William Moulton Marston is not a household name, but maybe he should be. Born in 1893, he earned a doctorate in psychology from Harvard, helped invent the polygraph and authored more than a half-dozen books. But for all of that, his greatest legacy is the invention of Princess Diana of Themyscira, better known as Wonder Woman, one of DC Comics’ most enduring yet underexploited characters. Both the creator and the creation have long been shrouded in mystery, but New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore has dug deep into the largely untold history, as well as the superhero’s role as a feminist icon in male-dominated comic book culture in The Secret History of Wonder Woman. Who knew? Kinky sex is part of the plot. Lepore will share her intriguing discoveries and maybe also the logistics of maintaining an invisible airplane with KPCC’s Alex Cohen. Mark Taper Auditorium, Los Angeles Central Library, 630 W. 5th St., dwntwn.; Wed., Nov. 12, 7:15 p.m.; free. (213) 228-7025, lfla.org.

Wed., Nov. 12, 7:15 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 11/12/14)

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