Posted by Kieran Frost on 5/9/2009, 11:57 am, in reply to "Re: Rebuttal"
91.108.101.98
Then how do you make it ‘about feminism’ without being in your face about it? Without being “preachy”? Surely just the fact there is a female solo-book should be “inspiration” enough for anyone searching to be inspired? I don’t think it is Carol or Karla’s “job” to carry any sort of banner of Girl Power; they are super heroes, not inspirational heroes. Their job is to fight evil, and stop Doctor Doom from conquering the earth (or whatever). Karla and Carol are stronger than “average men”, they have super powers, and are targeted (regardless of their gender) by super-villains. It’s not really something women (or men) can “relate” too.
You mention “educating”, but come on, how on earth do you “educate” without becoming preachy? Is Karla or Carol (I’m just going to say Karla from now on, because after all, Carol’s dead, and it’s now Karla’s book) supposed to travel back in time to the Suffrage movement so readers learn a thing or two? It’s just not why people read comics.
Especially in today culture, where women are equal to men, it’s a lot harder for the writer to draw analogies to “girl power”. The X-man writers can draw analogies to discrimination against homosexuals or the treatment of Native Americans, because that’s still relevant, with the outcry over gay marriage, Prop 8, gay adoption. But with women? I can’t think of many governments in the western world take open and public swings against their civil liberties; as they do with homosexuals and in American, with Native Americans.
But this is all secondary to the fact: IT’S A COMIC. This is not the place to toot “Girl Power” or make a stand (at least not anymore, in a Western world embracing equality). In theory many, if not most, if not all comic readers are towards the liberal persuasion, so any “message” of equality would be wasted, because I assume all readers already strongly believe in it anyway. This is the wrong forum (comics, not the message board 
) to take the fight for equality; that battle needs to be in the churches, in the Middle East; not in liberal reading comics. We don’t need it.
Lastly, you said “Does it matter that Carol is a woman? Absolutely!”. NO IT DOESN’T. It doesn’t, and by saying it does you are damaging the very thing you want to see promoted. Is she a woman in the clinical sense, obviously! Does it matter to a superhero comic-book that’s she a woman, No! Her powers make her a superhero, her decision to use those powers/skills to fight the good fight make her a superhero (obviously Karla does skew that last statement somewhat ); not her gender! And by saying her gender matters, you are trying to make special exceptions or draw special attention for a comic book character that’s don’t exist for the male ones, and that ISN’T equality. If Ms. Marvel starts “educating” or “teaching” about feminism, it will send the message that a female superhero can’t just be a superhero, she must be an example, she must be a beacon, she must be a fighter for feminism; when such standards are not held for the male solo comics. That is not equality. Why must Ms. Marvel be an example, when clearly Wolverine isn’t. Or Captain America? Or Iron Fist?
Ms. Marvel should be and IS equal in the eyes of the comic world, seen as any other hero just like her male counterparts. Not seen as a “female” superhero, but a superhero. First, last and always. And to do that she must just “be”, and fight crime, and save the day, looking superhero fabulous while she does it. THAT is equality. Having her preach/talk/hint at feminism is not.
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