Superman
The superhero genre was born with Superman in Action Comics #1.[1] Although the comic begins by framing Superman as a tragic, orphaned figure, the narrative quickly focuses on his dedication to justice. This concept of justice is explored, in this first comic, through Superman’s combat with criminals. Criminals are fought, Superman’s invulnerability is established, and Superman is demonstrated as inhuman. This is the prototypical superhero: a person who is somewhat dehumanized by the level of power that they possess and their obsession with fighting criminals. Superman’s public identity is in stark contrast to his private identity as Clark Kent. Kent serves as a point where the reader can relate to the deific Superman. This relationship between the reader and the character, especially what the reader can see of themselves in that character, will be critical for the argument presented by this website.
[1] Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, “Superman,” in Action Comics #1, (DC Comics, 1938): 1-13.
Wonder Woman
The next evolution in the genre is best represented by Wonder Woman. Introduced in 1941, Wonder Woman is a resident of Paradise Island who leaves her home to aid the United States in their war against the Axis Powers. Paradise Island is inhabited solely by the female descendants of the Amazons who long ago escaped their slaver, Hercules.[1] The narrative of the paradisal island inhabited only by women is a cultural argument presented to the reader by the author: it challenges readers to consider the role of women in society. By providing this rare scene of women unrivaled in positions of power, the author promotes reflection on the recognition and representation of women in the United States. William Marston, the original creator of Wonder Woman, described her as a type of “psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should, [he believes], rule the world.”[2] The character of Wonder Woman is a deliberate attempt to inspire the reader to think about the injustices present in twentieth-century American preventing women from achievement, both economic and political. These injustices are born from a failure to recognize the problems that women are facing in modern society. Unlike Paradise Island, women in America are presented with limitations and barriers on their path to success. The glass ceiling, a term used to express how women are invisibly limited, adequately describes one such barrier. These barriers exist because they are not recognized, and recognition through media presence will be instrumental in destroying them. Introducing Wonder Woman attempted to begin this conversation and recognition very openly by presenting a setting where “paradise” is the only land in the world where men are totally banned.
[1] William Marston, “Introducing Wonder Woman,” in All Star Comics #8, (All-American Publications, 1941).
[2] Jill Lepore, “The Last Amazon,” The New Yorker (September 2014), https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/22/last-amazon.