I really hate those origin stories that have the hero hating her powers because she doesn’t want to be different, I mean I understand why and all but I often find the reluctant hero archetype a little frustrating.  I think I liked the movie Jumper because the main character just accepted the fact and embraced the powers.

There is an exception to every rule and this is no different.  I am entirely fine with the idea of Liz Sherman from the Hellboy/BPRD franchise rejecting her abilities.

Liz has the ability to generate and to a lessor degree control fire, she’s pyrokinetic.  Her powers didn’t appear from birth, they manifested themselves around her eleventh birthday.  The result of that initial manifestation of her fire powers left 32 dead and a city block flattened.  Amongst those dead was Liz’s family and I suggest any chance at a ‘normal’ life.

So I can see why she resents her powers and is reluctant to use them since they have cost her so much.

I think what makes this work is the commitment to the character, she doesn’t just get over it, embrace the powers and pop on a smile.  Far from it, there is a sadness around her, she is reminded of her loss whenever she lights ups.  In fact she often quits the BPRD only to eventually sullenly return.  I suspect that being at the BPRD only reinforces her difference from ‘normalcy’ being surrounded by ‘freaks’, the demonic Hellboy, aquatic Abe Sapian, lifeless Roger and bodiless Johann.

Of course the message here is that it is what is on the inside that counts, admirable message indeed but it’s still a fairly strong visual re-enforcement.

I haven’t seen Hellboy 2 yet but I really liked the way she was portrayed in the first one, I can only hope that she doesn’t smile (too much at least) in the sequel!

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

It would not be an unreasonable assumption to make about a movie called X-Men that it was a male orientated film that is driven by male characters and females are not given the same status.  It is a pleasant surprise then after examining the film that it goes to extraordinary (by comic book film standards) to create an impression of gender neutrality and equality.

I wonder if this was intentional to illustrate that it is the mutant gene that defines the characters rather than conventional ideas of gender and race.

Firstly we should examine the naming conventions used in the movie.  There are no gender specific character code names.  Storm, Wolverine, Sabretooth, Magneto, Cyclops, Professor X, Mystique, Toad etc.  In fact the one character in the group that does have or has had a gender biased name is Jean Grey who in the comic books was known for a while as Marvel Girl.  Her codename is omitted completely from the film with her character being referred to simply as Jean Grey (or Doctor Jean Grey).

The only hint then of a gender biased change to the characters is that Jean is given the Doctor role that normally would have been Hank McCoy (Beast) in the comic book.  The traditional concept of women being more nurturing or caring may have had a hand with this role going to Jean Grey however I’m not really convinced of it.  Beast was going to be in the film originally but due to the make up demands for his character he was dropped and the role had to go to someone.

The other key idea I wanted to raise in regards to this was the X-Men uniform.  Often, not always but certainly often women in comic books and comic book films are reduced to visual stimulus thanks to their skimpy and impracticable swimsuit costumes.  In X-Men the uniforms are all the same, the black leather suits that Wolverine is asked if he prefers yellow latex to.  There are only slight deviations for the characters but these are based on their mutant power rather than their appearance or gender.

I’m sure there are instances that can equally be pointed to that shows the ‘normal’ gender ideas coming through, particularly the roles of nurturing and aggression but over all if you were looking for a film that does not present its female members as anything less than equals then X-Men is not a bad place to start.

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

That’s what she would like to know!

Ghost from Dark Horse Comics is a character whom I only had a passing knowledge of despite it’s popularity. I think the only time I had seen her was in a Dark Horse special in a five page short story.

So I was lucky enough to start reading Ghost from the first main appearance of the character and in a chronological order. To this point I’ve now read 15 issues starting with Comics Greatest World 3 in which Ghost is introduced.

Ghost’s first clear memory was finding herself nude and floating above the floor in the men’s room of a seedy nightclub with no recollection of who she was or how she had died. She soon discovered that her name was Elisa Cameron, and that in life she had been a crusading journalist who had been investigating the criminal underworld of Arcadia, a city with the largest concentration of mutants and paranormals in the U.S. She had come to close to some dark secret, and had been murdered as a result. Filled with burning rage and an inexplicable hatred of men, Elisa became the phantasmal figure known as Ghost and set out to discover the truth behind her murder, and who was responsible. In the course of her quest she became a protector and avenger of victimized women, and a nemesis to the criminal underworld, uncovering many old enemies somehow linked to her past, and making many new ones as well.

