Women in Graphic Novels

Definition

The depiction of women in graphic novels has changed significantly since the Golden Age of comics. Although women’s roles in these stories continue to evolve, they also attract regular criticism. Typical roles women have embodied throughout the history of graphic novels include women seeking romance, women with superpowers, and “bad” independent women.

Introduction

The roles women play in graphic novels have long attracted critical attention. Many female characters considered inspiring symbols of strength have also been criticized for their lack of complexity and highly sexualized roles. The representation of women in graphic novels has changed immensely throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, with typical female roles including the woman looking for love, the superheroine, and the "bad girl."

Women in graphic novels once functioned as little more than plot devices, usually to stimulate a man or provide him with opportunities to demonstrate his manliness via a sexual encounter or marriage proposal. Female characters in most popular 1940s graphic novels were also typically one-dimensional, concerned with securing the attention and affection of men. The representation of women in graphic novels has evolved considerably since the Golden Age of comics, and female characters now form the crux of the plot in series such as Elektra and Batgirl. Similarly, female characters have become more complex since series creators have devoted more energy to developing layered and intriguing histories for female characters, such as Tulip O'Hare (Preacher) and Jenny Sparks (Stormwatch, The Authority).

Although women in graphic novels have become more multifaceted, they continue to be portrayed as sex objects. Most characters don revealing and form-fitting outfits, and illustrators often exaggerate female characters' body proportions to emphasize luscious curves and tiny waists. This representation has generated critical controversy, and some critics argue that their sexualized appearance subverts the power associated with many female characters. Representations of women in graphic novels, whatever form they take, call notions of power and sexuality into question.

Looking for Love . . . and Marriage

Women in graphic novels have long been portrayed as preoccupied with romance. Some of the most popular series of the 1940s and 1950s, including Young Romance(1947-1975), Hi-School Romance (1949-1958), First Love Illustrated (1949-1963), and True Bride-to-Be Romances (1956-1958), focused on romance, usually scandalous storylines, and traditional views of women. For example, the story "Afraid to Be Married" appeared in the June 1954 issue of True Love Pictorial (1952-1984) and focuses on Marge, a woman who devotes all her energy to marrying the right man. Stories such as this reinforce the stereotype that women are primarily concerned with marrying and marrying well. "My Beautiful Boss," from issue 39 of Lovelorn (1949-1954), tells a similar story: Jim loves his beautiful female boss, Rita, who embarrasses him by rejecting him. In the story's climax, Jim describes Rita as a "career woman" without feeling. This accusation infuriates Rita, and she expels her anger by pouncing on Jim and having sex with him. In the next frame, Jim reveals that he and Rita are married and living "happily ever after." This comic suggests that women focused on their careers are insensitive and that they will only find happiness after marrying. These representations of women, rooted in the romance genre of graphic novels, have continued to influence how women are portrayed in graphic novels.

While creators of many romance series geared their stories toward adults, the pattern of women being preoccupied with romance also appears in comics for young readers. The most notable example of women battling other women to secure a man's affection occurs in the Archie series of comics, first published in 1942. Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge love Archie and regularly compete with one another for his affection, even though he will not commit to either of them, preferring instead to date them simultaneously. Archie remains a popular series, so the trope of women looking (and even fighting) for love, companionship, and security remains a popular trope for female characters. The women serve primarily as plot devices, providing Archie with opportunities for adventure.

Super (and Stereotypically Female) Powers

The most famous female graphic novel characters remain superheroes and villains. In contrast to the traditional depiction of women in 1940s comics, superheroines and villains do not seek to marry men, but instead engage them in battle. Though their otherworldly abilities place them as equals to their male counterparts, their superpowers are often associated closely with sexuality and female stereotypes.

Wonder Woman and Catwoman are strong female characters who radiate sexual messages. Though she was not the first comic book superheroine, William Moulton Marston's Wonder Woman, who debuted in 1941, remains the most notable and beloved in the graphic novel tradition. At her inception, she functioned as a rallying figure for Americans amid the strife of World War II. As her character developed, she continued to be viewed as a symbol of female strength in general. Even so, she has always attracted criticism. Her special weapons, a lasso of truth and magic bracelets, are, as numerous critics have suggested, also objects associated with bondage; Wonder Woman's character confuses symbols of female strength with symbols of sadomasochism, further emphasized by her highly sexualized outfit of a leotard and thigh-high boots. Similarly, supervillain Catwoman possesses impressive physical prowess, but her form-fitting costume and her weapon of choice, a whip, regularly invite comparisons to a dominatrix.

