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This paper uses actor-network theory (ANT) and Aristotelian virtue ethics to think with/of Wonder Woman as an assemblage of human and non-human actors clustered on a page. It also considers how the emerging assemblage that is Wonder Woman might be viewed as the embodiment of Aristotle’s ‘complete virtue’ or justice. As one of the ‘trinity’ of superheroes of Detective Comics (DC), which also include Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman was created to counter the sadism and tyranny of the Nazi threat during the 1930s and 1940s and has been continually published since 1941. Wonder Woman is a multidimensional icon and an exemplary model of a superhero with a different body and voice, who operates in a different way in the world. She is presented here as a case study to trace possible translations of Aristotle’s configurations of virtue and justice. Using ANT, we argue that Wonder Woman arises from an assemblage of actors that include an armoured swimsuit, a magic lasso, shiny bracelets and a star-emblazoned tiara. By problematising these technologies as actors that commonly invite objectification (the swimsuit) or subjugation (the ropes), this paper suggests possible divergent readings that reveal how virtue and justice can emerge within these relational networks. We test how the sexualised body depictions and overt bondage references in the Wonder Woman comics, and in particular, in our chosen story, George Pérez’s Wonder Woman: Destiny Calling, offer something bolder and more profound—a complex performance of justice. Additionally, this paper intimates the productive methodological powers of ANT in relation to the broader field of comics studies.

This article discusses how the choice of actress Gal Gadot to play Wonder Woman negotiates between comic book fans’ expectations and society’s gender schema. It has taken 75 years for the industry to produce a film adaption of Wonder Woman, perhaps due to the ‘problem’ of female muscles. This article focuses on the significance of Wonder Woman’s muscles using theoretical frames from sports sociology. One frame is edgework, coined by sociologist Stephen Lyng about dangerous activities that amateurs perform. The second frame is the feminist analysis of women’s muscles. Women navigate the boundary between what sociologist Shari Dworkin calls ‘emphasized femininity’ and what is beyond this femininity. The article introduces Wonder Woman’s origin, then presents theory of edgework and female muscles, third, it analyzes Wonder Woman as bodywork and edgework, and, finally, discusses Gadot’s Wonder Woman body as feminist physique.

The list of top-grossing films since the turn of the millennium is almost entirely dominated by genres of the fantastic — including fantasy, horror, speculative fictions, fairytales, sci-fi, and superhero franchises. The reach of such genres currently goes beyond the big screen. The genres of the fantastic are, increasingly, a favourite of so-called ‘Peak TV’ (Goldberg 2016), those high-cost, high-impact television programs like Game of Thrones (HBO 2011-present) which are among the most visible productions of the recent boom in scripted originals. Whether focused on superheroes, mythical dynasties, or heroic resistance to dystopian tyrannies, what fantastic films and programming have in common is a cognitive meta-thinking unique to humans, the quality of ‘as if’ imagining, which is said to generate ‘self-awareness and self-reflexivity’ (Bould 2002, 81), leading to ‘transformation and reflection’ (Feldt 2014, 2) and thus potentially to the creation of new cultural insights and formations and alternative social value frameworks. A central aim of this Special Issue is to explore the (aspirational) hypothesis that, because they encapsulate imaginative acts and creativity, the genres of the fantastic open up spaces of possibility, offering new affordances, new perceptions of what might be possible.

Through critical discourse analysis, feminist ideologies found within Wonder Woman’s first comic book appearance are uncovered. This is achieved by following Fairclough’s threedimensional model of critical discourse analysis in which the text is socially positioned. The findings suggest that radical feminist ideologies prevail in Wonder Woman’s first appearance. Finally, a call for a multi-modal analysis is made as it would better represent the language – text and image – found in comics.

La superheroína Wonder Woman nace como icono feminista en la década de los años cuarenta del siglo pasado. Su difusión, primero a través del cómic y posteriormente del cine, ha sufrido diferentes adaptaciones, algunas con tintes patriarcales. La representación cinematográfica de la princesa amazona como protagonista se caracteriza por la hipersexualización y la romantización del personaje. Este artículo pretende revisar y analizar si el amor romántico y la sexualización son recursos que se repiten en todas sus representaciones y comprender si estos desvían el discurso feminista de esta superheroína. Superheroin Wonder Woman was born a feminist icon in the forties of the last century. Its diffusion, first through the comic and later through the cinema, has undergone different adaptations, some with patriarchal tints. The cinematographic representation of the Amazon princess as protagonist is characterized by the hypersexualization and romantization of the character. This article aims to review and analyze whether romantic love and sexualization are resources that are repeated in all their representations and to understand if these divert the feminist discourse of this superhero.