Like I mentioned I’ve only read the first 15 issues of Ghost and from some of the descriptions I’ve read online I understand that she does indeed uncover more about her special abilities and the reason for her situation.

Something that does set this book aside is the man hating attitude of Ghost. She is quite descriptive in some of her attitudes towards men in general and generally this kind of thing would be usually delegated to a tragic lessor character who has a possible refrigerator in her future.

It’s refreshing for a character to be as deeply disturbed as Ghost and I’m certain many of her thoughts would mirror that of a rape victim or to a lessor degree someone who has been stalked and had to change their lives due to fear.

I’m going to stay with the character and see if I’m able to get through the full run of issues that I’ve managed to get a hold of. (time permitting!)

Take a look at the character if you’d like to read a different perspective and see a female character take power and deal out a little old fashioned revenge.

I certainly encourage anyone who does have a more intimate knowledge of the character to please consider commenting or writing another post that explores this intriguing character at greater depth.

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

Last May, a collective wail of despair could be heard round the world. Brett Ratner’s X-Men: The Last Stand hit theaters and promptly destroyed not only a good storyline but also several good characters and Marvel mythology itself. Though many complaints were voiced (I’m still not over Rogue’s simpering end), one seemed to ring louder and more often then all the rest: ‘DARK PHOENIX WHAT?!’

The Dark Phoenix Saga is considered by many to be one of the most important story arcs in Marvel history. The story is viewed as epic and to have changed X-Men mythology. But why? Why is Jean Grey’s tale of power, sacrifice and humanity so captivating?

Jean Grey is central to the original X-Men: the first female member, an accomplishment all by itself. Marvel Girl, like she’s the only girl in the whole comic! Her power was at first insignificant, lifting a few books, reading a few minds, all rather passive. But when the Phoenix is unleashed (Uncanny X-Men #101), watch out. Suddenly Jean is the most powerful mutant alive. Those close to her are apprehensive of her powers, but say nothing. The Phoenix is said to be a creator, a source of life. As Jean, she risks her life to save all of existence. But through subtle telepathy, Jean’s darker side, all fantasy and lust, her ‘id’ if you will is set loose and the Phoenix becomes a great destructive force, killing billions. And yet while this goes on, Jean does not distinguish herself from the Phoenix. In fact when asked (in Greg Pak’s Phoenix: Endsong) whether she is Jean or the Phoenix she replies ‘I’m always Jean and always the Phoenix.’

The Dark Phoenix manifests itself in Jean only when she is under insane emotional stress: when she believes her husband, Cyclops, has been hurt or killed. This seems to indicate that she has a physical manifestation of her dark side, the part of herself (and everybody else) that she represses: the want to kill, to take revenge, to alienate others for want of power. All of these are very base human emotions. What is even more interesting is that a woman displays this ‘id’ factor. Jean goes about doing whatever she likes with no thought for consequences; she has power, why would she limit herself? Perhaps that is the reason the Dark Phoenix holds such a mass appeal. Everybody has a dark side that nobody actually wants to use, no matter how tempting it may be, because of the limits we place on ourselves. We see the Dark Phoenix as something deep within us, always whispering in our ear to key that car, say some mean thing, or even to beat the crap out of somebody.

This story arc also imposes a mythological connection: The Judgment of the Phoenix, the idea that life is not possible without death. This is a hard hitting truth, that things need to be stripped away for new things to grow. In Phoenix: Endsong, this is a central theme. Jean can see herself as the Phoenix destroying worlds over and over again, simply because they are evolutionary dead-ends. The Phoenix deals with it calmly but Jean cannot bear the emotional weight of it exclaiming ‘This is hell.’ Endsong is also when Jean Grey tells the Phoenix ‘Don’t you remember? I am you,’ indicating a deep connection with the Phoenix rather then just being it’s puppet.

The Dark Phoenix Saga concludes with Jean Grey’s suicide as does X3. Jean sees herself as a human being and the Phoenix Force (or her split-personality) as something that robs her of her humanity, because it makes her a god: limitless and heartless. The Observer states that it is more important for her to die human. And that is what essentially makes Jean Grey a hero, her ability to overcome her darker impulses and lust for power to save others. With X3 it is hard to remember that.

