died of natural causes, soon followed by Wesley.