Homo Erectus Boylesque NYC teamed up with Geeks OUT to help celebrate the birth of Flame Con in this night of steamy, geeky Boylesque, that took place upstairs at the historic Stonewall Inn! All the (safe for work) photos can be found over at Ian Carlos Photography.
Facebook: Ian Carlos Photography
Twitter: @ianxcarlos
It's been no secret that Sleepy Hollow's second season has been struggling. Fans loudly decried what was seen as a side-lining of Nicole Beharie, the female lead, along with Lyndie Greenwood and Orlando Jones (Jenny Mills and Frank Irving), in order to spend multiple episodes on what fandom came to call The Crane Family Drama. Ichabod and Katrina's marriage issues and their conflicted relationship with evil/vengeful son Jeremy/Henry seemed to become the focus of the show. This was not the show people signed up for in season 1. In season 1 it was two people, two Witnesses, Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills, standing together and fighting evil to prevent the coming apocalypse--along with trusted allies Jenny Mills (Abbie's sister) and Captain Frank Irving (Abbie's boss). The show was praised for being so racially diverse. Only two of the main cast members were white and everyone else was a person of color. The writers even joked about hiring all the people of color first, so that they could kill as many white characters as they wanted (a nod to the tendency of characters of color on TV to only be brought into shows to die first and often). However, fans noticed that in season 2 the characters of color were all either disappeared (seriously, what happened to Luke?? Andy?) or marginalized (Jenny, Frank, Cynthia, Macey, Abbie), and the white characters (Katrina, Ichabod, Henry/Jeremy) were pushed forward. With Katrina, Ichabod and Henry/Jeremy, they were at least established characters who had been on the show since season 1 and had specific roles to play, but season 2 added another white character, Nick Hawley, who truly seemed to serve no purpose but to be a super sketchy love interest for both Abbie and Jenny (which most fans found gross and offensive) and do the job Jenny did in season 1 (magical artifact expert and finder). These moves had direct effects on the ratings--they started tanking. Quickly and dramatically. This, coupled with the very vocal criticism from fans and critics alike, the show and network started scrambling and promising fans a return to basics. And imploring them to trust in the Plan and be patient (two things fandom is not good at tbh). We started seeing this promised change a couple of episodes before the finale, but it was in the finale that the show seemed to fully commit.
In the previous episode, The Awakening, Katrina has learned that her son Henry/Jeremy is definitely still alive. They join forces and decide to "awaken" all the latent witches in Sleepy Hollow (the town is full of descendants of all the witches from Katrina and Ichabod's time) and create a coven army to reclaim the town. Abbie and Ichabod implore Katrina to reconsider her choices and allegiances, but she chooses The Dark Side and her son over Team Witness. Abbie and Ichabod thwart Henry/Jeremy and Katrina's plan and Henry/Jeremy is killed. Katrina, furious and devastated and more powerful than we've ever seen her, opens a portal to the past and intends to change history and save her son by killing Ichabod. She jumps in and Abbie follows, leaving a distraught Ichabod behind.
Katrina finds herself back in the field hospital where she worked. She immediately begins looking for Ichabod. Abbie finds herself in the forest right outside of town. She begins walking toward Sleepy Hollow. Once she gets to the town, she immediately has BIG problems. One, she is dressed very strangely for a woman in the 18th century. Two, she is a strangely dressed BLACK woman in the 18th century. Predictably, she is assumed to be a (runaway) slave. Due to a combination of defiance, strange clothing and speaking in an unfamiliar manner, Abbie is determined to be “touched in the head” and is arrested. She knows her only chance is to get in contact with Ichabod (she has to make contact with him before Katrina does), which is fairly easily accomplished by telling her captors that she has vital information about the war and she will only speak with Captain Crane. Once he arrives, the hard part is convincing him that her crazy story about time travel and witches and the apocalypse (plus their friendship) is all true.
Even when Ichabod and Abbie are strangers again, the chemistry between them (and the actors) remains true. Even though Ichabod knows that Abbie is likely crazy (because she must be with a story like that, right?), and he has direct orders to deliver her to a slave camp AND the fact that she got him in big trouble with his superior…he trusts this woman. The episode centers around the fact that as Tom Mison recently said (paraphrased), Ichabod and Abbie will know and find each other in any time or place. The much anticipated Ichabbie hug was such a treat because it was so hilariously (and awkwardly) one-sided. But touching because it was all about Abbie taking comfort for herself. For once. If her plan fails, she’ll lose Ichabod forever. So she just goes for it. However, my favorite Ichabbie moment of the episode was the reveal that the passcode on Abbie’s phone is ICHABOD’s BIRTHDAY. So. Married. Ichabod sees a video of him and Abbie trying to take a selfie (it’s on video instead of camera) and knows that everything she said is true.
One of the best parts of the finale is getting to see Ichabod in his element. And Abbie out of hers. Tom Mison does a great job of giving us a very different Ichabod Crane. In the present time, Ichabod is adorkable and good natured, easily flustered and kind. Captain Crane, however, is stiff, authoritative and very formal. He’s literally a different person, with shades of the man he will be in 200 years. It was well played and well written. Not to mention the hilarity of the whole meeting with Benjamin Franklin, who adores Abbie on sight and is not quite the man Ichabod has made him out to be. But Grace Dixon, Abbie and Jenny’s ancestor, is exactly who we saw she was in flashbacks and it was incredibly moving to see her and Abbie meet. More Grace next season!
Lots of fans noticed that the finale is a callback to the pilot! That was another great thing. There were many parallel scenes and elements. Like Abbie’s first carriage ride where she is playing with the curtains, which takes you back to Ichabod’s first car ride where he is playing with the automatic windows. Perhaps this was to remind fans of the good ol’ days of the show and what The Powers That Be are aiming for again.
