Wonder Woman

Superhero comics had a great influence on the world. Everyone wanted to get them, including children and adults. The idea of spending hours reading cartoons of people with supernatural powers used to defend the world from evil enemies, sounded pretty good. But the entrainment was not the only reason, that these comics were created, or that seems for everything they have given to talk about. Marston was the one who created one of the most successful superheroes; Wonder Woman. Three examples of WWII propaganda present in Wonder Woman: Golden Age comics includes women’s roles in War, enemy’s stereotypes and saving bonds. One example of WWII propaganda in the Wonder Woman Comics is women’s roles. Before WWII, the women’s role was simply to be a wife to her husband, and a mother to her children. As WWII raged on, women made enormous sacrifices for their family, and learnt new jobs and new skills. Carter and Candi state, “World War II opened new opportunities for women, both at home and abroad” (6) This explains us how women’s roles changed after World War II, what were some benefits for women, such as new jobs that as we know there weren’t so many. Ruth Cowan was one of the first two women getting into a male’s role. She applied for a job and demonstrated that women can do whatever they want to, and that women can do a male job even better. According to Wonder Woman; The Golden Age, there were some specific jobs for women. Such as nurse and secretary, both played by Diana Prince (25; 46). Also, on one of his specific histories (Aug. No.8, pp 114-127) it talks us about some injustices that women were going through, according with their jobs. It looks like they weren’t getting paid enough, and they were working more. Enemies stereotypes was other example of WWII propaganda present in Wonder Woman: Golden Age comics. The beginning of a war always will start with some enemies. WWII isn’t the exception. Adolf Hitler was one of the greatest enemies that caused the World War II. He wanted to recover territories that had been taken from Germany in World War I and over time his purposes attracted enemies who declared war on him. “Take That Adolf! Is an oversized compilation of more than 500 stunningly restored comics covers published during World War II, featuring America’s greatest super-villain”(Ferting #) This talks about why Hitler was so important in comics, what were some acts that made him an enemy; such as to be the responsible of more than 6 million dead people, and which were the reasons to make these acts. As we can see on Wonder Woman: Golden Age comics, Hitler had a really big influence on comics, his acts were considered the most awful actions. Which turned him into the evilest villain in history; nevertheless, this could not leave him out of the superhero fights. (255) Hitler is present on comics with some characteristics, as his aspect; his mustache and uniform. He is represented as someone who always get into some kind of war with others, and as someone so dangerous. Other example of WWII propaganda present in Wonder Woman: Golden Age comics are the saving bonds. These bonds that offered a fixed rate of interest over a fixed period. Many people find these bonds attractive because they are not subject to state or local income taxes, During World War II, saving bonds were considered something more than money to build weapons and bombs for war. They were considered as a way to bring these men who were fighting back home. Kate Smith explains “You know, friends, when we buy War Bonds, we’re not buying tanks and guns and shells… What we’re really doing is buying our boys back… safe and sound once again. Now I know there isn’t a person… who wouldn’t give everything he has to buy his boy back… I’d give anything… my own life… to buy my boy back from the War. But I’m afraid I can’t do that now… My boy isn’t coming back” (qtd. in Sparrow 1). Smith meant that the money collected by these saving bonds was helping their boys to win the war and get back home. Marston was someone who also tried to make people buy saving bonds, by promoting them on his Wonder Woman comics. “For defense”, “Do your duty…” and “For victory…” are some of the phrases that Marston uses on Wonder Woman comics (43,127,334). Those examples show that saving bonds were helping our soldiers against war. By these examples we can conclude that superhero comics were not made just to entertain kids but also, they are there to make people open their eyes, and take these points serious. Maybe the authors from these comics, created them to influence Americans to act on the matter and do something. Also, authors might want to make people feel or know the real situation that our soldiers were going through; the war that they were fighting, all this by superhero stories.