Dr. Psycho is a known and dangerous foe of Wonder Woman. As a child he was picked on for his stature and and ugly features. During this time, he also found a hatred for all women.

Psycho went to medical school and began research into psionics. He fell in love with a young woman named Marva, who regarded him merely as a friend. Psycho decided to hypnotize Marva into loving him. He then discovered he could use Marva as a medium through which he could draw ectoplasm, the substance found in the spirit world, and materialise it on Earth in whatever form he willed. Psycho used the ectoplasm to materialise a handsome body around himself and married Marva. However, he could not maintain his handsome form when Marva was either absent or free from his hypnotic influence and for that reason, Psycho came to resent her. Marva was finally hit by a car and died, and it was implied that Psycho was responsible.

Doctor Psycho eventually discovered that he could use Colonel Steve Trevor as a medium. Having captured Trevor, Psycho used a machine called an ectoplasmatron to draw ectoplasm from Trevor's mind in the form of Trevor's idealised, super powered fantasy image of himself. Inhabiting this ectoplasmic form, Doctor Psycho battled Wonder Woman under the name of Captain Wonder. As Captain Wonder, Psycho fell in love with Silver Swan, an ugly young woman whom the vindictive god Mars had transformed into a super powered beauty. Both Captain Wonder and the Silver Swan later returned to their original forms.

Later still, Doctor Psycho received a machine called an ectoplasmic extractor from the Monitor, which allowed him to draw ectoplasm into this world without the need of a human medium.