All said, the most shocking part of the episode definitely happens at the end. Katrina and Headless have failed to kill Ichabod in the past because of Grace and Abbie, so an enraged Katrina (along with Abbie) is back in the present. Ichabod, for whom no real time has passed, watches as Katrina turns her wrath on Abbie. When yelling at Katrina does nothing, he grabs a knife and plunges it into her back, killing her. He once and for all chooses Abbie and their mission/friendship over Katrina. In her dying moments, Katrina sees Henry and appears to be at peace. Her lifeless body turns to dust and blows away. Ichabod is distraught. Abbie, recovering and seemingly in shock, appears to be at a loss as to what to do or say. She asks if he’s okay and Ichabod pulls himself together (as best he can). Shortly thereafter, Jenny and Frank arrive on the scene. Jenny asks about Katrina and is told that she didn’t make it. She’s notably the only one who offers condolences to Ichabod. Frank explains that his soul is his again and the original quartet stands visibly united. They recommit themselves to each other. Abbie shares that Grace told her that their mission is just beginning. They all walk out, together. Fade to black. It’s a powerful image that felt like an apology to the fans which said “Next season we are starting over and promising to be the show you originally fell in love with. Stay with us.” Here’s one fan that is ready for a fresh start.
Abbie meets Benjamin Franklin, who is quite a fan of Miss Mills AND very excited about his place in history (much to Ichabod's irritation)
An Interview
By
David Rondinelli
Graham Kolbeins has built an extensive line up of creative material that spans everything from documentary filmmaking, web series, blogging, and photography. Some of his work, such as Rad Queers have featured in various gay film festivals such as Outfest. Now, the Los Angeles native is adding co-editor and creative director to his growing list of credits as he brings us his latest project with Massive.
Massive is an anthology collection that brings together some of Japan’s most groundbreaking gay comics creators and their work. With an emphasis on hyper masculinity and muscle love making, some readers might remember Kolbeins editorial contributions to the first book he helped put together featuring the work of Gengoroh Tagame, which was titled The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame. Now as the creative director for Massive-Goods.com an extension website that offers clothing and merchandise of the same image, Kolbeins hopes to bring the genre of manga to a wider American audience. In this interview, he opens up about how Massive was put together, what is was like photographing the artists, and what the landscape of gay comics is in Japan.
David Rondinelli: How did you get involved in the project?
Graham Kolbeins: I'd been writing about gay manga on my old art blog, Future Shipwreck, and decided to try and interview some gay manga artists, because few of them had ever been interviewed in English. I got in touch with Anne Ishii and it turned out she'd been doing some translating of Gengoroh Tagame's manga for the private collection of Chip Kidd. The three of us agreed that someone needed to put this work out in English, so we joined forces and pitched two books to the late, great PictureBox: The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame (which came out in 2013) and Massive.
DR: You are familiar with this sub-genre of manga, how did it feel the be a fan and then get to work on a project that deals with bara comics?
GK: It was extremely thrilling for me as a fan to go beyond simply appreciating the images online to meeting the artists in person. Anne and I went to Tokyoand Sapporoin 2012 and had the privilege of interviewing Gengoroh Tagame and most of the other artists in Massive. We worked with them over the next two years to put Massive together, and it was an honor to collaborate with some of my favorite artists on the planet.
DR: Are you a comics fan too, or just a fan of Bara?
GK: Yes! I love the limitless potential of comics as a medium. I grew up reading Archie and The Simpsons comics before getting into the more alt comics territory of Daniel Clowes, and Adrian Tomine in high school. I spend a lot of time at comic cons and art book fairs and always come home with luggage bursting with comics. Right now some of my favorites include Eric Kostiuk Williams, Nicholas Sumida, and Eleanor Davis.
(Art by Jiraiya)
DR: You photographed many of the artists. Take us through the experience of being in Japan and photographing them.
GK: For many of the artists in Massive, privacy is a big issue. They may live very full gay lives with all of their friends, but still want to maintain a sense of anonymity because their families and co-workers don't know they make gay erotic comics. So when photographing them, I was careful not to step over any boundaries. We still managed to get some nice portraits of the artists, even the ones who wanted their faces obscured. On the other end of the spectrum, Gengoroh Tagame has no qualms about his public image - so it was fun shooting his portrait in the middle of a busy street in Shinjuku Ni-chome.
DR: What was it like to be in Japan, and to see their comic community? Are there any similarities between theirs and Americas? (Like do they have a lot of comic conventions, festivals, or regular markets for their work to be sold at?)
GK: It was fascinating seeing the gay comics scene inJapanfirsthand. The artists in our book definitely participate in plenty of conventions including Comiket, Booket, Kemoket (a furry-themed convention), and Yaro Fest. Because of the aforementioned privacy issues, photos are generally forbidden at these conventions. Unlike in the States, the stores that carry gay comics in Japan are mainly gay sex shops. Those all-male environments aren't always friendly to female fans, but on the other hand they help put manga at the forefront of Japanese gay culture. Many gay bars in Japan also have a small library of manga and gay magazines. I'd love to see American gay bars start buying queer comics too!
(A flexing Graham)
DR: Scanned images of the artist's manga has proven to be a problem for just about all the artists. How can people in America, who want to support the artists, purchase their work?
GK: Many of the artists sell their work online these days through platforms including Pixiv's BOOTH, Digiket, and the Big Gym Data Market. I always try to include links to where you can purchase the work when I post on Tumblr, and I have a handy resource of links to gay manga artists' pages here: http://gaymanga.tumblr.com/artists
When in doubt, try reaching out to the artists on Facebook or Twitter and asking how you can purchase their work!
DR: How would you characterize the differences between Japan's gay community and America's?
GK: They're so unique in so many ways, but also so intertwined. On the surface level, there's more fragmentation in the physical spaces of Japanese gay life. Tokyo's gay neighborhood, Shinjuku Ni-Chome, has over 100 bars servicing the LGBTQ community in the area. While Ni-chome has a few bigger dance clubs, the average bar is pretty tiny, with maybe enough room for a dozen people or less. This produces an atmosphere of compartmentalization, where each bar serves a different micro-niche, but also an atmosphere of intimacy, where the bartenders take on more of an entertainer role and each bar has its core group of regulars.
DR: There appears to be a wide range of genre's and themes in many manga. What are some of the other genres that you discovered in Japan that you think American's might find appealing, or at least interesting? Was there anything that shocked you completely?
GK: I'm really interested in lesbian manga, sometimes called rezu or yuri, futanari manga that plays with gender in unique ways and newhalf manga with real-world transgender themes. There's plenty of fascinating stuff to be found in all genres of manga! Nothing really shocks me anymore, but I do get creeped out by the sexualized depictions of minors in the "lolicon" and "shota" genres.
