WW and WWII
Myth, memory, history – these are three alternative ways to capture and account for an elusive past, each with its own persuasive claim. – Warren I. Susman
Where better for myth, memory and history to meet than in a comic book? Few characters owe their genesis to these shared elements more than Wonder Woman who owes her existence equally to greek mythology, the unsettled times of WWII and the personal, and somewhat strange, memories of her creator William Moulton Marston. The Amazons and their comic book history are lifted almost directly from Greek tales of Gods and Goddesses. Wonder Woman is sent into man’s world to intervene against the evils of WWII, and her bracelets are rumored to be inspired by the mistress of her author.
During her initial publication years, the events of WWII were not yet history but a reflection of what was happening in the real world at that time. After the war ended Wonder Woman continued her fight against evil, but now in a much more fanciful way, no longer crashing thru Nazi lines on horseback. While the focus of the comic shifted away from its war born roots, Wonder Woman’s origin, for the most part remained unchanged. As more time passed the history of Wonder Woman became less and less important to the character she had become, with no threat to galvanize the American population, there was little interest in playing up her patriotic side.
“Imagination plays too important a role in the writing of history, and what is imagination but the projection of the author’s personality.” – Pieter Geyl
As comics made their way into the modern era one of the more dramatic changes was made to the origins of the Amazon Princess, putting her Mother, Queen Hippolyte as the Amazon champion of WWII. Diana was no longer historically based, and with this separation of myth from history the book’s sales continued to decline.
Did the split of Diana from her factually based origin into pure myth and fantasy have a negative bearing on the book?
I don’t believe that comic book fans are clamoring for full historical accuracy in their books, comics after all, are fiction and meant as an escape. However, ties to reality serve well to strengthen the depth of stories. Wonder Woman being born from the conflict of the second world war gives her character more weight than without this connection to a darker time in our reality.
ABC recognized this when scripting the iconic 70s television show starring, the still beautiful, Lynda Carter. When the show changed networks to CBS the decision to modernize the setting was made. Re-watching these episodes now, the ones set in WWII feel much more timeless than the updated version.
Under the New 52 from DC, there has yet to be any mention to what Wonder Woman’s current origin story is. We are seeing a much stronger presence from the Greek Gods in the new series, with a unique new take on their personalities and appearance, but no mention of WWII as of yet. The reinvisioned incarnation of Wonder Woman has started with a darker and more serious tone than her other recent appearances. To this end, would not the tie in to WWII give her that extra bit of grit and determination that is otherwise a difficult and almost intangible quality to impart to a beautiful woman running around in tights?
To know the truth of history is to realize its ultimate myth and its inevitable ambiguity.– Roy P. Basler