Wonder Woman symposium audience Q & A with Christie Marston

Audience Member

One thing I always loved about the early Wonder Woman comics was how strong she was. How would your grandfather feel about the change in Wonder Woman’s powers and abilities?

Marston

I can’t speak for him as he was dead before I was born, however, the idea of her strength isn’t about her beating someone up. The strength of Wonder Woman was in her attitude. She was an extremely strong-willed character and should always be. Get things done and be kind – that’s Wonder Woman. It’s inner strength that matters. She’s tough, but the important stuff is what’s inside. THAT is what she teaches her fans.

Audience Member

It has been brought to my attention that there is a book on the history of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore that has been questioned by experts. Can you comment on this?

Marston

The book is fiction. Here is the thing: I was looking forward to that book, until I opened it and on the first page asked, ‘where did this come from?’ For example, as far as all of the things that happened in the book in the ‘20s with my grandmother, grandfather and Olive Byrne, it’s not true. Check her sources. Her main source was born in 1941 and did not meet the family until she was in her teens. Unfortunately, the book has entertainment value, but you should not believe it.