The Classical Reception and Impact of Wonder Woman in Comics and Film

Employing a wide range of scholarly approaches, such as reception studies, feminist studies, racial studies and posthumanism studies, this volume examines the classical influence on the character of Wonder Woman. In particular, the contributors look at the cultural phenomenon of this female superhero across comic books and film. The result is an in-depth study that examines the influence ancient Greek mythology has on popular culture and, reversely, how modern media shapes contemporary views of the ancient Mediterranean world.

Introduced to the world via Sensation Comics in 1941, Wonder Woman remains one of the most identifiable superheroes today, and her narratives, which frequently involve love, inclusion and empathy, continue to speak to readers and viewers around the world. Engaging with her long and complex past, the chapters examine the history of this influential character and her associates, alongside her relevance within the field of classical reception and her gender identity. As such, this book presents Wonder Woman as the complex heroine that she is, and one who has both influenced and been influenced by our understanding of the ancient world.