So let's talk a little about the New Justice League: no women. But that's ok DC doesn't have any women writers either. Seriously, I read Issue 1 looking for the Wonder Woman of my friend's youth. The feminist, they have diluted over decades, but I didn't even get Wonder Woman lite. Just the promise of a Batman/Superman show down in Issue 2 [hurl].
Now, we have two more debuts this week: Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws. Catwoman, you say, niffy. Wait, this is DC we're talking about. There is something you should know about women in DC's new universe: they have control over their own sexuality which means they must be draw like porn money shots.
So, let's begin with sexuality as depicted by DC so far (granted I haven't picked up every issue, but I image if they have a closing scene where Robin gets nailed on a roof, someone might have mentioned it), heteronormativity is at it's best. I'm serious in both of these comics women and men have sex. Catwoman and Batman do it on a roof in the final panel, which is weird to me. I mean we all knew that was happening, but why do it? How does that add to character development? This is where a lot of films go wrong, too. They make the assumption the audience needs to see more. However, this isn't out of character for either characters so I can move on. However, when do we see Seleina Kyle's face? Not in the first few panels, where we get shots of her breasts in a red bra, which matters because of the coloring of the panel, and the second shot of her ass is leather pants. This is like porn. Women don't have faces.
Alright, now let's talk about Starfire in Red Hood and the Outlaws. I don't know much about this character, but my understanding is that she was always about the free love, but the way the 1960s knew it not the way Conservatives would claim to understand it. It the first issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws, Starfire has a sexual relationship with two male characters (of course they're male, if men aren't involved sexuality doesn't exist here). She can't remember the names of the men with whom she had sex. I don't have a problem with this. It is the way she says "I am free to do what I want when I want"[emphasis not my own]. SEXUAL REVOLUTION! Except without any of the discussion around what this means. Emotionless sex isn't free, nothing is. I'm not one to claim all sex has meaning for everyone involved, but sex between co-workers will (scroll lower for a discussion on Buffy). This is female sexuality as depicted by men for men, which speaks to the larger issue of women in comics. They are written and draw as porn stars and Barbie. To begin with this alienates your audience secondly being depicted as Barbie doesn't make Emma Frost sound like an nymphomaniac.
And let's talk about Emma Frost and how to appropriately turn a sex icon into a major player. Emma spends her comic life in her underwear, and unlike her depiction in X-men: First Class, she isn't some puppet. Emma Frost is a serious big bad. She owns her sexuality and nearly takes down the X-men. Why you ask? Because she's involved in a pissing contest with Jean Grey. Yep, two seriously awesome women and poor Scott Summers gets caught in the middle, and barely makes it out a live. One of my favorite scenes is below.
Yeah you saw that right, Emma seduced Scott to piss off Jean, and what is not shown? A bad ass telepathic war, where Jean kicks her ass, and thus will always be the bigger bad. That's how you write a woman who doesn't put too much stock in emotional sex. And I know she does have feelings for Scott in the long run, but a lot of this began because of Jean.
The comic that does sexuality and natural depictions of characters really well is Buffy. Yeah. I love Whedon, but seriously. Let's begin in Season 8, the first season of the comics. In the "Wolves at the Gate" arch, Buffy begins a sexual relationship with another slayer. No, she didn't switch teams, but because sexuality is a spectrum she can explore sex with another woman and not redefine herself. They keep it quiet until one of those "why is everyone in my bedroom talking to me when I'm naked" moments [hey, we've all been there]. The relationship itself is interesting for a variety of reasons including the discussion of power between two women, which is hardly ever discussed. Buffy is in charge in this war they're fighting, but what about in the relationship? Who calls the shots? Buffy, and that is a problem in an equatable relationship and not the first time this has been a problem for Buffy. And what about the rest of their colleagues? Are Willow and Xander ok with Buffy screwing the staff? And the discussion between Willow and Buffy about being a lesbian verses playing both sides. Willow expressing how difficult it was for her to come out, and now Buffy decides she wants to be gay for a while and manipulating a lesbian who has real feelings for Buffy (from Willow's point of view) all the while kicking ass and taking names in Tokyo. Yeah, that's how you do sexuality. And what about heterosexual sexual liberation? Issue 1 Season 9 will rock your socks. Mostly because Buffy spends most of it trying to put together the night before. Because all decisions have consequences, which a bigger metaphor for the end of Season 8, no spoilers.
Summary:
Missing women
Poor representations of women both in the writing and visual depictions
Lack of diversity in our heros
Lack of complete discussions of sexuality
We should all worship at the alter of Whedon
For a much better take than I could ever hope of giving: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/09/22/starfire-catwoman-sex-superheroine/
