Gender Stereotypes In Batman

Throughout the decades men have dominated the comic-book industry. They played a very important role in perpetuating stereotypes. The male writers, publishers, editors, and creators wrote for the their target audience, which was primarily young boys. The 90s was a period of time where society obsessed over male strength, which in turn led the idea of how fragile a woman is compared to a man. Batman and Batgirl are both human superheroes; they do not have any special healing factor or any other kind of superpowers. All his enemies constantly give Batman brutal beatings, but he always walks away from the fight (see appendix 1). He suffers no long-term effects because men must have strength; suffering is a sign of weakness, and men can never be weak—society demands that. Complementary to this, in Batman: The Killing Joke, Batgirl is shot by the Joker and is paralyzed for life (see appendix 2). The juxtaposition of Batman’s invincibility

In 2015 Aaron Jason re-wrote Thor. Thor, now female was written as the complete opposite of her predecessor and has been breaking all the social boundaries that female superheroes have been forced into. In Thor (2015) the storyline revolves around the old Thor, now called Odinson, who has a secret whispered into his ear by S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Nick Fury, and he drops the hammer and can never pick it up again. One woman, whose identity is later revealed to be Thor’s love interest, Jane Foster, picks up the hammer and becomes the new Thor (see appendix 6). The comic series follows her as she battles evil across the universe while also battling breast cancer. Jane Foster as Thor is written as a very charismatic and strong-willed superhero. Unlike the original Thor, it is not her ego that fuels her to do good; it is her gallant need to protect