An Extensive History of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Feminism

California State University student  Marina Hollon has published a thesis on the history of Wonder Woman and Supergirl and their objectification. From the thesis summary,

"This study argues that comic book publishers, editors, writers, artists, and fans imposed multiple limitations on Wonder Woman’s and Supergirl’s powers and independence. Although Wonder Woman and Supergirl embodied significant liberated characteristics: superpowers, independent lifestyles, higher education, white-collar careers, and financial independence, they were most limited by advertisements aimed at males and were also portrayed as unintelligent women, disempowered, and objectified. 
This study compares 242 of Wonder Woman’s and Supergirl’s comics from 1959 to 1984. The plots, images, and letter pages were analyzed in the context of Second Wave Feminism and the Cold War era. This study indicates a change over time from the superheroines’ portrayals of liberation to sexual objectification and the editor’s, writer’s, artist’s construction and fans’ reception of the women’s movement in comic book culture. The present study enhances existing scholarship in the fields of Women’s Studies, Media and Popular Culture Studies, and Sociology challenging popular cultural images of empowered superheroines. Although this study may seem of concern to only a small group of scholars and comic book fans, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about why gender inequity continues to exist. My original contribution shows how the influences of fans’ letters in Wonder Woman and Supergirl and the editors’ responses to the fans’ requests limited the superheroines’ liberated powers and behaviors by encouraging a sexualized style of superheroine art." 

The full 163 page thesis can be read here.