Women such as Jean Grey, Rogue, and Julie Martin remain potent figures in the graphic novel canon, but they also possess inherently female superpowers. Jean Grey, also known as Marvel Girl, was one of the first X-Men and initially the only woman in the group; her abilities include telepathy, which involves being able to identify and empathize with the situations of others, a stereotypically female trait. Rogue, another member of the X-Men, can absorb the qualities and memories of those she touches, which suggests the stereotype that women are intuitive and feeling. Julie Martin of Echo (2008-2011) finds herself at the site of an explosion of an armored suit, the pieces of which fall on her and become part of her. The metal shards provide her with numerous abilities and serve as a metaphor, suggesting that to survive difficulties—Julie is undergoing a divorce, for instance—women must adopt a steely exterior. The suit also affords Julie the ability to empathize with and protect others. Yet again, a superheroine's abilities focus on the stereotypical female trait of being empathetic. This pattern suggests that women rely on feelings and emotions to thrive, a stereotype long associated with women.

Bad Girls and Independent Women

Several "bad girls" and independent women have appeared in graphic novels, primarily in the 1990s and 2000s. These women still often look to others for companionship or assistance. Still, readers and critics celebrate them for their take-charge attitudes, grit, and reliance on their physical and mental prowess rather than some otherworldly ability for survival. Female graphic novel characters such as Tank Girl, Gail, Hit-Girl, Alice, and Micchone are prime examples of "bad girls" and independent women, adding to a thriving artistic tradition that portrays strong and autonomous women.

One of the most famous graphic novels, "Bad Girls," is Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin's character Tank Girl, star of the series of the same name. Tank Girl, who first appeared in 1988, wears ragged clothes, lives in a tank, and is known for her crude behavior and defiant spirit. Frank Miller presented his readers with a similar character in an early issue of his graphic novel Sin City (1991-2000)Gail, one of the "Girls of Old Town," affectionately called, is an Uzi-carrying prostitute. She and her fellow girls protect themselves and create sovereign spaces where they rule unopposed.

Tank Girl and Gail epitomized the "bad girl" tradition of the 1990s. They laid the foundation for some of the most beloved and independent graphic novel female characters of the 2000s, including Hit-Girl, Alice, and Micchone. Hit-Girl, who appears in Mark Millar's series Kick-Ass (2008-2010), is highly trained in martial arts and devotes her energy to avenging her mother. Alice, of Warren Ellis's FreakAngels (2008-2011), is known for her weapon and tactical knowledge and her ability to defend herself while fearlessly attacking enemies. Similarly, Robert Kirkman's character Micchone, of The Walking Dead (2003-2019), survives a zombie plague and walks two undead on leashes as if they were dogs. These female characters starkly contrast the marriage-minded women of comics popular in the 1940s and 1950s.

In the 2020s, female comic figures began to take lead roles in movies. Female graphic novel characters also exhibited greater depths of character, racial diversity, and traits beyond attractive physicality. The Marvel character Jessica Jones, a superhero with human frailties and concerns, is one example. Other leading figures included Marvel's Captain Marvel and Black Widow, while female supporting characters like Black Panther's Queen Ramonda exhibited physical strength and wisdom.

Impact

The depiction of women in graphic novels remains especially relevant to the history of graphic novels because, like their male counterparts, female charactersoften implicitlyreflect the cultural forces and pressures present during the period in which they were created. Since their inception, graphic novels have provided an artistic commentary on the roles of both men and women. Most readers of the 1940s expected women to be traditional, and thus, the female figures in graphic novels of this era sought the love of men. This emphasis also existed because America was beleaguered by war, and finding security was a common goal and a luxury. In contrast, Wonder Woman sought to instill in women the strength and confidence to fight their battles, much like the many women left to provide for their families while their husbands went to war. During the 1960s and 1970s, superheroines gained popularity, an undeniable reaction to the feminist movement. The bad girls and independent women of the 1990s and 2000s undoubtedly sprang from the flourishing superheroine tradition, providing readers with a vivid contrast to the women of 1940s graphic novels. As representations of women continue to develop and evolve, they deserve constant critical analysis. For many years, graphic novels were associated with their male protagonists; that reality has shifted with the careful creation and study of women in the graphic novel genre.

Bibliography

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