Brian Michael Bendis & the debasement of Tigra: conscious or unsconscious misogyny?

[kali921]

This week continues to be emotionally mercurial, as the discussions of racial and cultural blind spots in fandom continue around LJ, JournalFen, and the larger blogsphere - I'm tempted to call this Jewgate 2007 - and I do have more to say about it, but today I need to write about something that's been on my mind for over a week

Comments

[thehefner]

This was just ugly, gratuitous, and downright nasty. Much as I try to be apathetic over the bullcrap DC and Marvel pull, just to save myself from constantly being enraged and disappointed (like the first issue of DEATH OF THE NEW GODS... oy), this one just left a nasty taste in my mouth that refuses to go away.

That said, people keep saying the Bendis hates Tigra. What actual proof do we have of that? An interview or something?

I'm surprised Marvel and Bendis haven't tried to defend this bullshit yet.

[kali921]

Weren't you one of the people saying that you didn't see the sexism in this issue, or am I mistaken?

Yes, agreed. And if/when they do defend it, I'm sure it will be with an argument that pulling punches and not showing the horrific nature of violence would do the readers a disservice. Without addressing the fact that Greer would fight back like a divinely-powered agent of vengeance if jumped in her own home. Just like she's done before.

[thehefner]

You are very exceedingly mistaken. When did you see that? How could I possibly defend THIS bullcrap? Didn't you see I posted it in my OWN LJ over how disgusted I was?

[kali921]

It was this comment that threw me:

....and I'm not even pissed from the sexist standpoint (that said, I wouldn't be surprised if we see an uproar akin to the MJ statue, but we'll see), as much as it just struck me as needlessly cruel and pointless. Basically, it's Tigra getting brutalized and degraded, and it's downright ugly, and not in a way that seems artistically redeeming.

Oh, man. You see how badly that can read, right, even if you're intent is to say that you're pissed from the sexist standpoint but MORE pissed just about the sheer stupidity of the storyline?

[thehefner]

Gotcha. I probably should have clarified that.

Because it's not just stupidity, mind you. It's cheap, shock-value, exploitative bullshit.

Whew! Now, Death of the New Gods?

[kali921]

Yeah, I figured you didn't mean it in the way that it could be negatively read, but for a few minutes there, Hef, when I first read that comment a few days ago, I thought "OH NO, he can't really...miss the exploitative nature of that sequence, can he?" Doubt was sown!

We're good, man. We're good.

Now, Death of the New Gods?

Give it up. What the fuck is going on? Dare I buy it? You can spoiler me.

Re: Whew! Now, Death of the New Gods?

[ajpursell]

New gods die and it will likely read better in a trade than in 6 episodes with pages being posted out of context.

Re: Whew! Now, Death of the New Gods?

[kali921]

I just saw scans_daily and THEY KILLED HER.

Oh my GOD.

She can't be dead. I'm in denial. Right now LA LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

Re: Whew! Now, Death of the New Gods?

[ajpursell]

5 more issues.

Bendis hates Tigra?

[thehefner]

I can only speak for my own experience. In 2006, while I was attending the New York Comic Con, someone asked Bendis who his least favorite Avengers were. He replied (I'm paraphrasing from memory) "Stingray and Gilgamesh were pretty bad, but at least they weren't Tigra the Werewoman". When I finally started reading The Initiative (Bendis did the first issue) and saw Jarvis (JARVIS!) call her a four letter expletive I cringed. This is coming from a person Anonymously posting on a livejournal though, so I expect you'll want to ask around for more information.