Wonder Woman Unbound

by Hanley, Tim

  what he called “mother right” … See J. J. Bachofen, Myth, Religion, and Mother Right: Selected Writings of J. J. Bachofen, trans. Ralph Manheim (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1967).

  the many inaccuracies behind originary matriarchy … See Ti-Grace Atkinson, quoted in Judy Antonelli, “Atkinson Re-evaluates Feminism,” Off Our Backs 5, no. 5 (June 1975): 19; or Sarah B. Pomeroy, “A Classical Scholar’s Perspective on Matriarchy,” in Liberating Women’s History: Theoretical and Critical Essays, ed. Berenice A. Carroll (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976), 223.

  “The true history of woman was rewritten …” Rhoda Lerman, “In Memoriam: Elizabeth Gould Davis,” in Ms. 3, no. 6 (December 1974): 74.

  Alpert believed that the maternal nature of women … Jane Alpert, “Mother Right: A New Feminist Theory,” Ms. 2, no. 2 (August 1973): 92.

  The Amazon Connection

  “just one small, isolated outcropping …” Steinem, introduction to Wonder Woman, 6.

  an imagined meeting between herself, Diner … Phyllis Chesler, “The Amazon Legacy,” in Wonder Woman (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1972), 1–2.

  a battle over whether patriarchy … Eckstein-Diener, Mothers and Amazons, 105.

  “a step forward to a purer form of life” … Bachofen, Myth, Religion, and Mother Right, 105.

  “many genuine Amazon and matriarchal …” Chesler, “The Amazon Legacy,” 13.

  “Wonder Woman is an important symbol …” Letter from Ann Forfreedom, Wonder Woman #212 (June/July 1974).

  Revising Wonder Woman

  “her creator had also seen straight …” Steinem, introduction to Wonder Woman, 1.

  “a glorified image of woman on which …” Joanne H. Wright, Origin Stories in Political Thought: Discourses on Gender, Power, and Citizenship (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004), 149.

  “The new identity being forged has little …” Ibid., 149.

  “So the gr-reat Wonder Woman is-ss …” Wonder Woman #6 (Fall 1943).

  “the distorted and villainized Nazis …” Edgar, “Wonder Woman Revisited,” 55.

  “highly jingoistic and even racist overtones” … Steinem, introduction to Wonder Woman, 4.

  “Wonder Woman’s artists sometimes …” Steinem, “Politics,” in Wonder Woman (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1972).

  “compared to the other comic book characters …” Steinem, introduction to Wonder Woman, 4.

  “some of the Wonder Woman stories preach …” Ibid., 3.

  “much of the blame rests with history …” Ibid., 3.

  She regularly ousted local leaders … See Sensation Comics #18 (June 1943) and Sensation Comics #62 (February 1947).

  “all these doubts paled beside the relief …” Steinem, introduction to Wonder Woman, 4.

  “Give them an alluring woman stronger …” Marston, “Why 100,000,000 Americans Read Comics,” 43.

  “females were sometimes romanticized …” Steinem, introduction to Wonder Woman, 3.

  “Is the reader supposed to conclude women …” Ibid., 3.

  “rarely has the leisure to hint at what …” Ibid., 3.

  “Who could resist a role model like that?” … Edgar, “Wonder Woman Revisited,” 52.

  “the comic also underlines the importance …” Chesler, “The Amazon Legacy,” 14.

  “a version of the truisms that women …” Steinem, introduction to Wonder Woman, 2.

  “Strength and self-reliance for …” Ibid., 3.

  “Wonder Woman’s final message to …” Steinem, “Sisterhood,” in Wonder Woman (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1972).

  “With my speculum, I am strong …” The cover of Sister: The Newspaper of the Los Angeles Women’s Center, July 1973.

  Epic Comic Book Fail

  “like many of us, she went into a decline …” Edgar, “Wonder Woman Revisited,” 52.

  “Dottie Cottonman, women’s magazine …” Wonder Woman #204 (February 1973).

  FN reports that Woolfolk’s outspoken feminism … See interview with Jeff Rovin by Jon B. Cooke, “Rise & Fall of Rovin’s Empire,” www.twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/16rovin.html; and Alan Kupperberg, “Dorothy Woolfolk Remembered,” www.alankupperberg.com/woolfolk.html.

  In Her Satin Tights, Fighting for Her Rights

  “a modern-day Lynda Carter” … Inside cover of Playboy 55, no. 2 (February 2008).

  “What bothered me more then …” Heidi Meeley, “Lynda Carter She Ain’t! The Reaction Starts,” Comics Fairplay blog, January 11, 2008, http://comicsfairplay.blogspot.com/2008/01/lynda-carter-she-ain.html.

  “How exactly did Tiffany Fallon earn …” Commenter “borrowedwings,” in response to Rachel Edidin, “No, It Really Is That Simple,” Rachel blog, January 16, 2008, http://rachel-edidin.livejournal.com/72684.html.

  “when [Carter] put on that uniform …” Lisa Fortuner, “Just Past the Horizon: That’s Not Power,” Newsarama, January 11, 2008, http://blog.newsarama.com/2008/01/11/just-past-the-horizon-thats-not-power/.