Julia is an avid over-thinker of pop culture and the b-movie. You can find her online journal here

Mark down March 07 down in your diary. Buffy The Vampire Slayer returns in comic book form for what Joss Whedon has stated will be the direct pick up from where the show ended making this new comic book series season 8.

The other exciting news right now is that you can go and read the first 5 pages of the first issue at Dark Horse Comics.

I’m all excited just reading this preview because already in 5 pages we get an explanation about what’s happened since the hell mouth was destroyed and we get an Angel reference regarding ‘The Immortal’.

It’s this attention to detail that helped make the series so popular in the first place. I wonder if this is the future of genre shows that don’t get renewed despite their popularity?

It’s also interesting because you are now dealing with 1800 slayer empowered young women whilst in the series there was only ever two at most.  I think it’s great that they all call her Ma’am.  She has almost taken on a John Connor like role in the war against the demons.  I think this is worth the pre order!

This is what Dark Horse has on their website:

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers–newly legion–have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything’s fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains . . .

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series.

Joss Whedon writes Season 8! Only available at Dark Horse!

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

She is a founding member of one of the most successful and enduring superhero teams of all time. The first family of comic books. The Fantastic Four. Some have written about why and and how this extraordinary team stays together and have been so popular. Especially as they are unique amongst the other super teams because they are a family in the truest sense of the word, except for Ben Grimm they are either related by marriage or blood.

The virtue and moral position of the Fantastic Four is rarely called into question. There is little doubt that they fall firmly on the side of good. But when we examine the female quarter of this team it can be asked why Susan Storm/Richards aka The Invisible Woman is good when there is so much opportunity to be bad.

When Susan Storm the then fiancé of Reed Richards (later known as Mr Fantastic) was exposed to cosmic rays she developed the power of invisibility, later she developed the ability to create and control force fields. It is her invisibility power of course that she is best known for simply based on her super hero name The Invisible Woman.

It is this power that presents the most corrupting opportunities. To be able to make oneself invisible is an amazing ability that in the best case offers the potential for equally amazing good. In the worst case it offers the chance to perform the most vile of intrusions.

In the 1897 HG Wells novel The Invisible Man the title character becomes insane with the prospect of never becoming visible again. After a series of events he realises that he may perform illegal acts with little or no consequence and swiftly descends into madness with thoughts of world dominance. He is killed by a mob as he attempts to see revenge on one of the characters.

Our Invisible Woman however is able to become invisible at will and able to return as easily. She has no burden of concern regarding if anyone will ever see her again. There is however still the same possibilities for mischief and the potential to view herself outside the rules of society.

Already Susan Richards is an outsider from normal society. Normal society for her is the very strange world of the Fantastic Four family unit. Her husband Mr Fantastic has the ability to stretch and mould his body as if it were rubber. Susan’s brother Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch can raise his own temperature to engulf himself in flame and control fire. Ben Grimm aka The Thing is an orange rock covered monster with super human strength.

Mr Fantastic and The Human Torch are both not as separated from normal society boundaries as much as The Invisible Woman despite their extraordinary powers. Both are recognisable as humans, even The Human Torch in ‘flame on’ mode is clearly still seen as a man. A man covered in flames but a man all the same. They are unable to separate themselves from their actions, they are still accountable and are therefore bound by society rules. If say The Human Torch were to toast a bad guy in front of anyone then he would be held accountable. There is a consequence that he would have to face. Of course punishment might prove a little harder to enforce however at the very least he would face expulsion from the ranks of the good.

If the Invisible Woman were to silently walk up to someone and kill them whilst invisible it would be infinitely harder to point the finger at the person you can’t prove was there… not impossible just harder. Of course Susan’s other ability to create force fields would, if used in the assignation, take care of anything physical evidence. All she need do is create a small force field bubble in your brain and instant embolism.

The concern is more from a psychological point of view, she hypothetically has a tangible way to remove herself from the normal constraints of morality and ethics.

It is interesting to note that it is the remaining member of the group is the only other who in my opinion has the freedom to become evil or selfish. The Thing, like the others is already outside of normal society but even within his unusual family group he is still the outsider. Not actually related but adopted by the family in almost an uncle role. He is unable to blend into the crowd, he is the absolute opposite of invisible.

