mythology
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WonderWomanhistory1.pptxWonder Woman
A mythical crossover
William Moulton Marston
Under the pen name of Charles Moulton, the Professor of psychology had a lucrative and successful career before his involvement in the world of comics.
His philosophy revolved around…
-Women as dominant forces in leadership roles
-Utopian ideals of Paradise Island (Themyscira)
-Alternative to the hero, the heroine and the ultra-violent pursuits of the early comic age.
Reading – segments from Wonder Woman Unbound
Influence of dominant, post-WWII culture
After Sensation Comics (and later D.C) took over the reigns of Wonder Woman from Marston, the character took on less of her feminist ideological values and began to reflect the patriarchal cultural norms of Cold War America of the 40’s and 50’s.
The 60’s Mod look
The Bronze Age of comics Wonder Woman abandoned her superpowers and her classic costume in favor of a new, mod “spy” look. (Hanley, 180)
The reboot wasn’t particularly successful as it moved away from the ideology and characterization of Diana Prince.
Feminist icon
By returning to her Amazon roots and finding her way into popular culture with Lynda Carter in the late 70’s T.V show, Wonder Woman found her identity cemented as an American mythical icon.
Gloria Steinem: We lobbied DC Comics publicly, by putting Wonder Woman on the cover [of Ms.] and reprinting some of her Golden Age stories, so girls plus women younger than I and Joanne Edgar, also a founder of Ms. who grew up on Wonder Woman, could see what they were missing.
Into the 21st Century
After Wonder Woman faded into the background of the late 80’s through the early 2000’s, the 21st Century Diana Prince took on a more central and dominant role in the D.C superhero world. Newer comic iterations allowed the character to stay true to her ideology and identity while experimenting with creative visions.
D.C Bombshells (2015) by Marguerite Bennett
Gal Gadot with Director Patty Jenkins
Representation matters – we see ourselves in media
