I knew Dr. William Moulton Marston had invented a component of what’s now known as the polygraph, but yesterday’s Quite Intertesting column from the Telegraph painted a far more eye-opening picture of the creator of Wonder Woman, particularly his relationships with women, than I ever realized.
Turns out, Marston enjoyed an “unconventional” relationship with Olive Richard, the physical inspiration for Wonder Woman, and his wife, Elizabeth. In fact, Olive lived with Elizabeth — even after Marston died in 1947 — each raising two children, and the two women lived together until Olive died in the 1980s.
For a deeper look at the secret life of Marston, and his polar opposite at the time, Dr. Fredrick Wertham, you’ll enjoy reviewing this piece from Reason Online. “Unlike most intellectuals, Marston celebrated the popularity of the comic book form and saw it as an opportunity to get kids to read — and to circulate radical feminist notions,” according to Reason.
BTW, Marston also believed, according to WikiPedia, women “were more honest and reliable than men, and could work faster and more accurately.” Sounds like Marston’s life story would be better movie fodder than Wonder Woman, Joss Whedon or not…
Also, under the category of superheroes and non-Political Correctness, is a mention of an animated superhero called The 8-Man, who derived his super powers from smoking cigarettes, a factoid confirmed by The Straight Dope.
March 25th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I remember 8 Man… I’m pretty sure he used a kid as a human shield once too.
March 25th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Be careful on Wikipedia….and Marton’s freakiness is pretty common knowledge I thought.
It would make an interesting movie.
March 26th, 2007 at 12:16 am
Yeah, I’d thought Marston’s sex life was rather well-known by now, too.
March 26th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Gerard Jones’ excellent “Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book” covers this aspect of Wonder Woman’s creator.
March 26th, 2007 at 1:38 am
FYI, it’s Wertham, not Wortham.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Olive was his professional collaborator in the psychiatric field too if I’m not mistaken. She was often photographed demonstrating his early polygraph machines, which consisted of a tight rubber hose strapped across the chest to measure heart-rate and blood pressure. Or maybe just yo make him feel good.
March 26th, 2007 at 10:26 am
I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I thought Marston’s sexual proclivities was well-known. At least by the adult aged comic book readers. I love telling people that have never read a comic in their life.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
This is all covered very well in Wonder Woman: The Complete History by Les Daniels. It’s a great book on everything Wonder Woman, well-written, thorough and a fun read. I love Les Daniels’ “History” books and I wish he’d do another soon!
It sounds like Marston and the two women all shared a very loving and supportive relationship. AND he managed to get WW on the stands on time!
March 27th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
It always called my attention how Elizabeth Marston and Olive Richard stayed “married” between themselves more years than the years they passed with him.