...2014 Wonder Woman Children always looking for a positive role model to have, and many end up choosing superheroes they see in their favorite comic books or ones they have seen in the media. Since children are so easily affected by things they see in their childhood, having discriminatory elements in these influential characters may be problematic. “The Wonder Woman Precedent: Female (Super) Heroism on Trial” written by Julie D. O’Reilly, was published in the Journal of American Culture in 2005. O’Reilly is a professor of communication and women and gender at Heidelberg University. In “The Wonder Woman Precedent”, she writes about the hardships that female superheroes in the media must face that male superheroes do not go through. Throughout her article she compares Wonder Woman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the sisters of Charmed to male superheroes like Superman and Jake 2.0. “Wonder Woman” written by Gloria Steinem, is an excerpt from a book written about Wonder Woman. Steinem is well known activist, feminist, and author. “Wonder Woman” talks about how Wonder Woman helped shape Steinem to become the woman she is today. O’Reilly and Steinem both believe that the creator of Wonder Woman views on feminism are not exactly correct. However, both authors share opposing viewpoints on the trials female superheroes face and if wonder woman is a feminist icon. The creator of Wonder Woman, not surprising to most, was a man. William Moulton Marston, who wrote the Wonder Woman comics...
Words: 969 - Pages: 4
...Golden Age Wonder Woman began in 1941 with the Amazon Princess Diana nursing American intelligence officer Steve Trevor back to health after he crashed on Themyscira Island. The Amazons decided that someone should go back to America with Steve to help with the battle in the outside world that was WWII. Wonder Woman won a contest which permitted her to leave Themyscira Island and head off to America with Steve Trevor. In America, Diana adopted the name "Diana Prince" and joined the army to help fight the Nazi's. Steve Trevor never knew that Diana Prince was also Princess Diana of Themyscira (kind of how Lois Lane never knew that Clark Kent was Superman). Soon after, she became secretary of the Justice Society of America reporting to Colonel Darnell of U.S. Military Intelligence. William Mouton Marston (creator of Wonder Woman) died in 1947 and Robert Kanigher became the new writer. He stayed pretty faithful to the original Wonder Woman scripts although there was considerably less attention given to Diana's Amazon background and the Greek Gods less frequently and more focus on her crime-fighting. The end of the Golden Age Wonder Woman came with the Comics Code Authority in 1954. From that point on (and for quite a while following), Wonder Woman’s character was no longer written as a strong, independent feminist. Instead they seemed to focus more on her love interests which included Merman and Birdman in addition to Steve Trevor. The Silver Age (which by some accounts began when...
Words: 701 - Pages: 3
...Wonder woman has been around for over seventy years. The only other super heroes that are even comparable are super man and batman through the years she has thrilled and inspired many young girls. “She is constantly pulled in two directions; her stories must be entertaining and non threatening to the male status quo, while simultaneously furthering her as the original symbol of 'Girl Power’” (Introduction). She is an icon of strength to women everywhere, but she can also be chastised for wearing a skimpy costume. Wonder Woman represents the entire female gender, at a time of important social flux. Wonder Woman has evolved into an important symbol of the feminist movement; even though she was created by a man to influence a male audience (Introduction). In February of 1941 William Moulton Marston Wrote ‘Suprema: The Wonder Woman.’ This was the first sight of Wonder Woman....
