As it turns out, secret identities were more than merely comic book fictions in the Marston household. Olive Richard was a pseudonym taken by Olive Byrne, who was had not only been his research assistant, but was also the mother of two of his children.
As an immortal embodiment of the indomitable feminine spirit, Wonder Woman’s character lends herself to the exploration of big ideas. Fortunately writer Steve Orlando really likes to play with big…
In 2016, the year leading up to the release of her eponymous movie, Wonder Woman was named the United Nations’ Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls. The…
Marston knew that they were dancing at the edge of social acceptability, but as a promotional image by Peter plainly declared, Wonder Woman came to Man’s World to combat not only “man’s superiority” and “prejudice,” but also “prudery!”
Sadie Elizabeth Holloway was a wonder among women. Born in 1893, she emigrated with her parents from the Isle of Man, an island situated in the Irish Sea between Ireland…
One Comic Book Writer’s Extraordinary Résumé Wonder Woman’s creator, Professor William Moulton Marston, was a peculiar figure in the comic book industry. The creators of Superman (Jerry Siegel and Joe…
The Magic Girdle as a gift from Aphrodite adds another dimension to the mythology. Hanley correctly identifies the girdle as a zoster, but it is also something more, a specific artifact from the boudoir love goddess herself.
“The truth does seem to change according to who is looking for it — and why.” Phyllis chesler In the pages of Wonder Woman, Marston took the story of Hercules’…
Wonder Woman’s real-world origin begins in World War II America, but elements of her backstory can be traced to ancient Greek tales of the mighty hero, Hercules. Famous for his incredible strength, Hercules was the son of Zeus, king of the gods, and the mortal Alcmene.
Every version of Wonder Woman’s origin contains certain common elements. Nearly every variation can be boiled down to this: Princess Diana is the greatest champion of the mythic Amazons, a tribe of immortal women who had abandoned Man’s World for a hidden island, where they founded an all-female utopian civilization. After proving herself the strongest and most capable among them, Diana leaves Paradise Island for Man’s World where she becomes the world’s greatest superheroine.
When is a true story not the truth? Sometimes a person’s life story is so fascinating that it eclipses historical truth, and the legend that is passed down comes to…
At that time no one cared much about Wonder Woman. At least it seemed that way. But the standing-room-only lecture suggested otherwise. I told the audience how Dr. William Moulton Marston had created not just Wonder Woman, but also the lie detector and the psychological model, DISC Theory.