Heroes and Villains

Watchmen debuted this past weekend in theatres. But instead of allowing that to bring to mind brawny males and buxom, scantily clad female comic book characters, let’s look at the comic book "fantasy" world from another angle.

One of the discussion panels at this year's New York Comic Con was titled, “Men Are From Krypton, Women Are From Paradise Island.” On the agenda? A discussion about whether both men and women are being served properly by comics. And we’re not necessarily talking about, “Is Catwoman merely eye candy for men?” but, rather, what are the stereotypes of male and female reader interests in comic books?

One blogger’s insight into the discussion highlighted a few gender-fun quotes from the industry veterans sitting on the panel.

→ A male panelist said: There is a need to “recognize that there is more than one type of girl. People are not so easily quantified.”

→ From a male panelist: “Boys will read comics featuring girl characters if they get an upskirt shot.”

→ It was said that male writers who do a good job with women characters actually like women as people. “Only men who love their mothers should be able to write women,” one female panelist cracked.

→ When asked if an artist has the responsibility to project a positive image in their work, a female panelist said, “I feel absolutely no responsibility to uphold somebody else’s values… I do what is appropriate for the story. People bring their own baggage.”

The blogger herself writes, “After all, gender issues affect men and women, gay and straight.”

→ Do you want to read about characters you can identify with, whether it's a comic book or a Jane Austen novel? Do you turn away from literature that you assume you'll never be able to identify with?