Words: 1019 - Pages: 5
...Wonder Woman is a character initially created for comic book in 1941, the medium in which she is still most prominently found to this day. As befitting an icon of her status, she has made appearances in other forms of media and has been referenced and meta-referenced beyond the scope of traditional superhero entertainment. For several years in the 1950s, the only three superheroes to have their own comic book were Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The cultural impact of the character, once derided by psychologists and anti-comic book crusaders as an anti-male lesbian, has steadily increased over the years, having served as an iconic exemplar of the feminist movement and a continuing symbol of female empowerment. As such, she appears in numerous media, from cereal box covers and popular magazines to being referenced both directly and indirectly in film, animation and television programming. As a cultural icon, she is the subject of several homages and parodies in many forms of media. In art Wonder Woman is the subject of a 1978 - 1979 video art piece Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman. In this work she uses appropriated images of Wonder Woman to subvert the ideology and meaning embedded in the television series. Author T.J. Demos writes, "(the) opening with a prolonged salvo of fiery explosions accompanied by the warning cry of a siren, Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman is supercharged, action-packed, and visually riveting... throughout its nearly six minutes...
Words: 1216 - Pages: 5
... Wonder Woman William Moulton Marston created comic books about Wonder Woman. The creator of Wonder Woman is William Moulton Marston. He was born on May 9, 1893 in Cliftondale, Massachusetts, United States. William Moulton Marston died May 2, 1947 in Rye, New York, United States. In 1913 his name Marston was know in his lifetime. He was a professor at universities until he went to Hollywood. Marston was interested in the lie Detector test and he quite practicing law. Wonder Woman was the first female superhero that was created (William Moulton Marston.” Encyclopedia of world Biography). In the 1940s the United States entered World War II. The aspect of life that was...
Words: 440 - Pages: 2
...shadows in 1939. Wonder Woman landed in her invisible plane in 1941.” Wonder Woman was created in 1941 by American Psychologist William Moulton Marston making her first appearance on Star Comic’s #8. Wonder Woman is an Amazonian princess with a range of superpowers and battle skills. Her weapons include the lasso of truth, her tiara, and indestructible bracelets. Much of Marston’s inspiration for Wonder Woman’s character came from the women in his polyamorous relationship. She was the first female A-list character and later became a feminist icon. This is evident when your discover her one weakness that renders her completely powerless, which is having her bracelets bound together with chains by a man. This weakness can be applied to society and reflects women’s rights and men’s power over them. Her first appearance in the comics, was around the time of WWII when women were asked to join the workforce. Women were brought in to work which, they had never done in their life. When the soldiers returned, women were asked to return to attend to the home. Women have always been sought out to be inferior to men, and being deemed as powerless and unable to mount up to them. The reason Wonder Woman was created by Dr. Marston was to empower young girls and women to achieve what has been monopolized by men. Wonder Woman is what bridged 1910s and 1970s feminism together from the 1940s. As she has emerged throughout the years women today have found themselves relating to Wonder Woman in different...
Words: 306 - Pages: 2
...In ”Is Wonder Woman Suited To Be a U.N. Ambassador?,” Nourish Aizenman reports the dispute on Wonder Woman’s appointment as “Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls.” Aizenman states that some feminist activists - including Anne Marie Goetz, a professor of global affairs at New York University and a former adviser on peace and security issues to the United Nations agency, U.N. women - protest the assignment of Wonder Woman, saying the timing could not be worse. According to the article, the attempt to realize the first female Secretary General of the United Nation resulted in a failure, in spite of painstaking endeavors of many organizations that advocates women’s rights. Therefore, to the people who disappointed about the...
Words: 267 - Pages: 2
...Wonder Woman was more than a lasso slinging, bullet dodging super hero; she is an American feminist’s icon. Wonder Woman was introduced to Americans during World War II, by William Moulton Marston, a Harvard trained psychologist and lawyer. She represented nationhood at a time when our nation was at war. She was the daughter of Queen Hippolyte ruler of an all-woman race of Amazons living on Paradise Island, somewhere located in the Bermuda Triangle. She was named Princess Diana, after the Romanized version of the Greek Goddess Artemis (Emad, 2006). Since the inception of Wonder Woman, her origin has changed twice. Originally she earned her power and title she embodied for decades when she won a power competition amongst the other Amazonian women. In the second version of her origin she did not win her powers but instead was given them to her by the Gods themselves. Wonder Woman was much more than a comic book super hero. According to historian Lori Landay, “Wonder Woman operated in wartime popular culture as a metaphor for the movement in femininity out of the garden and into the war” (p. 11). She contained her super human powers from the public and lived a dual life, nurse and super hero. This reinforced the perception that women need to hide the power and strength allowing men to remain the dominate species. By the late 1990’s, Wonder Woman’s image changed and began to align with the times. She bared a more determined look, her body was toned and she donned a more “ready...
