Women In Comics Essay

Women in Comics

Historically, women in comics have portrayed a variety of roles ranging from a helpless woman that needs to be saved by a man to a powerful heroine that protects a man. Women originally played insignificant roles in comic books, they were depicted as dependent on men or as victims of crime who needed to be rescued by a “male” superhero. In the beginning of the comic book age, female character attributes represented the stereotypes that women were inferior or subordinate to men and they belonged in the home as a home maker or source of emotional support. As the role of women in society has evolved, so has the characterization of women in comics, graphic novels, and superhero movies; they are portrayed as strong and powerful.

Most female superheroes are the counterpart of a male version, i.e. Superman/Supergirl, Batman/Batgirl, Captain America/Miss America, etc. implying that woman cannot exist without man. According to Lavin, “the uneasy contradiction between strength and dependence (and in extreme cases, between strength and subservience) has characterized much of the history of female comic characters” (Lavin 94). When women were first introduced and included in the superhero teams, the heroin has softer powers in contract to the superhero who has stronger powers. As time has progressed, women were written to be stronger and more independent, for example, Marvel Girl was introduced in Uncanny X-Men#1 and was originally written as a caring, nurturing,

As comics have evolved, the female superheroes have been written to become solid characters independent of their male counterparts. However, despite this progression, women in comics continue to be illustrated as sexy, voluptuous, and alluring. They demonstrate strength and independence, but for the male reader, mostly sexual appeal. “If anything, the comics of today are more blatantly sexist and provocative than ever. For every positive female role model, two negative ones can be found” (Lavin 97). Women in comics portray a sexualized representation of the female body, with a strong focus on women as sexual objects rather than women. The trend of objecticifty women in comics has continued since the first superheroine Wonder Woman was first introduced in comics because it is profitable and it is