The Hulk tells the Wasp she is giving him a huge boner. What’s the Wasp reaction? She just giggles like an idiot. This isn’t a What The, this is a monthly series reprinting a classic brand that’s the company’s bread and butter. This is the back up story they farted out to add extra depth to Avengers#1.

Then again, what do you expect from 40 year olds who spend their birthday parties at the stripers? You might as well be asking the local seedy XXX cinema for “respect”.

What was the last significant female character in a movie, tv show, video game or comic book that was actually presented in a realistic, interesting and immersive manner? I’m actually having a hard time thinking of one off-hand.

I think Buffy would be the most obvious one (TV & comic). Re-el from Ergo Proxy (anime) would be a personal favorite of mine (actually, some anime do a pretty good job of portraying an interestingfemale character, go figure). And of course the X-Men women are done fairly well, at least in comparison to other lines of comics.

If the Catwoman one had actually been zipped up like it is in the comic, it would have been accurate as well.

But why does that Supergirl statue look like she’s wearing a slice of pizza on her chest? Couldn’t the sculptor even bother to get the “S” symbol right?

Then again, maybe the less this crappy statue is associated with the Superman brand, the better.

That stereotyping is not only a problem in regard to superhero comics’ fans, but with the merchandise itself. I’m not saying that superheroes’ comics don’t have too many sexist images and portrayals, but that doesn’t mean we should lose complete sight of the good ones. (And, if I may be so bold, THAT’S why feminist fans like Ragnell and Kalinara stick around: because of those good ones and the hope for more).

But it seems 1 negative portrayal seems to equal 10 positive ones in a lot of people’s eyes. That’s not only throwing out the baby with the bathwater, it’s throwing out the baby’s brothers and sisters as well.

I’ve never cared for stereotypes too much, which is why I roll my eyes when people trot out the “unwashed fanboy” stock character. ONE guy made an ass out of himself. That doesn’t necessarily make the stores the “Batcaves of Geek Solitude.”

Would we embrace negative stereotypes of female fans in the same manner? I once mentioned the 300 lb women who wear tight bustierres (sp?) at SF conventions, and thought I would receive death threats. But they’re out there.

I think the reason less than 1/3 or 99% of everyone in America looks at comics is because (1) They don’t read to begin with and (2) reading comics isn’t “cool,” or not cool in the same way as playing Ninetendo and Xbox for six hours a day.

Of course, if we’re so quick to denigrate fandom, I could understand why some new people might be hesitant to be seen walking into a comic book store. You don’t want to be seen leaving a comic store, as opposed to someplace respectable like a porno shop.

So do I. I eat, breath and sleep books, but if all author’s were work like LKH’s I’d never read again.

http://doronjosama.livejournal.com/472728.html

Or maybe, just maybe, two major companies who are extremely similar and share writers and artists telling very similar stories, shouldn’t be controlling most of the comic book wealth. Its really up to the audience though, but mainstream comics seem to be becoming more and more art directed anyway, with hiring famed writers to allowing more odd styles such as the afore mentioned Cooke.

Anyway, if fan outrage can retcon a Grant Morrison X-Men story, I’m sure they can do this.

Another school of thought is, why should a 50 year old character made to shut up Frederic Wertham about Batman and Robin’s supposed homosexuality be used as a role model for anyone? There are other forms of entertainment out there which superhero comics should compete with. Marvel competing with DC is like beef vs. chicken, they’re really both just meat, and thier competition was before [maybe now too] in its own universe.

(I should just quickly note both companies have several tasteful and fun titles. This isn’t a hatred against the companies, just against thier often horrible gimmicks.)

Also, Heros for Hire #14 is scary lookin’. Like, really scary lookin. Like… wtf… like… what happened there… >.

Wait, how is Spider-Man NOT a serial? One, two, three, that’s a “series” is it not? And it didn’t just have the biggest opening of all-time, a record another one of the movies in the *series* previously held?

BTW, I have just this morning, coined a new word for the segment of the comics business that gives the market Pearl Necklace MJ statues: Manstream.

I was inspired by the cover to Heroes for Hire #13, and wrote this:

http://divalea.livejournal.com/454772.html

But that isn’t the point.

But part of this too is the whole “comic store mentality” that also is fueled by an exaggerated (campy) sheen of falstosterone. I went to a local comics store over the weekend with a woman. I bought some comics, she bought Plain Janes (”I don’t know if it’s good yet, but I can’t put it down.”) Meanwhile, some 20 something comes in and starts LOUDLY regaling to the owner of the shop about his fun at the strip club last night. We’re up at the register and the clerk and owner are exchanging nervous glances as the kid (he was wearing a tucked-in polo) goes on and on about dollar bills and jewel-encrusted thongs. My friend rolls her eyes and I say, loudly, “I bet he brags about his free Cinemax next.” As we left, the owner goes out of his way to say have a great afternoon, etc. etc. but you could tell they were going to (or wanted to) lay into Strip-Boy for scaring away the girl. As a guy, I like that comic shops are the insulated Batcaves of Geek Solitude — but maybe the stores themselves need to be more female friendly. The store I’ve seen the most women at is definitely Hanley’s, and as anyone knows, on any given second there you can hear conversations at the register that could turn any state red. So what’s the solution? More female employees? Ties and jacket for the clerks? Public bathrooms? Or, as this argument is saying, just a better product? I’m sure the MJ product will sell out in a second, but doesn’t that just underline the real problem here: we obviously need more girls. We (as a collective comic blob) wouldn’t be buying MJ statues if we didn’t. But take it home, unwrap it and put it on the mantle and still it’s just a statue: her green cold eyes look right through you.

Best behavior guys, there’s REAL GIRLS in the store.

I really like your long essays Heidi and hope you keep doing them.

-Brad

Batman might be Bruce Wayne… but I doubt he doesn’t have his own identity problems. The Batman in detective is far different than the one I would read just prior to Crisis. Granted that is due to Dini’s craftsmanship. And let’s not forget ASBaR with the god damn Batman. Then there is the Batman in the JLU. Then there is The Batman. Some people would say Batman hasn’t been “Batman” since a boy in green undies and a domino mask showed up.

And yes, most fans can differentiate. But still, even I shake my head at where would be a good place to start.

For Batgirl you’ve got Showcase reprints coming up of the Barbara Gordon-Batgirl stories. Then you’ve got Cassandra Cain running around claiming to be Batgirl. Then you’ve got Batgirl comics based on the Batman animated series. Batman’s not treated like this… Batman is Batman. Batgirl is… I don’t know what she is.

Ditto with Supergirl. Eddie Berganza says above: “Sure, some of you may not be keen that we didn’t go straight into America’s Sweetheart mode with her, but, hey, we know that’s what she will eventually become. For us, it’s the hero’s journey that’s interesting. I compare this to what’s being done with Clark on SMALLVILLE. Already, we’ve seen Kara try to be normal, whether partying or in a disastrous attempt at a secret identity. She’s come up short at being a wicked bad vigilante hanging with the OUTSIDERS.” This is just dumb. It’s months of lazy product without direction or clear vision.

“Hero’s journey”, my eye. Sorry, you can go on that trip without me.

Maybe -just maybe - that point will come a little sooner if publishers and creators start considering things like what does and does not appeal to the demographics of that other 99.3%?

And maybe - just maybe - some people think that exploitive and overly-sexualized portrayals of women are one of the things that makes a comic NOT “good?”

Is that some of that Japanese tentacle porn I’ve heard so much about?

I loathe the CC Batgirl, she is yet another superheroine who has her origins in abuse.
Let’s agree to disagree, because you’ll never change my mind, and we all have bigger fish to fry.