DR: There are some obvious censorship regulations inJapanwith their adult material. How does their gay adult industry work compared to America's, especially since homosexuality still has a stigma attached to it?
GK: The creators of adult content in Japan, whether drawn or photographic, live under the constant threat of criminal indictment. For over a century, there's been an ill-defined "Obscenity" statute on the books that has been selectively used to prosecute queers and female artists at the whim of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Most artists and publishers self-censor out of fear of running astray of the law, which accounts for the black bars and pixelation applied to erotic content of all kinds. I've written about a few instances of censorship on the Gay Manga tumblr here: http://gaymanga.tumblr.com/tagged/obscenity
DR: Many of the artists expressed wanting to tell stories that don't concentrate so much on erotic situations, with the prolific popularity of non-pornographic Yaoi and Yuri titles, why are these artists unable to make more mainstream series?
GK: Until now, gay manga has mainly been marketed in adult spaces like magazines that include photographic pornography, and sold in gay sex shops. As a result, fans have come to expect erotica from the genre, even if it's a self-published work. However, gay mangaka like Kuro Nohara and Sansuke Yamada have played outside the traditional erotica mold, and even Gengoroh Tagame is writing his first (and wildly successful) manga for an all-ages audience, published in the mainstream magazine Monthly Action. But some artists just love drawing erotica! (And we love reading it). I do foresee will be more experimentation in non-erotic content in the future.
DR: What are some upcoming projects or titles we can expect to see from you & Massive-Goods.com?
GK: We're currently working on a suite of t-shirts by Jiraiya, Tagame and Seizoh Ebisubashi. There is more collaboration with Opening Ceremony and other fashion brands. We want to try digital publishing and see if we can deliver manga directly from the artists to the fans. Anne's been translating loads of gay manga for Bruno Gmunder. And we will be bringing more gay mangaka out toNorth Americathis year!
Find out more about Graham Kolbeins at his website: http://grahamkolbeins.com
Be sure to find more Massive merchandise at Massive-Goods.com.
The parody comes from YouTuber Patrick H. Willems, whose other popular shorts include a "re-edited" Ant-Man trailer that got over 90,000 views. It's tagline? "I wasn't crazy about the Ant-Man trailer so I made it better." Sounds about right.
The parody has gotten a lot of fanfare online already, with over 203,000 views since it was posted 2 days ago. There's also a behind-the-sceans featurette available to watch as well, at this point closing in on 15,000 views.
If you're into music and were wondering what the background track was, it's the song "Powerman" by The Kinks.
Enjoy!
If you haven’t already heard of Andrew Smith’s Grasshopper Jungle, you soon will. The award-winning Young Adult adventure story follows Austin, an Iowa teen in the grip of sexual frustration: he wants to have sex with his girlfriend, but he also just kissed his gay best friend. Even as people in town start turning into blood-thirsty praying mantises, Austin just can’t figure out what (or who) he wants.
Grasshopper Jungle is brand new to paperback this month; you’re gonna want to get on that now because Edgar Wright (director of Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) is making the movie, which is a bullseye in his wheelhouse of fearsome horror, eccentric comedy, sudden trapdoors of deep emotion, and a shocking sensitivity to male/male intimacy. Smith’s novel of two boys realizing they’re in love at the end of the world already has an 80’s movie quality in the vein of gruesome good times like Gremlins or Goonies (hey, this could be the third G!)
One of the most striking elements of Grasshopper Jungle is in how free it is from time. There is an interweaving of past, present, and future that reminded me of Watchmen. The mistakes of the past and the inevitability of the future create a horrible dread in the present (and in the reader). By the start of the book, the end of the world has already happened. Our trio’s bleak-but-hopeful future blends together with present action and a wide swath of history, both familial and global. The story is as much about a bird named Baby in the 1930’s as it is about Austin and the Giant Mantises.
Midway through, in a three-page scene seemingly irrelevant to the plot (but vital to its magic spell), Smith interlaces the birth of the Mantises with a tale of the doomed relationship between Austin’s great grandfather and another man. At first blush, it’s a chapter that screams, “I don’t belong here! Cut me!” But as the novel rockets forward and the modern world quickly dies, I couldn’t stop thinking of Austin’s great grandfather. How society failed him and his lover, and consequently how he failed the wife and child he didn’t love, all feed into The End of Man. Shut it down. We screwed up. Start over.
What Smith does with character in Jungle feels like a miracle. Take a scene early on where Austin sleeps over at his friend Robby’s place: They’ve already kissed, already feel crummy about it (Austin’s girlfriend has no clue), and they plan to get drunk together for the first time. (The end of the world is still only a few hours old) Austin takes his mother’s Xanax along with wine and experiences a happiness and closeness with Robby that he’s never felt with anyone before. A lesser novel would have had them step up their intimacy by making out sloppily or sleeping together. Instead, Austin and Robby fall asleep next to each other and their bare feet touch. That’s it. That’s all the boys need to feel a monumental trespass has taken place, albeit a trespass that makes them happy. Austin is cold to Robby in the morning and takes a shower. While the water runs, Robby silently weeps into his hands.
O, the Gay Boy Feelz in this book!
I caught up with Andrew Smith to ask him about his process, the forthcoming movie, and to see if I could get some closure for my precious characters! (MILD SPOILERS AHEAD)
SASS: Was the interwoven structure of the writing something that was pre-planned on hundreds of notecards or was it more free associated?
SMITH: I never outline my work ahead of time. If you could see my office (and I'm very happy that you can't), it's like a three-dimensional interpretive sculpture of my brain: stuff is stacked in great heaping piles all over the place, but I know exactly where everything is. So when I write, even when I’m doing something as directionally convoluted as Grasshopper Jungle or The Alex Crow, I just sit down and go. And when it's done, I can look at all the clutter and be satisfied that everything is in its proper place.
SASS: How did you know when Grasshopper Jungle was “done”? Did it go through many iterations or did it spring forth fully formed?
SMITH: In the emotional and horrible scene when Robby and Austin are driving through burned-out Ealing, on their way to rescue Robby's mother, I knew exactly how I was going to end the book, but I don't think I had any clue until right about there. And when I got to those last few lines in the epilogue, there was such a sense of satisfaction and closure for me. When I talked to Julie Strauss-Gabel (my editor) about the novel some time later, I think she was pretty surprised to hear that the novel was written one-time-through--what some people would call a "draft," which I do not believe in--from start to finish, which is how I write.
