Today Both
Marvel and DC comics are hugely popular. Each franchise has numerous movies
being released with in the next few years and several television shows about to
enter their next season. However, both companies are doing poorly in the female
superhero department. DC comics currently only has one show on television with
a female lead, Izombie. Later in the year DC will release the television show
Supergirl. DC is working on a Wonder Woman movie at the moment, which will be
the first film since Catwoman that DC has had a main female character. Like DC,
Marvel currently has one show with a female lead on television, Agent Carter.
In November Marvel will release a new television show, Jessica Jones, on Netflix.
Although the franchises are trying to increase the number of female heroes in
movies and television, both are doing a god-awful job at it.
Take for
example DC’s new show Supergirl premiering in November on CBS. In Supergirl, we
see Superman cousin Kara’s backstory and how she becomes Supergirl. CBS released
a first look of Supergirl on May 13, 2015.
The previous week SNL wrote a sketch about Marvel’s Black Widow and what it would be like if she got her own movie.
After watching both videos it is not hard to see the numerous similarities between the two. Both contain up upbeat pop music, a nice decorative apartment, multiple guys trying to date them, a close friend who warns them about the choices they make, an internship a highly respected company with a blonde boss, and tight fitting superhero outfits. Clearly, SNL forgot to say DC also makes stereotypical female super heroes. DC tried to make Supergirl for it’s female audience, showing woman can be superheroes too. In the end, DC made Supergirl look like a stereotypical “Chick Flick”.
The previous week SNL wrote a sketch about Marvel’s Black Widow and what it would be like if she got her own movie.
After watching both videos it is not hard to see the numerous similarities between the two. Both contain up upbeat pop music, a nice decorative apartment, multiple guys trying to date them, a close friend who warns them about the choices they make, an internship a highly respected company with a blonde boss, and tight fitting superhero outfits. Clearly, SNL forgot to say DC also makes stereotypical female super heroes. DC tried to make Supergirl for it’s female audience, showing woman can be superheroes too. In the end, DC made Supergirl look like a stereotypical “Chick Flick”.
Marvel
is also guilty when it comes to their female characters. Black Widow is a prime
example. In three out of four movies Black Widow appears in, she either flirts
or has a crush on the other members of shield. In Iron Man Two and Captain
American: the Winter Solider, Black Widow flirts with the main characters of
the movie, Tony Stark(Iron Man Two) and Steve Rodgers(Captain American: the
Winter Solider). Black Widow’s most recent appearance, Avengers: Age of Ultron,
Black Widow develops a crush on Bruce Banner. Black Widow tries to convince
Banner they would be good for each other. Banner agues he is a monster and
because of this he cannot be romantically involved with anyone. Black Widow
then reveals something she has not told anyone, “They sterilize you. It's
efficient. One less thing to worry about, the one thing that might matter more
than a mission. It makes everything easier — even killing. You still think
you’re the only monster on the team?” In the previous three movies with Black
Widow, it has been made clear her goal in life is to atone for actions made in
the past. Never before has Black Widow expressed interest in starting a
relationship or wanting to have children. It is as if Marvel is sending a
message to girls saying you can be a superhero and powerful but remember boys
are the most important part in your life and that the end goal is marriage and
a family. Marvel is showing another stereotypical role for women: having a
family and kids are the most important thing in life.
It’s
clear both Marvel and DC are trying to make up for past mistakes like Marvel’s
Elektra and DC’s Catwoman and keeping up with the rise in feminism. However
both are not doing a good job of it. As a woman who loves all female characters
in both franchises, it makes me want to rip my hair out. How hard is it
accurately show female characters with out having them be stereotypical? Personally,
I believe Marvel takes the cake on stereotyping and lack of feminism. Before
Avengers: Age of Ultron Black Widow had the most mysterious backstory out of
the main character. It is as if Marvel is trying to marry off Black Widow. She
does not need a man, she makes that clear by being able to kick butt with out
help from a man. Both DC and especially Marvel need to step up their game.
Source:
VanDerWerff,
Todd. "A Guide to the Growing Controversy over Joss Whedon's Avengers and
Marvel's Gender Problem." Vox. Vox Media INC, 11 May 2015. Web. 23
Sept. 2015.
This was a very interesting post because I'm a huge fan of the Marvel franchise and I have noticed that females are put aside for the guys to shine. A lot of the things that you were saying, I was agreeing with! Black Widow especially shows that she can kick ass but at the same time, in Age of Ultron, she is porytrayed as weak and vulnerable. I had no idea that Super Girl was being created and it broke my heart to see such a good concept almost go to waste because it's the same storyline of girl has a secret life, guy has a big part in her life and I assume that in the end, they'll fall in love. This post really grabbed my attention!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post because it is true there really aren't that many female super heroes that have their own movie. Most Marvel or DC Comics movies focus on a male super hero that may have female sidekicks or partners but none with just a female lead. which there should be more of because there are a lot of kick ass female heroes that don't get enough credit.
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