The Quest Begins...

            I just watched Captain America for the second time, and although part of me was consumed with pure joy when viewing the action and solid story arch, another part of me sits in that fancy rocking movie theater chair seething. I sit (and rock, those chairs are so irresistibly rockable)  and wonder:

 “When can I watch a great action movie with a female lead, not romantic interest, damn it!?”

 “Why the hell did Stan Lee write primarily about women? I give him props for creating some of the most renowned and compelling comic heroes, but he kinda screwed us women over by, well, forgetting (or dare I say, ignoring?) us.”

“And why oh why is Black Widow (who happens to be the only female Avenger) the only Avenger without a  solo movie? Newsflash Marvel, I think a huge number of women and men would pay money to see Scarlett Johansson kicking ass in a spandex suit.”

            And this is where I figuratively take a deep breath and let anyone reading this know that I personally take it upon myself to find answers to these questions. I shall look under every rock, in every dusty textbook, and in every digital nook and cranny if I have to find some way of answering the age-old question, “Where are all the women heroes?”

            Want to help me on my quest? Post your ideas below and feel free to include any references you suggest I check out!

Review and Rating of Captain America: The Chosen





Writer: David Morrell

Artist: Mitch Breitweiser

Color Artist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Cory Petit

Publisher: Marvel

REVIEW

In Captain America: The Chosen, Marvel’s touching upon what it does best, World War Two (Who are better villains than the Nazis?). The comic, starring Corporal James Newman in Afghanistan, parallels Captain America’s struggles in the Second World War with the hardships of today’s war. And I should mention, this isn’t a story just about Captain America.  Long story short, The Chosen follows a new hero, Newman, with a dying Captain America as his guide (the hero’s “supernatural aid,” according to Joseph Campbell, if you want to go there.). Although this is Morrell’s first foray in comic book writing, he gives us a very decent script, with a solid plot and compelling characterization. I was drawn into the story enough to not question the bizarre think/mental teleportation machine Captain America was hooked up to. Without Captain America taking the lead, Morrell had to create a pretty darn convincing new hero. I’d say he succeeded. The use of flashbacks, of both Captain America and Corporal Newman, strengthen the characterization by contributing to our understanding of the character’s fears and motivations. Yes, the solider-fighting-for-his-wife-and-child bit is cliché, but at least it’s not over-emphasized.

            The art, particularly through color and sharp lines, set the tone of the comic. Sandy tans, harsh browns, an almost monochromatic artist’s pallet, and muted grays and reds reflect the mood of the dying Captain America. Check out the panel-less page of everyday heroes in chapter six. Non-existent panels give the content a feeling of limitlessness, adding to the effect (created by captions) that heroes can be anywhere (and everyone). And that’s the ‘moral’ of the comic, by the way.

            Yeah, Captain America died already, but this burp in continuity can be forgiven by the uniqueness of Captain America’s second death and the comic’s solid script and artwork.

P.S. Morell includes part of his script in the back of the book. Great reference for new comic writers!

RATING

%Panels Devoted to Women

2.11%

Women in Action

* Women don’t participate in plot-moving action

The only women in the entire comic are Newman’s wife, who appears only in panels that are flashbacks/daydreaming, silent everyday heroes in chapter six, and “extras.”

Women as Leaders

n/a

See above.

Women as Sex Objects

*** Women are depicted as sexy (or their sex is not emphasized at all), but their allure does not define their purpose as a prominent, plot-moving character in the comic.

But here’s a caveat: women aren’t plot movers. At least they aren’t objectified.

Men Deviating from Male Stereotypes

** Men sometimes deviate from the male stereotypes of a logical mind, rationality, lack of expression and empathy.

Okay, so it’s a comic about men in war. But Corporal Newman (and even Captain America at times) is surprisingly in touch with his emotions.

Here's my question as I prepare myself for the release of Marvel's Captain America movie this weekend: Will the Captain America movie be as compelling as The Chosen?

Let the Rating and Reviewing Begin!

Ms. Comix was started for the purpose of encouraging female comic writers, artists, and readers One way of reaching this mission is to provide handy resources and tools, collected on one  convenient blog.  The review + rating posts will hopefully 1. expose blog viewers to a variety of comics 2. warn viewers of absolutely horrendous comics 3. help viewers find a comic they’d like to read. Here’s how the ratings will work:

% Panels Devoted to Women

 A pretty straight-forward statistic; percentage of panels in the comic featuring a woman speaking or engaging in an important action.

Women in Action

*Women don’t participate in plot-moving action. 

**Women occasionally participate in plot-moving action.

***Women often participate in plot-moving action

 

Women as Leaders

*Women are followers, not leaders.

** Women depicted occasionally as leaders.

*** Women often lead the other characters.

 

Women as Sex Objects

*All or most women are overtly sexualized; their feminine features are over-emphasized and their main role in the comic is to provide eye candy for characters and readers.

**Women’s features are over-emphasized. Their sex separates them from male characters, but they do engage in plot-moving action.

***Women are depicted as sexy (or their sex is not emphasized at all), but their allure does not define their purpose as a prominent, plot-moving character  in the comic.

Men Deviating from Male Stereotypes

*Men never express their emotions; they engage is mostly physical action. They are depicted as logical and  apathetic.

**Men sometimes deviate from the male stereotypes of a logical mind, rationality, lack of expression and empathy.

*** Men deviate dramatically from the male stereotype. They express their emotions, use creativity, and think of others.

A Caveat about Ratings

These ratings are not to determine the ideal comic (Although they do seem to suggest that “the best” comic receives three stars all around and a high percentage of panels devoted to women—but that’s why I’m writing this disclaimer, right?) because it would effectively devalue any comic with a male protagonist and few female characters. The ratings are coupled with a review, which touches upon other  redeeming (or not) qualities of the comic. 

The purpose of the ratings is to simply provide a quick reference to help you choose the best comic to suit your current desires. For example, if you’re sick and tired of reading comics with booby women who have no real plot-moving purpose in the comic, avoid a comic with a one star rating for “Women  as Sex Objects.” Or if you’re looking for a comic with a strong female lead, read a comic with three stars for “Women as Leaders.” And if you just don’t want to read about men anymore, pick up a comic with a high percentage of panels devoted to women. As the reviews and ratings begin, I might (and probably will) change the rating descriptions or add new ratings accordingly. Advice and suggestions are welcome.

Coming soon…review and ratings of  Marvel’s Captain America: The Chosen

The Complete Story of the Daring Exploits of Women Who Read Comics

http://marvel.com/universe/Rogue

reviews, feature articles, author/artist interviews, meet the character, story ratings, and resources for writers/artists