The Big Sexy Problem with Superheroines and Their ‘Liberated Sexuality’
By Laura Hudson
Yesterday, two new comic books from the “New 52” relaunch of DC Comics provoked some online controversy: Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws. They were controversial in particular because of the way they depicted women, notably with the aggressively fanfictiony on-panel sex between Batman and Catwoman, and Starfire’s transformation into a promiscuous tabula rasa who can’t even remember the names of the men she sleeps with, and seeks out emotionless sex with both of the two male main characters while they essentially high five about it.
Since pointing out my issues with Starfire yesterday, I have received numerous e-mails — from men — accusing me of slut-shaming. Since there are a lot of people who don’t understand the sexual dynamics that are in play here both creatively and culturally, I’d like to dissect this a little bit and explain why these scenes don’t support sexually liberated women; they undermine them, and why after nearly 20 years of reading superhero books, these may finally have been the comics that broke me.…the problem isn’t Star Sapphire. Or Catwoman. Or Starfire. Or Dr. Light raping Sue Dibny on the Justice League satellite or that stupid rape backstory Kevin Smith gave Black Cat or the time Green Lantern’s girlfriend got murdered and stuffed in a refrigerator. The problem is all of it together, and how it becomes so pervasive both narratively and visually that each of these things stops existing as an individual instance to be analyzed in a vacuum and becomes a pattern of behavior whose net effect is totally repellent to me. As an anomaly, maybe Starfire could be funny, the way the big-breasted, over-sexed Fritz (who even got her own porno comic, Birdland, which is pretty good if you’re into that) is often funny in Love and Rockets, mostly because the series is already packed full of incredibly diverse, fully-realized female characters. But as the 5,000th example of a superhero comic presenting female sexuality in tone-deaf ways, it’s just depressing.
This is required reading for anyone interesting in comics and its attitude towards women and female characters.
Regarding DC’s revamp event…
You can watch the old X-Men animated series for free on the Marvel website. Why did no one tell me?
Say what you will about Marvel Senior Editor Steve Wacker, but he has some pretty good ideas up in that noggin’ of his. Via Marvel.com:
About a month ago, Marvel Senior Editor Steve Wacker came up with the idea to record an audio edition of DAREDEVIL #1 so that the visually-impaired could enjoy the dawn of a new era for DD, his friends and his enemies. Additionally, this special project provides those who can see with a new take on what’s already being hailed as one of the best comics of 2011.
DAREDEVIL writer Mark Waid provides full panel descriptions directly from his script on this audio edition, while Marvel editors Tom Brennan, Ellie Pyle and Jordan D. White lent their voices to Daredevil/Matt Murdock, Kirsten McDuffie and Foggy Nelson, with White and Wacker also providing additional vocals. Marvel.com Video Editor Todd Wahnish recorded the piece, Marvel.com Associate Editor Ben Morse directed and Jordan White edited the final recording.DAREDEVIL #1 is easily one of my favorite comics of 2011 and this is a really terrific project. Download the DAREDEVIL #1 Audio Edition mp3 here.
This is such a great idea.
Batman & Catwoman | Adi Granov
Galactus
Mr. Freeze by Tim Sale
(via gunslinger)
This is great. You can read more of the first chapter of ‘Raised on Ritalin’ here. I would.
I can put my finger on it but I have problems with this comic book, I think it may be too… nice.
You can bid on one item here, but there is much more. Thank you very much.
Normal service resuming in 3, 2….
I WANT ALL OF THESE NOW
Bad geek. Bad Geek
