Comics A-Z Podcast

W is for Wonder Woman - The Amazonian Goddess Next Door Since her debut in All Star Comics #8 in December 1941, Wonder Woman has stood as one of the “trinity” of DC superheroes, alongside Superman and Batman, yet her origins, themes, and cultural mission have always been radically different. Wonder Woman was conceived not merely as a crimefighter or adventurer but as a political, psychological, and feminist project, created by a man who believed that comic books could reshape society. Recommended reading list for this episode: The Secret History of Wonder Woman — Jill Lepore (2014) Wonder Woman Masterpiece edition: The Life and Times of the Amazon Princess by Les Daniels (2000) Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 1 Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World’s Most Famous Heroine — Tim Hanley (2014) The Ages of Wonder Woman — Joseph J. Darowski (ed.) Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation — Carolyn Cocca (2016) Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth — Paul Dini & Alex Ross Wonder Woman: Earth One — Grant Morrison & Yanick Paquette Superheroes!: Capes, Cowls, and the Creation of Comic Book Culture — Laurence Maslon & Michael Kantor (2013) The Golden Age of DC Comics — Paul Levitz (Taschen) The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines — Mike Madrid Wonder Woman and Philosophy — Jacob M. Held (ed.) COMICS A-Z is the podcast that showcases the history of sequential art: comic books, comic strips, the characters, their creators, one letter at a time. Each episode highlights an interesting aspect of the long history of comics, as a creative medium and a growing industry. COMIC A-Z is hosted by Kevin Cleary, a former executive with First Comics, Classics Illustrated Comics, and TV Comics.  Kevin was also the Sales Director for the Dream Factory chain of 22 stores and Purchasing Director for Heroes World Distribution, the 3rd largest comic book, trading card, and toy distributor in the country.  Kevin was an advisor to the Overstreet Price Guide, The Overstreet Premium Ring Guide and a columnist/feature writer for the Comic's Buyers Guide, Overstreet Monthly, and Wizard Magazine. He was the founder of Quantum Licensing, a company that produced pins, rings, and other licensed comic book related merchandise. He even wrote issue #4 of THE MUNSTERS from TV Comics. Kevin currently works in Hollywood as a literary manager and occasional producer. This podcast is made by humans. Accept no substitutes. © Kevin Cleary 2026