SASS: Edgar Wright’s announced his intentions to direct this film, which is thrilling because Grasshopper Jungle: The Movie will absolutely be one of a kind! What elements of your story are you most excited to see translated?
SMITH: Edgar and I talked about how certain things would be presented in the movie. I can't wait to see what he does with the bugs--the Unstoppable Soldiers--but I especially want to see (and live in) the underground bunker he creates.
SASS: Austin's fluctuation between Shann and Robby seemed intentionally frustrating but absolutely in line with his character.Was there any editorial pressure (from yourself or from your publisher) to make Austin’s sexuality more definitive?
SMITH: Oh! Absolutely not! That's the wonderful thing about Austin, isn't it? I desperately wanted to capture the confusion and angst of a curious and questioning teen, and writing that character made me live in that mindset, which was kind of disturbing and awkward at times. I also wanted to do a love triangle, just because people were getting so sick of love triangle books, but I thought: what if I gave them a love triangle like they'd never seen before? And what if it was seamlessly believable and genuine at the same time?
SASS: I'm sad for poor Shann, but I am a card-carrying Austin/Robby shipper. Even in the epilogue, our main guy seems content to keep Robby hanging on. I'm dying to see if their relationship progressed any further! Any chance we'll get a glimpse someday at their further adventures?
SMITH: I'll tell you, I get asked so many times what ever happens with Robby/Austin or Austin/Shann, and my answer is always that all the information is there and the reader will have to figure it out. In my mind, I have a clear idea of what happens with Austin and his heart, and I hope it agrees with the reader's. Also, I would love to write more about Austin, Robby, and Shann. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.
Grasshopper Jungle is now on paperback. Smith is currently on his Keep YA Weird Tour to promote his newest, The Alex Crow, hitting shelves both real and digital this Tuesday March 10. I strongly suggest you follow Andrew Smith @marburyjack.
Join us on Saturday, March 28th for a tribute to zombies and those who fight them!
Hosted by D20 Burlesque founder the evening will include burlesque by:
Tiger Bay
Minnie d'Moocha
Liberty Rose (Philly)
and celebrating their first times on the D20 Burlesque stage:
Aurora Black
Diane Amore
Ginger Rodger
Syn Peaks
and Hot Tawdry (Chicago)
plus go-go by Agent Wednesday
and Lewd Alfred Douglas as our decomposing DJ
21+ event with specially drinks from the mixologists at the Parkside Lounge
Raffle prizes from Memento Mori Theatricks, Fyodor Pavlov Illustrations, Gorgeous and Gory, and more!
Since Superman’s debut in 1933, comic heroes have been averting disasters and fighting the villains who caused them. However, with the arrival of Wonder Woman in 1941, the playing field was changed and things became murkier. How does one have a female superhero fight villains?
While this question may seem elementary (or insulting), let’s address some of the cultural views at the time related to gender and violence.
So how could Wonder Woman fight crime? A male villain shouldn’t hit a woman (but might to further accentuate his evil nature); a female hero could hit a male villain but wouldn’t be expected to do any significant damage; finally, a female hero could hit a female villain, but how to depict such encounters without them devolving into exploitative cat fights?
Wonder Woman’s writer at the time, psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston, addressed the problem in several creative (and notorious) ways: the first was to have a series of seemingly-male villains who were actually women in disguise—Dr. Poison, Hypnota, and Blue Snowman. Once the big reveal happened, any violence became instantly permissible to society because it was woman-on-woman.
The other more infamous solution was to have the encounters between WW and her villains focus on bondage and BDSM instead of physical blows. While we won’t go into the ramifications of such depictions, needless to say they are exploitative at best. This trope was used so frequently by Marston that the President of All-American Comics wrote him a letter specifically telling him to reduce the number of scenes with chains “by at least 50% to 75%”.
But in the intervening 70 years since Wonder Woman debuted, have we finally been able to breach this gender gap? Sadly, no. For whatever reason, modern writers still seem married to the ideas of seven decades prior. However, the reverse (where male heroes don’t hit female villains) is no longer true.
Let’s take a look at two big-name male heroes and the well-known female villains they face off against.
Wolverine vs. Mystique
Wolverine has never been known for cuddles and kisses. Self-branded as “the best there is at what he does”, Wolverine is quick to violence and prone to animalistic “berserker rages”. Unsurprisingly, the X-Man reflects the era of his creation—the 1970s. Birthed into a decade known for exploitative films, Wolverine’s violence often borders on gratuitous, regardless of the gender of his opponent. And while some might say that having a caliber of female villain formidable enough to go toe-to-toe with Wolverine is a good thing, the level of violence portrayed (particularly in the recent execution-style death of Mystique) is disturbing when the idea of superpowers is removed and the situations are instead viewed as male-on-female violence.
Batman vs. Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy
Arguably three of the most widely recognized female villains, the trio of Catwoman (1940), Poison Ivy (1966), and Harley Quinn (1993) have plagued the Bat for decades. However, since two of the three lack powers (as does Batman), any fight between them blurs the lines between crime-fighting and domestic violence. Also troubling is the fact that two of the three (Harley and Poison Ivy) have been declared criminally insane and—while they are far from helpless—begs the question of the morality of Batman’s actions.
Particularly disturbing is how some writers choose to interpret the insanity of these women. Certain writers and artists will make it seem as if these women desire and relish physical violence. Note in the images below, how Poison Ivy has a satisfied look on her face after she’s been punched repeatedly by Batman. Also, note her inner dialogue: “God, he needs me…Because without me…he’s no man.”
Now, what happens when the gender roles are reversed? Even though female heroes do have male antagonists, there are even less depictions of solo females triumphing physically over their male enemies. Generally, the female characters (who are on gender-mixed teams) encounter evil men in situations where their heroic male counterparts can help save the day. Even a team like the X-Men, renowned for its cast of amazing women, hardly allows women to spar physically with the foe. What about Rogue, you may ask? While she is capable of swapping punches with the likes of the Juggernaut, writers tend to rely on her absorption powers to gain the upper hand. Observe:
However, there seems to be an elephant in the room when it comes to female heroes being physically formidable that is rooted in schoolyard adolescence: the belief that if a girl beats a boy, it isn’t due to her strength but his weakness. Since our society is one that still believes women are inherently weaker than men, comics have reflected this ideology. A woman may be able to outsmart a man, but she should not be able to knock him out. If she is capable of doing so, there is usually a grumble among straight fanboys about how strong the villain really was if he could be bested by a female.
