I would do something like this.
<span class="wow"><i class="cliphide">WoW</i><img src="images/lettero.gif" width="55" height="55" alt="WoW"></span>
.wow {
font-family: museo-slab, serif;
color: #fff;
display: block;
font-size: 55px;
line-height: 55px;
font-weight: 900;
margin-top: -5px;
position:relative;
}
.cliphide {
clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);
clip-path: inset(50%);
height: 1px;
width: 1px;
margin: -1px;
overflow: hidden;
position: absolute;
z-index:-1;
pointer-events:none;
}
.wow:before, .wow:after {
content:"W";
display:inline-block;
vertical-align:middle;
}
.wow img {
display:inline-block;
vertical-align:middle;
}