Redhead Fangirl

Saturday, July 22

Would you like revenge, young lady?

The latest Walking Dead has left me uncomfortable and disturbed. "raping the dog shit" out of Michonne is the governor-- and while the 2 excuses are 'that the governor will get his' and 'rape happens in real life': I'm not sure anything can be as degrading and awful as this. There have been moments in WD, and I like Kirkman, that it has a sexist slant (none of the women wanted to be on the in-charge committee; they tended to do cleaning and watching of children).

But Michonne was strong and could use a sword, and even attacked the sadist Governor. Rick lost a hand, but is not getting tortured; nor Glen, who just by overhearing Michonne's attack spilled his guts and ran. The strongest female character is put in that age old stereotype (ie Black Cat)- the rape will allow her to become stronger. But this isn't even the assault of a date rape-- it's him returning to rape her again and again "until she finds a way to kill herself".

Stirring emotions is important, and I am still thinking about the comic, but it's just too exploitative. I've considered stopping buying the title. At least the art is not showing graphic panels of the rape, but the words are worse with just her face or his fly. I want them to peel back the Governor's skullcap. The end of the world we know scenario in Y the Last Man, while no Pollyanna world, is just less depressing.


Onward, other females in comics-

Spider-man loves Mary Jane 7

As I've said, this teen book packs more of an emotional punch than a lot of the other titles. This last one, Peter is being picked on, then flees to be alone in a classroom mourning the death of Uncle Ben.
I hear what MJ's saying here-- she's depressed and some people just want her to be laughing and the same "popular happy party girl" -- she lashes back with a "somehow my feelings aren't real enough?".
MJ, heartbroken over her ex, thinks how trivial her problems are when "the man who raised him was dead". Liz advises her friend MJ to "Tell Peter how you feel. Before it's too late" --- when he comes in to their booth with Gwen.

Birds of Prey 95
"Well capelings?" taunts Prometheus to Huntress, Zinda, Gypsy. "Nine tenths of any super freak battle is just rank banter".
Shiva and Canary's arrangement is over- Shiva "Tell Canary I release her". But takes the young daughter of the Crime Doctor to continue the cycle "Would you like revenge young lady?"

Y the Last Man 47
God, this says Sept 06, and it's July. Anyway, Dr. Mann with blood red hands , a complication of her own attempt to create child a while ago, flashes back to her mother and father and her teen lesbian experiences. Her father-
"if you stay here with your...girl..you will always be alone".
Her mother teaches her about pheromones in a great scene that meshes with the current one man left in the world: "boy moths are fooled by a smell?"
"no, they get fooled by sex. All males do."
"once all males dies, mother natures takes care of the rest"

5 Comments:

At 7:41 PM, Blogger Jason said...

I hear what you are saying about Walking Dead. I stopped buying it cause it got too depressing. Looks like it hasn't let up.

 
At 9:39 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You're not alone in odd feelings about Kirkman's treatment of women. I think he often falls into the trap of making his females shrews whose only dialogue seems to be "Naggity nag nag nag!"

 
At 11:47 AM, Blogger RedheadFangirl said...

Interesting comments! Everyone is so high on Kirkman's writing, particularly the Walking Dead, I thought I was a lone voice. No doubt, he's been at the top of my list of writers - but the women get the mcnaggy shrift in his titles.

 
At 2:54 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I stopped reading Kirkman a while ago; the last creator owned thing I read from him was the third volume of Brit in which the hero's ex-law student/stripper girlfriend gives him the evil eye after seeing him have a conversation with his ex-wife. "You KNOW I'm fine with multiple partners, but this..." I mean, WTF?

 
At 4:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just picked up Walking Dead in the trade, and I think it will be the last. To be honest, for me it is as simple as that brutal rape ain't entertaining. And the thought that some people might find it thrilling makes me feel kinda sick. It's a shame, because I love lots about Kirkman, but his previous portaryals have women made me uneasy and this is just too much.

 

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