One notable exception recently is a revamped Wonder Woman, elevated to be the male counterpoint to Superman in terms of strength. Here she is dealing with Ares, the Greek god of War, in a way which shocks Superman:
Since many writers are avoiding direct female-on-male fisticuffs, that means more female-on-female fights are taking place. One troubling trend is for these depictions to be sexually charged and exploitative. In one shockingly brazen example, Red She-Hulk, Domino, and Electra are fighting one another when Red She-Hulk decides to tear the clothes off of her opponent for no feasible reason other than to titillate the audience. The next scene (purposefully omitted) shows that Domino was completely naked under her costume, lacking even underwear. Note the looks of terror and evil pleasure.
Look at several other examples between long-term enemies and count how many times breasts or buttocks are prominently featured in the midst of the fighting.
Now look at the same pairings (Wonder Woman & Cheetah and Captain Marvel & Rogue) in ways that are not objectifying.
Better, huh?
So what’s the solution? Since before the Suffrage Movement, women have been vying for full and equal representation in society. The naysayers have always rebutted by reminding others of the inherent differences in our genders—that there are certain tasks that women and men can’t do equally, but that the statement of that so-called fact is not sexist.
In comics, there is still an invisible line between heroes and villains; how can female heroes interact with villains in a way that does not seem to support misogynistic views, come off as abusive, or be exploitative? While there may be many comic fans that harken back to the age-old argument that men and women aren’t created equally, why not begin to bridge that gap? Why not have women of all body types able to physically compete with their male counterparts in ways that do not sexualize them? What harm could really come from allowing women to be strong—physically as well as emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually?
If the current superhero movie trend is proving anything, it’s that women are just as capable of kicking butt and taking names. Johannson’s Black Widow, Hathaway’s Catwoman, & Saldana’s Gamora have been more than capable of handling their own. The studios who produce these movies have finally decided that a female character is capable of being the lead character of a film, and so they have announced upcoming Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel films to be released within the next 3 years.
Hopefully, the writers of these films will not disappoint their fans by falling into stereotype. Hopefully, over 70 years after Wonder Woman debuted, we can have a strong, sensitive, non-sexualized version of the heroes that we love. Hopefully, we can let these women be wonderful.
What do you think? Add your comments below!
The artist behind Glory and the upcoming Jem and the Holograms comic reboot - which reimagines rival bands the Holograms and the Misfits for the 21st century, with more diversity in race, body type, and yes, sexuality - made an important personal announcement on her Tumblr and Twitter yesterday: formerly known as Ross Campbell, she is transitioning and now goes by Sophie Campbell.
Kudos to Sophie for having the courage to live honestly. In a cultural climate suffused with so much transphobia, it's gratifying to see Sophie's fellow comics creators stepping up with messages of support; scroll through her Twitter replies to find affirmations from Kieron Gillen, Rob Liefeld, Fiona Staples, Tim Seeley, and more. Let's join them in helping make the comics industry a place where LGBT creators like Sophie can be true to themselves.
Every 3rd Wednesday, the Washington DC chapter of Geeks OUT gets together at Nellie's Sports Bar for a night of Smart Ass Trivia. Win prizes for money off your tab, tickets to concerts and shows, and more. There's a best team name prize too, so start thinking up something witty!
Round one of trivia starts at 8:00 and Round two is at 9:00, but it's good to get there early to grab tables and take advantage of the happy hour deals: Miller Lite bottles and house vodka drinks are $2 from 5:00-6:00, $3 from 6:00-7:00, and $4 7:00-8:00.
Were you watching last night's Looking? The episode, which showed Patrick (Jonathan Groff) & Kevin (Russell Tovey) exhibiting at Gaymer X, feaured a number of GeeksOUT's original t-shirts.
Care to cruise like this Captain Gaymerica?
Gonna grind in this Godzilla Karaoke? Mix with those Mythfits?
Into this Invisible Jet Mile High Club?
Pick them all up at the GeeksOUT shop!
If a size/style is out now, wait for a restock and visit the shop again soon. OR come visit us in person at FlameCon this June!
That's right, friends! Artist Kris Anka will be a guest at FlameCon, New York's first queer comic convention. Kris Anka is a Los Angeles born artist for Marvel comics, who's work can be seen on titles like Uncanny X-men, All-New X-Factor, Wolverines, and Ms. Marvel. We're as mutant and proud as it gets here at GeeksOut, and we couldn't be more excited for Kris Anka to join us!
FlameCon is Saturday, June 13th at the Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn, New York. Buy your tickets here!
Rachel Rising #32
A copycat killer has wandered into the sights of Rachel and her team. Meanwhile, intrepid serial killer Zoe sets her sights on a sexual predator.
TNT TUESDAYS PRESENTS DRINK-N-DRAW!!
Come and Draw with us!!! Weekly models will include Drag Queens and Kings, muscle boys, fetish models, Burlesque Dancers, Circus Freaks, Theatrical Performers, Rock Stars and other fascinating subjects!
All artists of all skill levels encouraged to come! It doesn't matter if you suck! Please bring a board or hard surface and the dry medium of your choice. Other mediums that can be used are dip pens and neat watercolor sets. No oils or damaging paints allowed. No fumes please!
Photographers welcome as long as no flash is used and you are respectful. No creepy paparazzos please.
There is no cover however I am enforcing a one drink minimum in order to participate.
Make sure to like the Fan Page for all the updates and weekly event photos!
I've been a Neil Gaiman fan since early adolescence, and to this day very few things excite me as much leaving the bookstore with his latest release. Whether his name is on the cover of a comic book, an illustrated story for children, a young adult novel, or, a rare gift, a full length fantasy epic, I'm always confident that I'm about to enjoy myself when I turn to the first page. However, despite being a success in all areas of fiction, there is no bigger thrill for me as a lover of the printed word than when I leave the store with a new collection of his short stories. Trigger Warning, Gaiman's third collected set of short fiction after 1998's Smoke and Mirrors and 2006's Fragile Things, fed my imagination and my heart in all the ways I hoped for and more.