Words: 311 - Pages: 2
...debuted in 1959 as the sidekick woman Superman. However, it did not last long, Supergirl was finally able to stand on its own as a character. So far, there have been several versions of Supergirl, i.e. Linda Danvers, Cir-El, and Kara Zor-El from the three versions, Kara Zor-El is the most popular. Supergirl-2 As the aliens from Krypton Supergirl, Superman's powers have all, like flying, heat vision, x-ray vision, and ice breath. In fact, some villain ever says that Supergirl is stronger than his cousin, but this proved difficult, seeing as Superman always refrain. Because in this list we include Superman as one of the strongest members of the Justice League, then automatically the cousin...
Words: 977 - Pages: 4
..."A hero is a man who does what he can" - Romain Rolland Have you wondered what a true hero is like? When people say hero, they usually think of cartoon characters like Superman, Spiderman, or Wonder woman. A hero can wear anything and they can be as simple as we are. Everyone can be a hero, not necessarily save lives but we can be heroes on our own way. But did you know that heroes are hard to find? I found my hero and she is a teacher. A hero is someone who cares for my well-being. In life, people may come in go, some will be remembered and some are forgotten. One thing is for sure, I’ll never the person who is known to me as my second parent. My teacher my hero is Ma’am Evelyn B. Plaza, my Second year High School teacher. I am very proud to describe my favorite teacher to all of you and will share what I have learned from her because she is my teacher and my hero. She has the most beautiful personality I ever encountered. I am proud to say that she is beautiful inside and out. She has two small brown sympathetic eyes that showing his tender loving care to us, a pointed nose, and a red rosy lip. She has a short black shiny hair and brown Filipina complexion. My teacher is a very good example in her young age. She is supportive and very sincere. She is very nice and fun to be with. Sometimes she is like my mom because she is someone who can understand me. She is like a star in the night guiding my way not to be lost and became a better person. She always teaches...
Words: 745 - Pages: 3
...In Kingdom Come, Wonder Woman confronts Superman about his ideals, and says “Kal, whether you like it or not, you’re a world leader, and the league is getting tired of you adjusting to that role. As far as I’m concerned, if the situation with the Gulag prisoners gets 1 Micron worse, the league will be forced to make a final decisive action.” (pg. 136, Chapter 3) Wonder Woman and Rorschach were both characters that were written to symbolize the definition of retributivist, meaning that the policy of the justice system vindicates the criminals (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Web. 13 Dec. 2016). Wonder Woman’s tone appears to be aggressive because she had failed her mission to demonstrate peace through a violent world. Wonder Woman, like Superman, has lost faith in society. This same concept is paralleled in Watchmen, where Rorschach’s Ink Blotch mask is symbolic to how he views the world as black and white, which branches from his own tragic past with his mother, and his father’s willingness to pursue a better life. Wonder Woman and Rorschach were both characters that had setbacks that had inspired them to take their anger out on characters who commit the greater atrocities, which were reflected upon how big of the crime was committed ("Deontology - By Branch...
Words: 2203 - Pages: 9
...understatement. However, with the release of Wonder Woman earlier this year, it seems that the films were heading in the right direction and the future for the universe looks bright. Now we have Justice League, the much anticipated union of some of the biggest names in comic book history, and it's time to see if the movie is a step forward or two steps back. Justice League follows the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as Steppenwolf comes down to Earth to bring together three mysterious boxes which, when combined, can destroy our world and create a planet ripe for the coming of Darkseid. Now Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince must bring together a team to stop the coming invasion. In a way, Justice League is the conclusion to the Man of Steel trilogy, which continued in Batman v Superman, and it handles it's baggage much better than before. This movie not only has to set up three new characters, it also has to follow up to the three established heroes and it juggles it all very well. Although they...
