No Girls Allowed

History

• Women have 100+ years experience in comics illustration and creation, but were blackballed from less gender traditional titles, and after industry decline in the 1950s, were no longer employed
• Early comics created or drawn by women were incredibly popular, and the artists received acclaim until they ventured into action-oriented storylines in the 1940s; backlash ensued.
• In order to be published, women went underground, and started to self-publish, 1960s forward.

Key Areas of Examination

• Character name
• Costume
• Pose
• Composition

Character Name

• Names are often overly feminized and appearance-based (Ms. Marvel, Lady Hulk etc.)
• Emphasizes character's need to be seen, rather than what she can do

Costume

• Traditionally costumes are not functional and are designed to attract gaze
• Female characters are there to be seen rather than to do
• By maintaining figure emphasis, directs the viewer to the characters greatest assets (T and A)

Pose

• Female characters are frequently posed in recline, or as receptive figures
• Lack of presence in form or expression illustrates their position as objects to be seen

Composition

• Female characters are often posed in recline or overpowered by antagonists
• Female characters as titillation or arm candy for male main character

Women by women: differences

• No assets on display: figures are natural, unaltered and non-exploitative
• Costumes are functional, designed around what the character does, not by how they look

Women by women: differences cont'd

• Models were asked what they wanted to do, with no discussion on how they wanted to look (participant culture vs. objectification)
• Characters posed showcasing their abilities, with antagonists present in frame
• Characters are positive and happy, look like they enjoy kicking some ass, not fearful or apprehensive - confident.

Women by women: differences cont'd

• Names were chosen to indicate skill set and were designed to be gender neuter and not gratuitously feminized
• Models chosen represent a variety of kinds of women, in terms of appearance, body type, and ethnicity.
• Models remained untouched and un-enhanced

Women by women: differences cont'd

• Characters do not fit traditional modes of appearance, costume, ethnicity but are still engaging and cool
• Choosing everyday people indicates that characters do not need to be cookie cutter copies to have appeal
• These are women who are there to do, not just be seen.

Les Femmes

Squall

Ampere

Whittle

Knockout

Production Notes:

• Whittle's sidekick indicates similarity between typical woman's Halloween costumes, and costume design for female superheroes (emphasis on looking vs. doing)
• Searching Google for images of "skirt blowing in wind" shows disturbing trend of exploitation and objectification
• Real people used to show action versus design is what creates an engaging, cool hero