Although American Gods, his longest book, is widely believed to be his best work, I think Gaiman is at his strongest when it comes to short stories. It is here, in the realm of short fiction, that I feel like I get to experience the real sense of just how huge and varied his imagination really is. In Trigger Warning, he revisits a lot of familiar themes that have recurred throughout his body of work -- chief among these, the blending of classic myths and archetypes with contemporary language, locales, and storytelling -- but does so with a true mastery of prose that keeps things fresh and exciting for long term fans.
Sometimes, this deep into a successful career, authors tend to stick to familiar styles and ways of storytelling, but Gaiman experiments and plays around in Trigger Warning in ways that were really fun to read. In this collection, Gaiman pays tribute to those who came before and inspired him. Part of the charm of this set of stories is that it was clearly written by someone who, like us, is a fan of stories, albeit one who seems almost supernaturally gifted at creating his own in response. In his Harlan Ellison-inspired introduction, he says that "writers live in houses other people built", and while that's certainly true, Gaiman has moved in and done some major redecorating.
In addition to Ellison, Gaiman pays tribute here to Jack Vance's Dying Earth stories in the trippy, Locus Award-winning "An Invocation of Curiosity". There is also a heartfelt tribute to one of his biggest inspirations in "The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury", which also serves as a love letter to fans of that great man with a lot of fun references to his stories. Ray Bradbury taught many of us to dream, and it's encouraging to see that subsequent generations of writers have continued to dream of crisp Halloween nights and bittersweet dramas on Mars.
There are also stories that, in lesser hands, could be considered fan-fiction. With Neil's genius, though, familiar tropes are completely reinvented. For instance, I never think of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories as being particularly beautiful. But here, in the wonderful "The Case of Death and Honey", Gaiman gives us Mr. Holmes's last case and made me cry in the process. The music of David Bowie and the beautiful art of Yoshitaka Amano give birth to the strange and beautiful "The Return of the Thin White Duke", which reads as a sort of mashup of Poe and Dunsany. Fans of Doctor Who -- there are many -- will be delighted to find a story about The Doctor here.
Putting new twists on classic fairy tales is one of the things that Gaiman does best, and has done in the past with great success. I admit to being skeptical when I saw that he was revisiting Sleeping Beauty here, thinking it had been done before and had probably been done better by him with "Snow, Glass, Apples" and its terrifying twist on the Snow White story. "The Sleeper and the Spindle" made me shut up and stop whining when I was presented with a queen wearing armor and weapons instead of gowns and high heels. Sleeping Beauty has been told many ways, but never like this, and this story is a great feminist response to one of the most sexist Disneyfied myths we have. Fans of American Gods will also be pleased to see Shadow's return in "Black Dog", a great creepy ghost story in the classic British sense. With all respect to Shirley Jackson and Stephen King, I still maintain that there is no better setting for a ghost story than the English countryside.
There is a lot to love in Trigger Warning. The pivotal piece of this collection, though, is "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains...". I cannot say enough good things about this story. It has appeared twice previously, first in Stories, a 2010 collection edited by Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio (worth it for a great Joe Hill story, as well as contributions from Lawrence Block, Joyce Carol Oates, Chuck Palahniuk, Peter Straub, and others), and again on its own with gorgeous illustrations by Eddie Campbell. This story is one of my favorites by any author, and the one that I would probably offer up if I was trying to introduce someone to Gaiman for the first time. The narrator, a twist on the classic cunning, gold-seeking dwarf, is a perfect lens through which Gaiman can show us what he does best with his usurping of classic fairytale tropes. It's fascinating to experience a story from the point of view of a sort of character that generally only appears as a one dimensional demon, and to be given glimpses of the kind of inner monologue such a creature might have.
"I am old now, or at least, I am no longer young, and everything I see reminds me of something else I've seen, such that I see nothing for the first time. A bonny girl, her hair fiery red, reminds me only of another hundred such lasses, and their mothers, and what they were as they grew, and what they looked like when they died. It is the curse of age, that all things are reflections of other things."
This short but wonderful story not only showcase Gaiman at his best, but also show us what fiction at its best can do: allow us to see the world through completely different eyes and perspectives. If you're skeptical about giving this collection a try, or haven't read Neil Gaiman before, seek this one story out and give it a shot. Chances are you'll be hooked.
Each story in this collection -- the longest reaching around 30 pages, with some as short as a couple of paragraphs -- creates its own self contained miniature world and shows how great the short story as an art form can be in the right hands. With the publishing world in a transitional state right now, the short story, long relegated to the realm of "lesser" fiction compared to its bigger and more attention grabbing cousin, The Novel, is making a comeback. With Alice Munro winning the Nobel Prize in 2013 and the ability to self-publish quickly and cheaply on electronic devices, I'm happy to see the short story being given more appreciation as a valid and valuable art form in its own right, and if you're looking for a set to take your imagination to wonderful new places, Trigger Warning is the best I've seen in many years. Rating: A
@robrussin
Join HopeWorks & Friends at Victoria Gastro Pub from 2:30-4:30pm on March 29 as we discuss one of the most popular female heroes of all time: Wonder Woman!
Princess, Warrior, and Feminist Icon, Diana of Themyscira / Paradise Island, better known as Wonder Woman, is one of the best known comic heroes of all time. On March 29, we'll be talking about everything from Diana's origins, her relationship with Hellenic beliefs (or lack thereof, as the case may be), and what has made Wonder Woman the true icon she is. While we will be focusing on "Wonder Woman: Blood", we will be talking about every interpretation of Diana we can, so whether you know the character from the page, the screen, or just in passing, join us for a beer and a great discussion about this iconic character.
Do you guys remember the episode Teen Titans did about racism? It was called “Troq,” and we followed our heroes as Starfire found out that the alien they’ve been helping out for the first part of the episode (named Val-Yor) is actually really, really racist against Tamaraneans. At the end of the episode, Val-Yor concedes that Starfire is “one of the good ones,” in reference to her people. Before she can speak up, the rest of the team is quick to point out the backhanded nature of Val-Yor’s comment. They criticize him for being a racist, and he leaves on negative terms with the team. Thankfully, Starfire is able to put the event behind her, in no small part due to the help of her friends.