Words: 1444 - Pages: 6
...Oral Roberts University SUPERIORITY AND BLURRED LINES: An observation of the themes communicated in major DC Comics storylines Joshua Gallego Philosophy of Science HONR 102 Dr. Ken Weed/Dr. Samuel Thorpe March 13, 2014 Introduction Superheroes are part of an American upbringing. Stories of persons with capabilities that far exceed that of the human race are popular and appealing to our youth and even to many adults. Entertainment in general pervades the American culture, and this specific type of entertainment dealing with superheroes is of considerable size and has been a constant for several decades. Images of Superman, Captain America and many others are immediately recognized when seen. The entertainment value of these fictitious tales has caused the companies that own them to expand into creating computer games and producing movies, which has made them even more visible. It is considered weird if a person does not even know the basic story of these costumed figures. The adventures, stories, and even lives of these fictions have become a part of the American Psyche. Throughout the course of this semester, discussion in the Philosophy of Science class has led to topics such as the paradigms and presuppositions that we approach our world from and the metaphors that we use to communicate ideas and concepts. Such discussion has led to the asking of questions concerning things that we encounter in everyday circumstances. Questions like “What are the presuppositions...
Words: 3545 - Pages: 15
...First it was in the comic shop, then it was on the Internet and most recently, it’s on the big screen (Lussier).” says Tsujihara. DC characters are better because their status is more realistic and attainable, they are more popular among the children, and DC characters work hard for their strengths and powers and use them for good. There are two categories within DC: the gods, such as Wonder Woman and Superman, and the iconic underdogs, such as Batman and Green Lantern. The gods are from another planet or universe and are normally the ruler’s child. They use their powers to protect their land. The underdogs are the favorite in any story and work the hardest. They are not born with any powers, but they want to help so they make a way. The underdogs are the people we look up to and admire the most. They are good men and/or women whom we strive to be like. Everyone looks up to Bruce Wayne because he is a good guy who wants to turns the bad events in his life into profit for others. Marvel literally has no characters that work for their superhero status. People love Marvel and support it and they wonder why their children do not want to work for what they get. Children start acting like the atmosphere around them and Marvel gives off a “you do not have to work hard” vibe. DC has this vibe surrounding it that draws kids to their characters. They are slightly older than Marvel which gives them an innocence which most children are attracted to. Marvel has more scenes you have to...
Words: 619 - Pages: 3
...various species of flora and fauna confined in our oblique spheroid world, the humanity is rich in beautiful heritages and diverse cultures. Dynamic as it is, the world remains persistent in its quest for fashion to upgrade the human condition. With all pursuits bound by the ultimate desire of happiness, what is the best way forward for the human race? Putting figures into perspective, how can ONE in a seven billion make any difference? Along with the modern advancements in the global society are the many dilemmas which endure as destructive forces in the universe – environmental devastation, overpopulation, poverty, high crime rates, drug addiction, poor educational system, dirty politics, and rampant corruption. One cannot help but wonder, can we combat these deeply-rooted social ills? Is there still a trace of hope for the mankind? What kind of future is awaiting for us and the generation yet unborn? It is but a sad reality that prevails to vex us deep to our very core. With the existing state of the world today, some, if not most of the people, remain deaf to respond to the reverberating call for action. Many would rather stay in the dark and refuse to find the light. Only a few would opt to speak and take a step while others choose to remain in silence. While everyone can sense the need for change, only some would react to the force one feels within. Indeed, the world cries for change. The world calls for responsible and proactive youth who would actively participate...
Words: 714 - Pages: 3