It is Ben’s appearance that provides the most likely source of corruptibility. His appearance in conjunction with his near invulnerability. He looks like a monster. People who aren’t close to him or fans are repulsed or frightened by his orange rocky hide. If it’s the monster that society expects why not give in and provide it? Fortunately the Thing is made of stronger morals but that’s a whole different article!

S o what is it that keeps the Invisible Woman on the straight and narrow? Is it possibly because she does have that miniature society found within the Fantastic four?

A distinct possibility is the concept of care ethics that has contributed to Susan not crossing into moral corruption or abandonment. Care ethics is a concept considered in what some have termed feminist ethics. It is a theory that places more importance on relationships and that the highest moral ethics consider the emotions and feelings of others. This line of thinking being developed through female experiences that throughout history women have been the primary care providers in society and their families.

For example would it be morally right to tell a child that their drawing is inaccurate or bad despite their obvious pride in their technically poor artwork. Or is it ethically right to lie to that child in order to encourage them to continue experimenting and practising to become better?

One line of reasoning may state that it is wrong to lie absolutely no matter the situation. That truth is the only moral response and the emotions of the recipient should never come into it. Care ethics would examine the reaction that telling such an absolute truth would create and weighs up the decision to lie based on those factors.

So does the Invisible Woman rely on care ethics in considering her moral position? Is it her natural or at least broader society driven impulses of care that pushes her inclination towards good. Does the concern of the reaction or response from her miniature society or family factor in and without the Fantastic four would Susan drift into a more unethical existence?

There are of course other parts at play within the Invisible Woman’s moral code. Her upbringing and religious nature for instance. It is also interesting to note that in issue 54 of What If (a comic book series that poses hypothetical scenarios outside of the normal Marvel Comics continuum) that after a particularly powerful foe kills Mr Fantastic Susan becomes quickly enraged and vengeful when discussing the enemy to the eventual unleashing of her full powers at him after witnessing the deaths of the remaining members of the Fantastic Four at his hands.

Not that I don’t think as an individual Susan wouldn’t be a positive force but it is a good thing for the rest of the Marvel comics universe that The Invisible Woman does have the rest of the Fantastic Four because as a villain she would be quite the force to be reckoned with.

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

Ok you read that right. I’m posing the question is Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer the female equivalent to Spiderman or to be more precise Peter Parker?

I know the first reaction to that is a simple NO as she doesn’t have the proportionate strength of a spider! Well I’ll give you that and good work spotting your pop culture icon differences! We have to dig a little deeper though when we consider the idea.

As a guy I can honestly say that the story of Spiderman and how he came to be is one that fills you with possibilities. Forget how unlikely it is that you’ll be bitten by a radioactive spider that will pass on super powers but the possibility remains.

Spiderman could have been you.

If I was bitten by a radioactive spider I might develop the powers and abilities that Spiderman has.

Now look at Peter Parker. He is a geek, a nerd, an outcast. He is not popular and he isn’t particularly gifted as an athlete. He is seen by some as a harmless identity at high school and by others he is not seen at all. As characters go he is not special.

Parker is then bitten by a radioactive spider and his whole life changes. He develops abilities that others can only dream of having. He becomes important and admired as Spiderman and yes he becomes feared and hated in some circles too. He can now make a difference. How does that saying go? With great power comes great responsibility?

Now you’re wondering what has HE got to do with this site and more importantly how could Willow be compared to him.

When we first meet Willow in the first season of Buffy she is a nerd, a geek, an outcast. She doesn’t fit into the cool cliques and hangs around with her early childhood friend Xander. She befriends the new girl Buffy and discovers a world of vampires, demons and eventually magic.

By season four we are dealing with a whole new Willow. One with strength and abilities that others can only dream of. Her radioactive spider was the death of one of her teachers Jenny Calendar. Jenny Calendar was involved with online mysticism and pagans and when she is killed it is Willow who discovers her own natural inclination towards the magical arts.

As Willow develops her powers she too has to learn that with great power comes great responsibility. When her girlfriend Tara is killed Willow turns to a darker side (if not THE dark side) very much like another comic book pop culture heroine Jean Grey.

As evil Willow there is no one who can equal her and she can lash out at the world as she suffers.  Willow is of course shaken out of it and is coached by a coven on managing her immense power.

I wonder how many boys dreamt of the possibilities that come with the chance occurrence that could give them the super abilities that would empower them to rise up and show the popular kids how special they are?