Now, take what I’ve just described, and reverse it. So that everyone on the team is the one making the backhanded comment, and we have but one person saying “hey, that’s still really shitty.” Imagine that instead of being excepted by her friends, the Titans said to Starfire “You know, he’s right. Tamaraneans are weird. But you’re okay, we guess. Sort of.”
Guess what? You now have last night’s Agents of SHIELD.
Last night, we found out a couple of things. First: Inter-space racism is alive and well in the MCU. Second: Many members of Coulson’s team actually agree with it. Skye’s powers were revealed to the entire team last night completely by accident, and guess what? She’s going to be bunking in the containment facility from now on. They’re just that supportive.
Here’s the thing: Agents of SHIELD is not an after school special. When it comes to social issues, they usually tackle them pretty poorly. So I’m interested to see if the team is going to realize how discriminatory they’re being, or if Skye is going to continue to be punished for being different and dangerous.
Guess what? Skye’s powers are new, and she’s not the best at controlling them. But the way the team is treating her now proves one thing: she and Fitz were completely in the right to try and keep her abilities a secret. Because when her powers are revealed, only one team member goes “crap, I’ve been wrong about this alien situation all along.” And that person is Jemma Simmons, who seems to be realizing that painting Inhumans with a wide stroke brush is not the best idea.
However, aside from Simmons and Fitz, no one else seems to have that idea. Lady Sif, for one, expresses nonstop disgust with the Kree from the beginning of the episode to the end. She and the Kree plan to put Skye down, and Sif only stops after Skye purposefully knocks herself out with an ICER. That’s right. In order to prove her own harmlessness, Skye must make herself bleed for those that seek to oppress her. Great stuff, right?
It’s no coincidence that Skye hurt herself in the same prison where Grant tried to kill himself. When you are classified as different, or as dangerous, the only way to prove you’re not is to defang yourself. To act normal. White. Heterosexual. Do you see what I’m saying?
Behind Skye’s back, Coulson and May express concern that Skye is probably dangerous. That Inhumas as a whole are bad, and that they hope that Skye is “one of the good ones.” At base, Mack, Bobbi, and Lance express a similar sentiment to Coulson and May’s. So let’s think back to that episode of Teen Titans for a moment. If “one of the good ones” wasn’t good enough there, then it sure as hell isn’t good enough here. I just hope the narrative’s ready to show that.
And let’s think about Skye, here. It’s becoming increasingly clear that she’s going to separate from Coulson’s team in upcoming episodes. Not the next one, but most likely by 2x15. And I feel like she’s going to get flak for that. For turning her back on the people that love her. I call BS. How is she supposed to feel loved when she’s been put in the category of an other? Their affection for her only goes so far if they say “Well we still hate and fear where you come from and what you are on principle. But you’re okay, as long as you don’t, you know, act different.”
We have a word to express how we feel about that, here at geeksout. And that word is “SHADE.” Shade to all that express that sentiment and expect it to be good enough. It isn’t. Not for Starfire, not for Skye, not for anyone. Teen Titans got it right. I wonder if Agents of SHIELD will too.
Within one day of launching on Indiegogo, Alan Tudyk's Con Man - a webseries promising elements of Galaxy Quest, The Guild, and yes, Firefly - reached its funding goal of $425,000. Within two days of launching, the funding sailed past the million dollar mark, and with 30 days left for funding as of this post, it looks like slathering fans (like me) yearning for just a crumbs worth of more Wash and Mal will be treated to a full "season" of episodes
Con Man revolves around an actor and his friend, both of whom starred on a beloved, cult-status science fiction series -- Spectrum -- that was cancelled "TOO SOON" (SOUND FAMILIAR??). The series follows their divergent paths, with Alan Tudyk's character ("Wray Nerely") eeking out a living on the margins of the world of genre conventions and Nathan Fillion's character ("Jack Moore") having achieved "Matt Damon Action Hero" status. The sci-fi community and convention culture play a central role, according to Tudyk. "If you’ve gone to a sci-fi convention, you’ve only seen half of it,” said Tudyk. “’Con Man’ delivers what convention ‘All-Access’ passes have only promised in the past. I’ve been to conventions from San Diego to Dubai and I have so many great experiences to share through the world of ‘Con Man.’ The sci-fi fans have changed my life and I want to give them a chance to see a new view of the world they built.”
Palpable Bromance.
It's that kind of Galaxy Quest geek love (not this kind of Geek Love) that will draw viewers and deepen the fandom. "Firefly" alums Alan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion, Sean Maher and Gina Torres are slated to reunite for this very small screen project, with Felicia Day, Seth Green, James Gunn and Amy Acker. There is some serious adorable going on in the promotion video. In fact, there is so much geek crack in this project, it's hard not to, well...:
The chemistry and love between Tudyk and Fillion is palpable, as is their shared excitement about the project. That excitement, which kind of defines geekdom, is often the recipe for a delightful geek-centric product. In an interview with EW, Fillion gushed about Con Man. "As an audience member, this is exactly the kind of thing I want to see. I want to see a guy who gets kicked in the nuts all the time. I want to see a guy whose life just keeps handing him lemons. I love watching him suffer and Alan, this is one of his niches. He can do a lot of things but he can suffer very well."
The series will stream on Vimeo, with backers receiving early and unlimited access (for 90 days) to the hi-def broadcast. The perks of the campaign range from posters and T-shirts to the "Mogul" level, which includes celebrating Tudyk and Fillion's birthdays with them. For a superfan, is $25,000 really too much?
Joss Whedon himself has already given his blessing to the project.
And if you needed ANY more convincing to either contrbute or consume this close-as-we're-going-to-get-to-a-Firefly-relaunch: “There’s a lost episode of Spectrum that gets released within the show,” shares Tudyk. “That’s done in a funny way—but there are actual scenes of me flying a spaceship and Nathan captaining.”
On the Serenity Spectrum
Queers & Comics is the first university-based conference devoted to queer comics, with over 100 LGBTQ cartoonists and scholars presenting and discussing their work. Join us for two days of panels, workshops, and slideshow presentations, and a digital exhibition of queer comics.
