THE HARBINGER [VON DOOM] PODCAST

Female Super-Hero Characters and Sex: Creators Explain How Comics Can Do Better

mckelvie:

A lengthy discussion with me, Kieron Gillen, Erika Moen, Kurt Busiek, Greg Rucka, G. Willow Wilson, Jeff Parker, Jess Fink, Brandon Graham, Sana Amanat, Jamie McKelvie, and Rachel Edidin. Worth a read.

Note that most of those talking, or at least willing to talk about issues such as this tend to be from the more contemporary wave of creators, and orbit around a progressive camp of creative ideals. Where are the seasoned creators, or those who have been criticized for their char acterizations? They need to answer for their faux pas be a part of the greater conversation if we’re going to get anywhere with these taboos.

Harbinger fan and friend Kelly Turnbull (Coelasquid, Manly Guys Doing Manly Things) recently shared her two cents on a controversy related to the rebooted Wonder Woman that goes beyond the comparatively petty back-and-forth argument over her pants:

In a world of angry/stoic/ominous heroes, a nubile stripper (who’s supposed to be an Amazon) seems a little out of place.

Now, for the sake of surprise, Kelly’s visual presentation of why and how there is a problem with this David Finch cover (and with the greater perception of female superheroes) won’t be posted here directly. See it for yourself, as well as context, at the originating post from her tumblr. (Also, for your consideration, proof that Wondy can flex and tough it out with the best of them.)

Along with a plethora of tumblr notes and kneejerk reactions*, Kelly’s critique has been garnering the attention of BleedingCool and, via retweets of BC, Rob Liefeld. Could Kelly’s two cents start a significant enough snowball to garner the attention of other industry pundits? Will Bats shave his legs if he keeps that costume? We shall see.

*dreamsofawesome, the unfortunate soul to whom Kelly originally replied, got a lot of flack for what he said. It’s a shame, since he is a good acquaintance of Kelly and The Harbinger and an otherwise awesome man. He (and David Finch, for that matter) should not be demonized just because of a faux pas here and there. Sinner, sin, etc.