Very little is known of the erotic themes explored in Wonder Woman’s early years.

Wonder Woman has been a symbol of strength for women in the feminist movement. But very little is known of the erotic themes explored in Wonder Woman’s early years. Her creator William Moulton Marston was a Harvard educated psychologist, professor and radical feminist.

He and his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston invented an early prototype of the polygraph test. After Elizabeth suggested her blood pressure increased when she got upset.

William, Elizabeth, and Olive all participated in what Jill Lepore describes as a “sex cult” in her book.

William Marston and Elizabeth Holloway lived in a polyamorous relationship with his former student, Olive Byrne. William and Olive met when he was a professor at Tufts University in 1925. After she graduated, William moved Olive into his home. William, Elizabeth and Olive all participated in what historian Jill Lepore describes as a “sex cult” in her book “The Secret History of Wonder Woman”. They even called themselves a “Love Unit”. Hosting sex parties where they practiced role play and BDSM.

“In 500 years, there will be a serious sex battle. And in 1,000 years women will definitely rule this country.”

– William Marston

In 1937 William Marston told The Harvard Club of New York City he predicts that women would one day rule the world by 2937. “The next 100 years will see the beginning of an American matriarchy—a nation of amazons in the psychological rather than the physical sense,”. “In 500 years, there will be a serious sex battle. And in 1,000 years women will definitely rule this country.” Much like the fictional Paradise Island, the all female utopia in which Wonder Woman is from. The name was later retconned into the island of Themyscira.

Elizabeth and his mistress Olive Byrne deeply influenced the creation of Wonder Woman.

Elizabeth would work while Olive would stay home with the children. William bred two children with Elizabeth and two with Olive. They would make up a dead husband for Olive to protect the kids. Marston’s children didn’t find out the truth until 1963, when they were already adults.

DC COMICS

In the October 25, 1940 issue of Family Circle, Olive Byrne conducted an interview with William entitled “Don’t Laugh at the Comics”. William spoke on the untapped potential in comic books as a medium. He said that he saw “great educational potential” in comic books. The article attracted the attention of Maxwell Charles Gaines (publisher of Superman comics at the time). Gaines then hired Marston as an educational consultant to All-American and their sister company DC Comics. At the time comic books weren’t considered a valid form of entertainment for adults. Bringing Marston on as a consultant could possibly help their reputation.

“comics’ worst offense was their blood-curdling masculinity.”

– William Marston

Marston, once claimed that “comics’ worst offense was their blood-curdling masculinity.” Marston thought of the idea of creating a female superhero to combat this. Gaines soon gave Marston permission to test out a new character, Wonder Woman, in All-Star Comics in 1941.

The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.

– William Marston

Like a whirl wind of inspiration influence for Wonder Woman came from many aspects. The suffragists movement where women chained themselves to fences in protest. Her costume, inspired by Marston’s interest in erotic pin-up art. And also the women in his life.

Marston’s views on the impending matriarchy, feminism and the woman around him Elizabeth and his mistress Olive Byrne. All of these things deeply influenced the image of Wonder Woman.

Byrne wore a pair of bracelets as a symbol of her love for Marston. Similar bracelets were reflected in Wonder Woman’s character design.

The lie-detector concept eventually evolved into Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth.

Detection of lies, a matriarchal uprising and BDSM

Marston’s fascination with BDSM is reflected in the early Wonder Woman comics. Which was partly inspired by both women’s suffrage imagery and erotic pin up art. Wonder Woman being bound and chained was a constant theme.

One of the defining weaknesses of Wonder Woman is that if a man binds her golden bracelets, she loses all of her Amazonian strength. This was called “Aphrodite’s Law”.

She would have to break free of her chains “in order to signify her emancipation from men.” (At least that’s what Marston said)

With co-writers Joye Hummel, and artist Harry G. Peter, Marston and his “Love Unit” wrote plot lines for the first six years of the series. 

Wonder Woman became the third-longest running comic book in history—behind the likes of Superman and Batman. But Marston died in 1947 from skin cancer after only six years of working on the comic.

After his death, the character would retreat to being written as a stereotypical image of a female superhero. The character would start looking for jobs as a model and a baby sitter, and longing to get married.

It wasn’t until the 1960’s and 70’s was Wonder Woman revitalized back into a feminist icon.

Olive Byrne and Elizabeth Marston would continue being a family while raising both of their children after William’s death.