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Joye Evelyn Hummel (April 4, 1924April 5, 2021) was an American comic book author. She is noted for ghost-writing more than 70 ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...
'' stories between 1944 and 1947. Hummel was 19 years old when she began as a typist for the comic. She went on to write its scripts after
William Moulton Marston William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen name Charles Moulton (), was an American psychologist who, with his wife Elizabeth Holloway, invented an early prototype of the polygraph. He was also known as a self- ...
fell ill, and stopped authoring the comics in the same year as his death three years later. Her contributions only became well known in 2014 after she was interviewed for
Jill Lepore Jill Lepore is an American historian and journalist. She is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and a staff writer at ''The New Yorker'', where she has contributed since 2005. She writes about American h ...
's book ''The Secret History of Wonder Woman''.


Early life

Hummel was born on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
, New York on April 4, 1924. Her parents were managers of a grocery store chain, and she was their only child. She attended high school in
Freeport, New York Freeport is a Political subdivisions of New York State#Village, village in the town of Hempstead, New York, Hempstead, in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on the South Shore (Long Island), South Shore of Long Island, in New York (state), ...
, before studying at
Middlebury College Middlebury College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists, Middlebury w ...
. After one year, she dropped out of college, intending to keep her mother company after her parents divorced.


Career

Hummel attended the Katharine Gibbs secretarial school in
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, graduating shortly after March 1944. There, she excelled in a psychology course taught by
William Moulton Marston William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen name Charles Moulton (), was an American psychologist who, with his wife Elizabeth Holloway, invented an early prototype of the polygraph. He was also known as a self- ...
, the co-author of ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...
''. He was swayed by the essays she wrote on a take-home exam, giving her the highest grades he had ever awarded to a student. He consequently employed her as his studio assistant after tea at the Harvard Club. At the time, Hummel had never read a comic book, let alone ''Wonder Woman''. She initially worked on typing out the scripts, before going on to write over 70 of them. She was remunerated with $50 for every script she wrote. When Marston became terminally ill with
polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...
, Hummel took over. Her first story, titled "The Winged Maidens of Venus", appeared in the spring of 1945 in issue 12 of ''Wonder Woman''. Within three years of her in this writing role, the character became a major success. Hummel quit authoring ''Wonder Woman'' in late 1947 after her honeymoon, ostensibly to spend more time at home and care for her stepdaughter. She later revealed that she was aggrieved by how the comic's new writers eliminated many of the feminist themes championed by Marston, who had died earlier that year. She stated: "Even if I had not left because of my new daughter, I would have resigned if I was told I had to make onder Womana masculine thinking and acting superwoman." She subsequently became a
stockbroker A stockbroker is an individual or company that buys and sells stocks and other investments for a financial market participant in return for a commission, markup, or fee. In most countries they are regulated as a broker or broker-dealer and ...
.


Later recognition

Hummel was the first woman to write stories for ''Wonder Woman''. At the time, she did not receive any recognition, since all of the initial comics were published under the pen name "Charles Moulton". Her contributions started to come to light after she was interviewed by
Jill Lepore Jill Lepore is an American historian and journalist. She is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and a staff writer at ''The New Yorker'', where she has contributed since 2005. She writes about American h ...
in 2014 for her book ''The Secret History of Wonder Woman''. Hummel was consequently contacted by the
Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...
, who asked her for the two packed binders containing the ''Wonder Woman'' issues she wrote. She also got in touch with
Mark Evanier Mark Stephen Evanier (; born March 2, 1952) is an American comic book and television writer, known for his work on the animated TV series '' Garfield and Friends'' and on the comic book '' Groo the Wanderer''. He is also known for his columns and ...
, who wanted to document the early years of comics. Hummel won the 2018 Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing as a guest of honor at
San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con is a comic book convention and multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Convention Center. Founded in 1970, originally showcasing primarily comic books and science fiction/fant ...
. This award is conferred on comic book authors who go under the radar at the
Eisner Awards The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are awards for creative achievement in American comic books. They are regarded as the most prestigious and significant awards in the comic industry and often referred ...
, and is managed by Evanier.


Personal life

Hummel married her first husband, David W. Murchison, in 1947. Together, they had two children, Robb and David Jr.; the latter predeceased her in 2015. Her husband died in 2000, and she married Jack Kelly two years later. They remained married until her death, and resided in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
during their later years. She adopted the married name of Joye Murchison Kelly. Hummel died on April 5, 2021, one day after her 97th birthday, at her home in
Winter Haven, Florida Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is located about east of Tampa, Florida, Tampa and about southwest of Orlando, Florida, Orlando, with neighboring Lakeland, Florida, Lakeland located to its west. The city's popul ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hummel, Joyce 1924 births 2021 deaths American comics writers Bill Finger Award winners American female comics writers Ghostwriters People from Long Island Middlebury College alumni