MARTHA THOMASES: Girls’ Powers
Why do we like superheroes? There are many theories. The one that makes the most sense to me is that they arise from our frustrations with our own bodies. As someone who was once the mother of a two-year old (as well as once a two-year old myself), I’ve seen how the rage and frustration of an infant gets transformed with words into imaginative play, with storylines so complicated they would baffle Grant Morrison.
We want to fly and we can barely walk. We want to lift cars over our heads, yet we struggle to pull up our pants. We want to leap buildings with a single bound, but the monkey bars at the playground are too scary. No wonder we are drawn to superheroes.
Since most comic books have been written by men and purchased by boys, we can make fairly educated guesses about what most frustrates the male of our species. They want to be stronger. They want to be faster. They want to be more powerful. They want to be able to physically and mentally dominate.
What about women? Do we want the same things? Do we want something different? If women controlled the superhero comic book market, would other kinds of characters be more successful?
May I suggest the following:
Metabolism Lass – The woman you love to hate, she is able to eat anything at all, even cans of frosting, without gaining weight.
Multi-Task Mistress – She can tend to a screaming baby, a demanding boss, a helpless husband, all while explaining to her mother, on the phone, how to use the Tivo.
Invisible Girl – No, not Sue Richards. This I-Girl is able to walk past a group of construction workers, Wall Street traders or street kids without rousing any whistles.
Couture Queen – Sick and tired of clothes designed for people with no hips or thighs, she has the power to create clothes that actually fit, look good and feel comfortable on adult women.
Manicure Maid – It’s a cliché of modern times that if you want to show a character is spoiled, you make her complain about a broken nail. Hey, it hurts to break a nail! Despite the pain it causes, Manicure Maid uses hers as weapons, firing cuticles like bullets at badguys.
Princess IRA – Our heroine can stretch a pension check from here to Pluto, which is a useful power when women live longer than men, but earn less.
Guilt Girl – Doing amazing feats on your own is great, but she completely understands that you don’t have time to help her overcome the monstrous evil she faces. Really, it’s okay. She’ll get by. Don’t trouble yourself.
Have ideas of your own? Put them in comments!
I like Melissa Krause's idea of wanting Banshee's scream or Black Canary's cry. The power to make your voice actually felt in a world ruled pretty much by one gender, which regularly marginalizes and dismisses you because you're of the other gender, really appeals to me.
I've always been an Aquaman fan because I'd like to be able to go places that I currently cannot go without bulky equipment just to survive. Being able to safely exist in hostile environments may not make for a good "beat 'em up" power, but it seems to me that it would be very useful in exploring and learning, which is what I'd rather be doing anyway.
Sweater Girl — She can make a sweater in a weekend, tell merino wool from blue-faced Leicester, and specializes in the one-skein miracle garment. Her only weakness — the dreaded acrylic!
Inspired by reading about the latest delay in the hyped Action Comics "Last Son" storyline from Geoff Johns and Richard Donner, as well as other issues, this "male of the species" would like a hero that I'm calling, due to current lack of creativity in coming up with an identity that doesn't sound lame, "Timeliness Woman." When a story arc is delayed, when the latest issue is months late, when there are "fill-in" issues during an ongoing storyline, she zaps the person(s) responsible and causes extreme, constant, ongoing pain until said missing issues are finished and placed lovingly in my hands.I'd suggest someone called an "editor" but apparently they're not very effective without the zapping and pain.
Joe, we made up a character like that. A hero who knew in advance that something would go wrong, and who could take the necessary steps to help people prepare. A hero we called The Time Warner
"we can make fairly educated guesses about what most frustrates the male of our species. They want to be stronger. They want to be faster. They want to be more powerful. They want to be able to physically and mentally dominate."What about:They want to wear leotards and have young male proteges…
I'm not sure why scene where the Executives of Takada Energy discuss Ta Moa's skills as a ninja and their plans to kill him if he gets wise to their plans takes place in a bathhouse with several subservient, bare breasted women walking about. It seems intentionally incongruous. Is this to show that the TE men are SO stupid and self-assured that they would discuss murdering someone in front of servants? Or do all their sensitive discussions take place in a bath house just to make sure nobody is wearing "a wire?"And Ta Moa didn't just learn Karate from his father, he learned the skills of a Super-Ninja Spy and Assassin. And his father was willing to let Ta Moa be a deadly agent for a company they knew nothing about. Hmm.