My new She Has No Head! post is up on CSBG. The column this week is a review and commentary on the first issue of Marvel’s Girl Comics.
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I really liked S.W.O.R.D. – it was certainly the most original book I’ve seen come out of Marvel in a long while. A nice breath of fresh air. I thought of doing a giant post about why it’s a shame that this book couldn’t make it, of course adding my layman opinion on why things like this prove that the comic book industry is pretty doomed independent of the digital age…but Greg at CSBG did it first (and way better), so I’m just going to link to him instead.
And this was the advance cover released for issue #5 (the final issue) – the cover is completely awesome – which makes everything feel like an even bigger damn shame I say.
Why when a new ongoing is released for a strong female lead, and with a strong female writer on board (Marjorie Liu) – why does it HAVE to come with objectifying imagery? Do they not know what they’re doing? Or do they just not care? These are the kind of releases that lead me to giant columns asking whether Marvel is just stupid or cloaked in misogyny.
Because I have to tell you…it’s upsetting. It upsets me greatly to realize that in the year 2010 (2010!!!!), Marvel does not think they can market a book with a strong female lead and a strong female writer without using sexist imagery that horribly objectifies their lead.
And that they’re willing to make a character like Black Widow look like she doesn’t know how to dress herself. Does she not know how to use a zipper? Does she not know how to purchase clothing for herself that can contain her massive breasts? Does she have so little confidence in her ability as a fighter and hero that she thinks she has to try to distract people with her zipper unzipped to somewhere below her tits? Does she have such low self esteem that she thinks people will only like her if she runs around with her top unzipped? Why do I have to keep talking about this? I am so sick of this crap. One of the worst things about this image is that if the zipper was simply zipped up to a more reasonable level…this cover would be awesome. What a waste.
Is this what I have to look forward to in Marvel’s ‘year of women’? Cause if so, I’ll fucking pass. Thanks Marvel.
I was so excited to see the solicit image for the cover to X-Men Legacy #234. It features my girl Rogue and is not only beautiful and awesome, but is a far cry from the costume bullshit she’s been putting up with lately. Unfortunately however, my joy was short lived, because I then went to read the accompanying solicit text.
Before I post the solicit text let’s all agree on what this cover is suggesting. To me, this cover is Rogue saying (both with her hand gesture and her expression), effectively “Bring it on. I am a badass and I will take on all comers.” Something to that effect. I assume because she is gaining control of her powers and becoming an even more powerful superhero (one of the most powerful) this is her, showing off a bit. I love it. And then here’s the solicit text for the issue (and if you’re not familiar with Rogue, until recently she was unable to touch another human being flesh to flesh without injuring or killing them).
Solicit For X-Men Legacy #234: Rogue has survived a lot in her day, but can she survive the men warring for her heart? It’s not the first time several men have courted the Southern Belle, but it is the first time she can actually do anything about it. Who will she chose? You’ll be shocked!
Okay, so now we have a problem. Because the cover suggests ‘bring it on – and I’ll take on all comers’ and now we find out that the issue is about Rogue’s romantic and sexual relationships…which puts a whole other super icky porno spin on the cover. I mean maybe I’ve just seen way too much porn in my life and so I’m going to a place that not everyone will go to (I certainly hope that’s the case) but I’m hard pressed to see what else this cover is supposed to suggest than ‘open for business boys.’ Which is just…icky.
So I’m really disappointed in this. I just don’t know how there aren’t people in some kind of quality control position at Marvel who can look up and go, “Guys…we’ve got a problem…”
My friend Josh sent me this link to Marvel’s “Women of Marvel” Halloween Costumes and said he thought it would be good “fodder for my blog”. And he’s so right. But I must be tired of fighting this unwinable (not a word) fight because all I can come up with is REALLY MARVEL? REALLY!?!
Actually, I tried, but even exhausted, I can’t just say nothing. I know we (I’m speaking for all women everywhere here – so that should tell you how tired I am) do sometimes like to dress up like sluts for Halloween – it’s a nice opportunity to get our slutty selves out there with less public shaming, cause it’s Halloween and well, anything goes! And we can just pretend tomorrow that it didn’t happen! But c’mon Marvel, do you really have to stoop to the absolute lowest freaking common denominator?
First of all, a superheroine costume is pretty slutty to begin with – all skin tight and ridiculous – it’s not like you actually have to make it sluttier. I mean, until now I wasn’t even sure it was possible in some cases. The Spider-girl costume is perhaps the most disgusting, because, I don’t know, she’s SPIDERGIRL. I mean, I’ll give you the Emma Frost/White Queen costume, because frankly, compared to some of Emma’s outfits that costume is actually pretty tame (although SUPER tacky – Emma would never be caught dead in that shit). BUT WTF…AN AMERICAN DREAM COSTUME? That’s barely even a real character! And that’s not remotely HER COSTUME!
I’m sorry, AM I SHOUTING?! IT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE I AM INSANE WITH RAGE.
Ahem. Yeah, “American Dream” barely a real superhero…I mean, even comic nerds that see you in this costume are going to be all…”Really? American Dream? She’s uh…so…uh…minor. Where’s Storm, or Jean Grey, or She-Hulk, or Ms. Marvel, or…I mean the list is endless.” So those of you who don’t know about superheroes, you might want to stick with Hooker Spider-girl, or Working Girl Black Cat, which, though completely fucking ridiculous, are at least superheroes people will actually recognize…sort of.