Popular Culture Review Volume 29, Number 2, Summer 2018 | Page 169

Popular Culture Review 29.2

of the majority of superheroes . This is partially because before 2017 , the only time Wonder Woman was in the live-action spotlight was her 1975-1979 television series . Despite Wonder Woman ’ s publication in comic books since 1941 , a commonly accepted sentiment is that her brand of justice is difficult for a superhero format ( Boucher ;

Howell ). Howell argues that in fact , Wonder Woman , as a feminist political cartoon integrated into a superhero universe , is “ inherently disruptive to masculine superhero franchise branding ,” which “ often seeks to minimize that which makes her character unique : her close ties to feminism , which are seen industrially as unmarketable , especially to male superhero fans ” ( 143 ). Yockey refers to her origins as “ antipatriarchal ;” Wonder Woman ’ s focus on love significantly differs from “ the masculine-inflected affect that so commonly defines the superhero genre ( the reactionary affects of fear , anger , and awe )” ( Yockey “ Wonder Woman ”). Thus , Wonder Woman ’ s perceived difficulty has largely been the result of society ’ s desire to suppress her over the course of her existence ( Emad ; Lepore ). The character continues to be seen as a disruptive force in society , as the United Nations ’ decision to appoint her as a Goodwill Ambassador for women and girls was met with protests ( McCann ).

From 1975-1979 , the Wonder Woman live-action television series , also known as The New Original Wonder Woman and The New Adventures of Wonder Woman , gave the character ’ s philosophy every reason to take off in the popular consciousness . An analysis of the series reveals a key stylistic link in the development of superhero adaptations between the Batman 1966-1968 television show and the 1978 Superman film that faithfully and clearly adapted Wonder Woman ’ s philosophy into a mainstream 1970 ’ s television format . However , the series was suppressed , undone , and discredited , with the po-

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