Wonder Woman fue especial desde su mismo nacimiento. Su creador deseaba poner en valor lo femenino, y su solución fue crear a Diana de Themyscira, una guerrera amazona que rápidamente se convirtió en un icono de poder femenino y de lucha feminista. Sin embargo, fue creada por un hombre, para una industria masculina. Por ello cabe plantearse hasta qué punto el personaje de Wonder Woman representa los ideales feministas o la defensa de los intereses de las mujeres, en lugar de encarnar las fantasías masculinas. Se decidió analizar la representación de la amazona en las portadas sus cómics más recientes, y compararlas con otra super -heroína, Supergirl. Y con otros superhéroes masculinos: Superman y Batman. El análisis de las portadas permite conocer cuál es la primera impresión que la industria desea mostrar de Wonder Woman y qué la hace especial respecto a otros personajes femininos y masculinos Wonder Woman was special from birth. Her creator wanted people to value the “femenine characteristics and abilities”, and his solution was to create Diana de Themyscira, an Amazonian warrior who quickly became an icon of women power and feminism. However, she was created by a man, for a male industry. For this reason, it’s proper to analize if the character of Wonder Woman really represents feminist ideals or the defense of women's interests, instead of embodying male fantasies. It was decided to analyze the representation of the Amazon on the covers of his most recent comics and compare them with another superhero, Supergirl. And with other male superheroes: Superman and Batman. The analysis of the covers allows to know what is the first impression the industry wants to show of Wonder Woman, and what makes her special facing other female and male characters

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Wonder Woman is one of the world’s most recognisable comic book superheroines, yet the history of her creation and the unique universe of the early 'Wonder Woman' comics are often eclipsed by television shows, and limited edition merchandise; whilst scholars simply focus upon Wonder Woman as the first mainstream comic book superheroine, a mere placeholder in the tapestry of comic book history. In 'Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peter Comics 1941–1948' (Rutgers University Press; 2015), Noah Berlatsky examines the original 'Wonder Woman' comics and creators William Moulton Marston and Harry Peter, revealing a comic ahead of its time, capable of handling taboo subjects where other comics could not.

Actas del Segundo Congreso Internacional de Historia y Cine organizado por el Instituto de Cultura y Tecnología Miguel de Unamuno y celebrado del 9 al 11 de septiembre de 2010 en la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid A análise do DVD Wonder Woman é o ponto de partida e o centro deste ensaio que pode nos fornecer alguns valiosos e variados aspectos não apenas em qual situação esta personagem se encontra atualmente no mundo dos quadrinhos mas também, possivelmente, como o mais conhecido e representativo símbolo feminino neste universo das HQ‟s, como no nosso. Neste caso e, considerando minha pesquisa sobre a origem, evolução e revolução da Mulher-Maravilha e das mulheres, nos últimos setenta anos, o DVD possibilita uma investigação sobre sua aparição em outros suportes midiático. La análisis del DVD La Mujer Maravilla es el punto de partida y el centro de este ensayo que puede proporcionar algunos valiosos y variados aspectos no solamente en lo referente a la situación en la que se encuentra actualmente este personaje en el mundo de los comics, sino también, en cuanto a su ubicación en el universo de los HQs y en el nuestro propio. En este caso, y teniendo en cuenta mi investigación sobre la origen, evolución y revolución de la Mujer Maravilla y de las mujeres en los últimos setenta años, el DVD permite la investigación de su aparición en otros suportes midiáticos o medios de comunicación. The analysis of the DVD Wonder Woman is the starting point and the core in this essay that could provide us some valuable and multiple aspects not only where that female character is actually placed in the comic world as well as, probably, as the most known and representative female symbol in this universe and also in ours. In this case, and considering my research about the origin, evolution and revolution of Wonder Woman and the women in the last seventy years, makes possible to us to take the investigation over her appearance in another media platform. Publicado