In the same line of thought is magic the equivalent for girls? Of course Harry Potter has certainly made inroads with the chosen profession of wizard it is witches and witchcraft that society seems to have a fascination with. Sabrina, The Charmed Ones, The Scarlet Witch, The Four from The Craft are featured as strong examples of witchcraft characters.

Particularly in the case of the film The Craft we are treated to a storyline dealing with four girls who are outcasts for their own reasons who see the chance to escape their situations using magic. The film also deals with similar themes of power corrupting as well as a mature look at what pushes these young women to want such power to an almost addiction level.

So back to Peter Parker. After learning that he now has great responsibility along with his new found powers turns his abilities to be used for great good.

In the series finale it is Willow who having faced her demons turns her immense power to be used for the ultimate good.

To quote Miss Rosenberg:

‘Oh my goddess.’

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

Anyone who recognises Wonder Woman recognises The Lasso of Truth or as it is also known The Magic Lasso.

According to legend it is unbreakable, able to hold the likes of Superman and Captain Marvel and can extend or shorten itself to meet the needs of Wonder Woman. One of it’s other qualities though is it’s ability to force people to tell the truth. When you know a little about the man who co-created Wonder Woman it is this quality that adds a deeper dimension to the lasso’s powers.

Wonder Woman was created by Dr William Moulton Marston who was a psychologist and feminist theorist along with with his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston. Dr Marston was also the inventor of the early polygraph lie detector (the blood pressure component).

It is interesting then to note the plausibility of the lasso at least from a theoretical comic book sort of way. The lasso is tied around the individual whom Wonder Woman wishes to get the truth out of. The lasso monitors the subjects physiological changes that indicate a lie being told. Now of course the lasso takes the whole process one step further by inducing the subject to tell the truth. Perhaps the lasso has the ability to secrete a truth serum whilst monitoring the subject?

Comic books are often dismissed as rubbish, mainly by those who don’t read them. In a very early interview (prior to his creation of Wonder Woman) Marston described what he saw as the great educational potential of comic books. It’s nice then to reflect on the idea that something so fantastical as a magic lasso that can force the truth out of anyone had it’s roots in actual science.

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

Often when people think of the first super heroine Wonder Woman is who comes to mind. I know when I started researching this that I thought of her first. But I quickly discovered that not only was she not first but there were a group of super powered women who came before her, if only briefly.

Trina Robbins stated in her 1996 book The Great Women Superheroes published by Kitchen Sink Press that the character The Woman in Red who first appeared in Thrilling Comics #2 (March, 1940) is the first female superhero. But other argue that Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle who first appeared in Jungle Comics #2 (February, 1940) a month earlier can claim the title.

I’m afraid I have to side with the Fantomah camp. She simply came out first.

I’ve only managed to read the first three appearances by the Mystery Woman of the Jungle but I will be reading more as I get the opportunity. Fantomah is no Wonder Woman! She has undefined super powers where she is able to will things to happen, she can fly and her face is replaced with a skull to instil terror into her prey.

The very first appearance by Fantomah has her battling two greedy ivory hunters as they discover the secret location of the sacred elephant graveyard. She obviously has an affinity with the jungle as it is she who guides the elephants to their final resting place and of course defends the location.

Fantomah appears to the ivory hunters and tells them to leave. Of course being greedy ivory hunters the two hapless idiots enter the graveyard anyway. Fantomah once again appears to them and tells them they are now trapped. Eventually the two hunters turn on each other and one murders the other. The remaining hunter in trying to remove some gems from the dead elephants finds himself in quicksand. He slips under with Fantomah watching on.

Fantomah is certainly a strange character. In the issues I read she later battles giant spiders, drugged gorilla armies (in a delightfully gory sequence as the man who drugged the gorillas is thrown to them to be torn apart) and finally more jewel thieves (whom she uses her mysterious powers to transform into what looks like fish men).

Her powers seem limitless and there’s no carting people off to jail for her. You cross the jungle, Fantomah will let the jungle pay you back! This does differ her from her more recent counterparts who believe that life is precious. Even if there is some debate over her qualifications to be considered a superhero there is no denying that she was an early environmentalist/activist.
If you do get a chance to read any of the Jungle Comics that have now passed into public domain and can be found to download online I highly recommend it. If only to read a little piece of super heroine history!

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.