  “I grew up watching the TV show …” George Khoury, “Beautiful Girl: An Interview with Tiffany Fallon,” Comic Book Resources, February 18, 2008, www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=15771.

  “If the Nazis win, the whole world would be …” “The Feminum Mystique Part One,” in Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season (Warner Video, 2004), DVD.

  “I named this island ‘Paradise’ …” “The New Original Wonder Woman,” in Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season.

  “Fraulein Grabel, you are a woman of great …” “Fausta: The Nazi Wonder Woman,” in Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season.

  “Women are the wave of the future …” “The New Original Wonder Woman,” in Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season.

  “STEVE: She is a wonder. Strong and fearless …” “Last of the Two-Dollar Bills,” in Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season.

  “We needed a large woman, a statuesque …” Douglas Cramer, interviewed in “Beauty, Brawn, and Bulletproof Bracelets: A Wonder Woman Retrospective,” in Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season.

  10. The Mundane Modern Age

  Comics from the Modern Age are collected by story line, with the vast majority of them currently out of print. The early years of the Pérez era were collected in four volumes, now out of print, and subsequent stories were collected sporadically. Only the newest arcs and bestselling titles remain available for any character, and there are few for Wonder Woman.

  In 1970, its average monthly circulation … Chris Tolworthy, “Marvel and DC Sales Figures,” www.zak-site.com/Great-American-Novel/comic _sales.html.

  The George Pérez Era

  Wonder Woman was hit by the Anti-Monitor’s antimatter blast … Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (March 1986).

  Knowing the book was having trouble … George Pérez, introduction to Wonder Woman Volume One: Gods and Mortals (New York: DC Comics, 2004).

  “strong … brave … compassionate …” Wonder Woman #1 (February 1987).

  “chosen race—born to lead humanity …” Ibid.

  “open yourself to fair Artemis …” Ibid.

  they became part of the world again … Wonder Woman #22 (November 1988).

  Myndi Mayer died of a drug overdose … Wonder Woman #20 (September 1988).

  Vanessa’s cheery friend Lucy Spears committed suicide … Wonder Woman #46 (September 1990).

  Vanessa was concerned her boyfriend wouldn’t like her … Wonder Woman #16 (May 1988).

  made Etta Candy feel sensitive about her weight … Wonder Woman #15 (April 1988).

  Background Player

  She became a space pirate … Starting in Wonder Woman #69 (December 1992).

  got a job at the Mexican fast food restaurant … Wonder Woman #73 (April 1993).

  John Byrne took over as writer and artist … Wonder Woman #101 (September 1995).

  even killed her for a few issues … Starting in Wonder Woman #127 (Novemb
er 1997).

  Batman had eighty-four titles listed and … DC Comics, DC Entertainment Essential Graphic Novels and Chronology 2013 (New York: DC Comics, 2013), 97–104.

  Wonder Woman died twice … War of the Gods #3 (November 1991); and Wonder Woman #127.

  lost the title of Wonder Woman … Starting in Wonder Woman #92 (December 1994).

  The Fridged Women of DC Comics

  they eventually got married … Superman: The Wedding Album (December 1996).

  she was shot while embedded with troops … Adventures of Superman #631 (October 2004).

  First coined by Gail Simone … See the website Women in Refrigerators, www.lby3.com/wir/.

  One of the most famous fridgings involved Barbara Gordon … Batman: The Killing Joke (1988).

  “I may never be as good as he is, but Kal …” Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (October 1985).

  Steph was promoted when the current Robin … Robin #126 (July 2004).

  brutally tortured and killed by Black Mask … Batman #633 (December 2004).

  The second issue revealed that years before … Identity Crisis #2 (September 2004).

  The culprit was actually Jean Loring … Identity Crisis #7 (February 2005).

  So Wonder Woman snapped his neck … Wonder Woman #219 (September 2005).

  Conclusion

  SPIDER-MAN AND BARACK OBAMA … http://splashpage.mtv.com/2009/02/02/spider-man-and-barack-obama-comic-book-team-up-hits-fifth-printing/.

  THE AVENGERS SHATTERS BOX OFFICE RECORDS … www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/the-avengers-shatters-box-office-records-for-opening-weekend-20120507.

  WONDER WOMAN’S NEW HAIRDO CAUSES A STIR … http://web.kitsapsun.com/redesign/2003-04-09/nationworld/118111.shtml.

  JOSS WHEDON DISCUSSES HIS DEFUNCT “WONDER WOMAN” MOVIE … www.screenrant.com/joss-whedon-wonder-woman-sandy-139177/.

  WONDER WOMAN FINALLY GETS A PAIR OF PANTS … www.disgrasian.com/2010/06/wonder-woman-finally-gets-a-pair-of-pants/.

  DC REVEALS SUPERMAN’S NEW LEADING LADY … AND IT’S A DOOZY … http://shelf-life.ew.com/2012/08/22/justice-league-12-exclusive/.

  On The Big Bang Theory … “The Wheaton Recurrence,” The Big Bang Theory, season 3, episode 19.

  On 30 Rock, Liz Lemon sang part … “Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter,” 30 Rock, season 4, episode 17.

  On The Simpsons, Homer mentioned that … “Three Men and a Comic Book,” The Simpsons, season 2, episode 21.

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