The Myth of Wonder Woman

In reading Wonder Woman, I keep finding myself setting up an oppositional relationship between her character and that of Superman. I think there is a temptation to read Wonder Woman as a kind of 'female Superman' since Superman is the template superhero. Yet this does disservice to the uniqueness of Wonder Woman's character and, in particular, her backstory.

In the Introducing Wonder Woman and Who is Wonder Woman storylines, it is explained that the titular character belongs to a race of Amazons who established their superiority in strength, wisdom, and technological advancement before necessarily removing themselves from the world of man. The origin of the Amazons is a kind of simplified Greek mythology, and this is what I find most interesting. Myths is by nature explanatory and discursive; myths operate as systems of stories that seek to explain the world. In the world of Superman, a new myth is created, that of the alien planet that sent one of its last survivors to Earth, where he was raised to use his abilities for good. A new mythology arises from that central myth as Superman's world develops in complexity. Wonder Woman, on the other hand, locates itself within an existing mythological system, namely, Greek mythology, and builds out an extension of a pre-existing story. Consequently, Wonder Woman is not so much stranger, alien, or even immigrant as Superman. She lives on Earth but removed from man, and arrives to the modern world already with knowledge that far surpasses an ordinary person's knowledge. Unlike Superman/Clark Kent, Wonder Woman is not raised into the 'human world;' she does not have to be taught by patient human parents how to assimilate, how to use her powers for good. She already knows the human social system, democracy, technology, and far beyond, even to the point of precognition. In building her character in this way and locating Wonder Woman within a mythological system, the creators seem to achieve something entirely different than what Superman achieves. Superman is the lone hero, sent to Earth as a stranger to save it. Wonder Woman comes to Earth already surpassing human knowledge because she has been rooted in one of the most fundamental and enduring mythologies of humanity. And it is no accident that Wonder Woman is a woman. In effect, I think that the creators are perhaps trying to suggest that Wonder Woman is representative of the power of all women: hidden within the world to which women are tied to, yet unique in strength and ability.