Regina Luttrell - Wonder Woman: Warrior, Disrupter, Feminist Icon

Regina Luttrell, a Wonder Woman superfan and passionate feminist, is associate professor and the associate dean for research and creative activity in the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Recognized as an innovative educator, she is a distinguished scholar and an experienced academic leader with a track record of supporting cross-departmental and interdisciplinary collaboration, leading complex research projects, and advocating for faculty in multiple capacities. In addition to her successes in securing external funding for research initiatives, she has also contributed broadly within her area of scholarship, authoring more than a dozen books, publishing in academic and professional journals, and presenting at domestic and international conferences.

Some of Luttrells most recent books include the following: GenZ: The Superhero Generation; Social Media and Society: An Introduction to the Mass Media Landscape; Social Media: How to Engage, Share, and Connect; The Millennial Mindset: Unraveling Fact from Fiction; Public Relations Campaigns: An Integrated Approach; Democracy in the Disinformation Age: Influence and Activism in American Politics; and the forthcoming book Strategic Social Media as Activism: Repression, Resistance, Rebellion, Reform.

Superpower: advocating for the equality and rights of all women.

This book has been a lifetime in the making. It began when, as a child, I watched Wonder Womans adventures on TV, and it developed over the years as I matured into the intrinsic feminist that I am. As with all books, this project took a village!

Doing what I dobeing a writertakes a toll on the ones you love most. The countless hours researching, writing, then pouring over the manuscript to ensure the words capture your intended meaning, the infinite times an idea begins forming and somehow takes over all of your thoughts so that you might be there but not truly present, the deadlines that creep up on you faster than you think, and the broken promises of I just need to look at this one paragraph, it wont take me long yet somehow turns into three hoursnone of these allowances would be possible without the love and support of my family. First and foremost, I am eternally grateful for my husband, best friend, sounding board, and partner in life, Todd. Thank you for sacrificing so much, for understanding who I am, and loving me through it all. There isnt a word I write that you dont see; I know this can be taxing, but Im better because of you, because of your commitment to me. Thank you somehow doesnt seem enough. I love you. The equality that the feminist movement is fighting forI have in my home. We are true equals. I can only hope our daughters find a partner in life who supports them fully without reservation or silent judgment. Someone who cherishes how brightly their candle is shining. A person who celebrates them unconditionally. I hope all women, men, and humans find this. Emma and Avery, as you come into your own and become adults, I can see within you all those years of our feminist principles coming through. The two of you hold my greatest admiration, respect, and love. Thank you for being part of the countless discussions, passionate debates, and marches over the years. I am proud, so very, very proud of each of you. My daughters, you are the hope of our future! To all three of you, thank you for listening to my endless hours talking about Wonder Woman, reveling in the connections between her and the feminist movement, and for helping to build our personal comic book collection and library with all things Wonder Woman and the womens movement.

While neither would consider themselves feminists, I would not be who I am today without the influence of the two women that impacted my life most, my mother and my Grandma Franco. My personal wonder women, feminist icons unto themselves.

I must thank my dad for checking in regularly, supporting me, and gifting me with my coveted Wonder Woman #7, Wonder Woman for President and the very first issue of Ms. magazine.

Portions of this book would not have been possible without the generosity of the Marston family. They shared with me their time and memories, and the unpublished letters, photos, memoirs, and diaries from the Marston family collections. Nan and Peggy, I cannot thank you enough for making me feel like an honorary member of your family and a true Wonder Woman. Your personal stories, Zoom calls, and the countless email exchanges helped paint a picture of your grandmother, Olive. I can only hope I have created a piece of work that your grandmother would have been proud to be part of. Christie Marston, thank you for taking time to painstakingly answer all my questions and share with me your memories of your grandmother Elizabeth and your grandfather.

To Gloria Steinem for responding to a random email requesting an interview. Your contributed essay was more than I could have imagined. You are, for me, the greatest living feminist, and I am truly humbled that you would share your work in my book.

Heartfelt thanks to Alexa Cash and Annie Silkaitis, my research assistants, for your diligence, patience, and attention to detail. Your enthusiasm for this project shined through week after week. I am elated you became part of my team.

Illustrator extraordinaire, Crissha Figarella, for bringing to life my vision of the Wonder Women: Feminist Icon images. You and your work are simply amazing!

A special thanks to DC Comics, specifically Jay Kogan, for working with me to gain the necessary permissions for works printed in this book. To the archivists and libraries of Mount Holyoke College, Harvard Library, Smith College, National Womens History Museum, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Planned Parenthood, Radcliffe Schlesinger Library, the Womens March, Equal Rights Amendment Organization, National Organization for Women, and the Alice Paul Institute.

Les Daniels, famed historian of comic books, authored one of the first titles that chronicled the history of Wonder Woman including Marstons avant-garde liferevealing family insights, Wonder Womans true identity, and the comic book heroines evolution throughout time. In 2014, Jill Lepore authored The Secret History of Wonder Woman, which was an exceptionally well-written, detailed biography of the Marston family, further compiling additional details from archival research, interviews, and other contributors who had a direct and indelible impact on Wonder Woman. Carolyn Cocca, a prolific author on gender, sexuality, and the politics of comics, has also written extensively on our Amazonian Warrior in her many papers and books. These works, among the many cited, provide a sound historical foundation from which I draw several of the details in this book.

To the many people that maintain online resources dedicated to Wonder Woman my appreciation goes to Lambiek Comiclopedia; Ritesh Babu, noted writer for Comic Book Herald; Comics Database; DC Comics Database; Wikipedias Wiki Project Comics; Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; Comic Book Resources; and Comic Vine. A special thank you to Mara Wood for your time and expertise. To the artists and writers of Wonder Woman, far too many to name, yet all impactful for better or worse. A few of my favorites include William Moulton Marston, H. G. Peter, George Prez, Gail Simone, Phil Jimenez, Patty Jenkins, as well as the producers of the 1970s television series. Im grateful to the singular Lynda Carter for being the Wonder Woman I grew up on and emulated.

My dean, Mark J. Lodato, for supporting this project. Im eternally grateful that you are part of the Newhouse family, but more importantly that you value me and the feminist perspectives I bring to the leadership table.