Tag: DC

E submitted:

I know this is a bit off-topic for your website, but I thought it would appeal to your fanbase. It is a petition to Marvel for more female-based comics, particularly asking for solo stories (preventing the inclusion of women by just giving male MC’s a girlfriend) and non-objectifying storylines. At submission, there were only 300 signatures, and I think there are way more fans out there who would like to see non-sexist superheroines.

I hesitated to publish this link for some time now (there are 4000+ signatures at the moment), because frankly, I don’t endorse this particular petition.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a noble cause, BUT since the topic (women in comics) is not only broad, but particularly delicate and controversial, the petition concerning it should be created with care, thought and meticulous research.
And what I see under this link is just general statements put haphazardly with the dreaded “strong female character” phrase and this fanart that, despite best intentions, conveys status quo of all superheroines sharing the same cartoonishly thin body and similar face.

The petition is poorly worded, full of generalizations and needlessly judgmental statements.
If I personally were to sign a petition for such big, broad feminist cause, I would expect much better execution out of it.

But in the end, I’ll let the readers decide whether or not they should sign it.

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As we’re on the subject of petitioning mainstream comic publishers, I’d encourage readers to take a look at THIS ONE that asks DC to stop their distasteful ‘draw suicidal Harley Quinn’ art contest.
I wouldn’t go as far as to cry ‘sexualization!’ at the script they’re asking to be drawn, but neither did DC have to specifically ask for Harley to be naked in the infamous bathtub panel (many contestants would depict her as such either way), nor did the page need to be about suicide jokes at all.
The script provided is taken out of context, described poorly, doesn’t suit the character and sounds awfully triggering (and unfunny, if you asked me). Not to mention it came out during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
It’s not a good material for an open-for-everyone art contest, so let’s make DC know we don’t want it to continue.