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scans_dailyComicsalliance have a fascinating interview with Phil Jimenez on the topic of feminine design
For example, one of the things I talk a lot about on Wonder Woman panels is the militarization of Wonder Woman. Which, in the past 20, 30 years, the character went from being ostensibly an anti-war character to a pro-war or warrior character.
I tend to think of, based on my readings — I’m not an academic — war, in and of itself, is a hyper-patriarchal, hyper-hierarchal, masculine thing, right? And so the way to make Wonder Woman saleable to men and women is to completely 180 her from her original mission and make her a warrior, because that’s “legitimizing.” If she can cut something’s head off with her sword or beat the sh– out of a man, that’s legitimizing. Whereas red and sparkly and campy is not, that’s not “legitimate.”
I fight against this all the time, it makes me crazy. However, I argue that mainstream superhero comics are an intensely patriarchal, masculinized idea of what heroism is, and I find even queer people demand to see that. They shun, often, more queered, more feminized, more high camp visions of themselves or people like them in comics. They come, it’s my experience, often for a very masculine idea of heroism and fantasy.
I believe fighting that comes from both internal creative choices, but also talking about the culture and history in a much larger fashion. I believe superhero stories are not told in a vacuum, their influence impacted by history, they cannot be analyzed without contextualizing them in the time in which they were made, because those influences were writ large in them.
I think of superheroes as big drag queens, so I tend to go for the bigger, the more flamboyant, the more “out.” I think that’s really important, but there’s enormous pushback to that, both internally and I find from some fans, both super straight and sometimes really gay, who don’t want their characters overly queered.
It's the most obvious with Wonder Woman, from her 70s-10s incarnations
Does it also apply to the Captain Marvel costume which was made more "legitimate" in the Anka version instead of the McKelvie redesign
McKelvie's version
Anka's version
And where does something like Dauterman's Thor fit in with all of this?
For example, one of the things I talk a lot about on Wonder Woman panels is the militarization of Wonder Woman. Which, in the past 20, 30 years, the character went from being ostensibly an anti-war character to a pro-war or warrior character.
I tend to think of, based on my readings — I’m not an academic — war, in and of itself, is a hyper-patriarchal, hyper-hierarchal, masculine thing, right? And so the way to make Wonder Woman saleable to men and women is to completely 180 her from her original mission and make her a warrior, because that’s “legitimizing.” If she can cut something’s head off with her sword or beat the sh– out of a man, that’s legitimizing. Whereas red and sparkly and campy is not, that’s not “legitimate.”
I fight against this all the time, it makes me crazy. However, I argue that mainstream superhero comics are an intensely patriarchal, masculinized idea of what heroism is, and I find even queer people demand to see that. They shun, often, more queered, more feminized, more high camp visions of themselves or people like them in comics. They come, it’s my experience, often for a very masculine idea of heroism and fantasy.
I believe fighting that comes from both internal creative choices, but also talking about the culture and history in a much larger fashion. I believe superhero stories are not told in a vacuum, their influence impacted by history, they cannot be analyzed without contextualizing them in the time in which they were made, because those influences were writ large in them.
I think of superheroes as big drag queens, so I tend to go for the bigger, the more flamboyant, the more “out.” I think that’s really important, but there’s enormous pushback to that, both internally and I find from some fans, both super straight and sometimes really gay, who don’t want their characters overly queered.
It's the most obvious with Wonder Woman, from her 70s-10s incarnations
Does it also apply to the Captain Marvel costume which was made more "legitimate" in the Anka version instead of the McKelvie redesign
McKelvie's version
Anka's version
And where does something like Dauterman's Thor fit in with all of this?
no subject
Date: 2016-09-08 10:10 pm (UTC)As for Carol.... sash for belt, boots for, uh, footy things? I think that one may be more stylistic choice, a small difference in degrees. If you hadn't pointed it out I wouldn't notice.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-09 07:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-09 12:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-09 12:44 am (UTC)I get that none of us grew up in a bubble and we are all affected by our society which permeates every aspect of our lives in really subtle ways. But acting like we are nothing but mindless puppets with make-believe opinions is pretty damn irritating.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-09 12:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-09 02:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-10 03:46 am (UTC)The only time I ever saw Wonder Woman as pro-war was during the first few volumes of Justice League
Date: 2016-09-12 05:19 pm (UTC)Re: The only time I ever saw Wonder Woman as pro-war was during the first few volumes of Justice Lea
Date: 2016-09-12 06:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-12 05:22 pm (UTC)To be fair, I think militarisation of a costume fits Captain Marvel well, since part of her character is her work for the Military and military-based organisations.