Keynote speakers:
Howard Cruse (Stuck Rubber Baby, Gay Comix)
Alison Bechdel (Dykes to Watch Out For, Fun Home)
Presenters include: Gengoroh Tagame, Ariel Schrag, Samuel Delany, Justin Hall, Hillary Chute, Phil Jimenez, Nicole Georges, Ivan Velez, Jr., Roberta Gregory, Ed Luce, Cristy C. Road, Jon Macy, Diane DiMassa, Trina Robbins, Robert Kirby, Annie Murphy, Jennifer Camper, Jon Macy, Soizick Jaffre, Dylan Edwards, Eric Orner, Ellen Forney, and more.
The last few years have brought a welcome trend for many female and LGBT fans of superhero comics. From Captain Marvel to Spider-Woman, from Batgirl to Wonder Woman, female superheroes are trading in thigh-baring, cleavage-accentuating costumes for more modest, practical outfits. (Well, perhaps "practical" is the wrong word for WW's new wrist blades, but you get my drift).
One creator is definitely not a fan, though: Savage Dragon's Erik Larsen. In a recent Twitter rant, he denounces these costumes as "clumsy,""bulky," and "unattractive," while hypocritically emphasizing that practicality isn't the point of superhero costumes. Troublingly, he also treats Pakistani-American Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan's costume as self-evidently ugly - which may be a valid opinion, but ignores that it's based on traditional South Asian women's clothing.
Sexy superheroine costumes aren't going away anytime soon, of course. But perhaps Larsen should get it into its head that the audience for superhero comics is more diverse than ever, and that it's not such a bad thing to have more female characters wear outfits designed for purposes other than titillating straight male readers.
First thing I have to say about The Wolverine is that while I thought the movie was mostly okay, I don’t understand why it needed to be made. Yes, it’s based on a canon X-Men story that’s well known (Logan’s time in Japan with one of his great canon loves, Mariko Yashida), but the story feels like something that would be fine for an episode or two of a TV show, but you wouldn’t necessarily make it the subject of a whole movie. It largely feels like hey look at this random adventure of Logan’s–in Japan! Yay? 2 hours of extreme Logan manpain and frowny faces: the sequel. At least when you think of it as a WOLVERINE movie. But more on that later. Lack of need aside, it's worth noting that this is likely the ONLY Marvel movie we will ever get with a cast that is majority PoC. Unless Black Panther is actually set in Wakanda (I'm not holding my breath).
I really like the characters Mariko Yashida and Yukio. I found myself really wanting to see their movie. This whole thing should have been their story. Like, tell me, how does it feel to be Yukio in the house of Yashida. I mean, she grew up in this house as one step above a servant but never considered an actual member of the family–except to Mariko. And what about having one of the suckiest mutant powers ever? The ability to see how people are going to die?? NOPE. I’d be afraid to look at or get to know anyone. And what of Mariko? The princess who is betrayed by everyone when she inherits the kingdom she doesn’t want. These two girls who had nothing but each other. The only people who didn’t see them as tools or means to an end. The only people who loved them. Give me THAT story. Please. But, the cool thing is, this movie is largely, whether intentionally or not, Mariko's story, not Logan's.
(Um. I feel some kinda way about this poster on the left....and why isn't Mariko on the cover of this one (on the right)? It's HER story.)
Being fairly familiar with the original story, I prepared myself for some icky Orientalism in this movie. I mean, it probably couldn’t get around it considering the canon. I just hoped it wasn’t completely full of Orientalist tropes, you know? So...the tropes are definitely there: ninjas, Yakuza, submissive Asian women, domineering Asian men, the white savior etc. But, as you watch, something interesting happens: you realize that a lot of these tropes are (seemingly) subverted. The question is: is this intentional on the part of the film makers or pure coincidence. And until someone asks the question and the film makers tell us, the answer seems to depend on how cynical you are. But putting that aside, here are the things I noticed/found interesting/subversive:
1. Mariko as a damsel in distress:
Mariko continuously tells Logan that she doesn’t need his help in the film. He continuously ignores this. The audience ignores this. Mariko looks like a damsel in distress: delicate, pretty, quiet, in danger. One of the times Logan insists on protecting her, she asks him why and he tells her doesn’t think she’ll last to the end of the day if he doesn’t. Mariko gives him a Look that pretty obviously says “Yeah. Okay.” Considering all the attempted kidnappings and shootings that have gone on thus far, you assume that he’s right. Her insistence that she doesn’t need Logan and her dismissive and rude behavior to him (HE’S JUST TRYING TO KEEP YOU ALIVE, MARIKO! WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING HIM ON IT?) comes across as her being naive, stupid and/or suicidal. But it becomes increasingly clear that this is largely an act on her part. For example, she can fight. Yes, in the film she’s often being dragged somewhere by thugs like a typical damsel, but only until she’s had enough. Then we see her using very effective hand-to-hand fighting techniques. She’s calm and efficient. Clearly trained. It’s obviously advantageous for her to play the part of the helpless victim in order to gain information and let others foolishly under-estimate her. THIS is what Logan is messing up with his alpha male assumptions. When she tells him that she’s going into hiding, he condescendingly assumes she means her HOUSE–where everyone knows she lives. She gives him yet another Look that practically screams “do you think I’m an idiot?” and then takes him to her grandfather’s house in Nagasaki that everyone has seemingly forgotten about. Early on in the flim, one of the first things Logan sees of Mariko is her being hit by her father after they argue. Logan is clearly disturbed by her being hit and passively just taking it-which is understandable. However, later in the film her father goes to hit her again and Mariko easily blocks him with her hand. She *let* him hit her earlier. Again, she had to appear to be the obedient, submissive daughter. It's all part of the plan.
2. Mariko is playing the long game:
I’m convinced that Mariko has this elaborate investigation that she’s set up that Logan keeps on jeopardizing. It’s supposed to be a big reveal that Mariko’s father is the one who put the hit out on her. Logan eventually beats the information out of her skeazy fiance, the minister of protection (or something). Thing is, it’s clear that Mariko *knew* this. Probably from the beginning of the movie. After her father hit her, she dramatically takes off across the court yard and appears to try and throw herself over the wall in an attempt to kill herself. Logan conveniently stops her (thanks, white savior!). Near the end of the film, her father brings this up and says something like he can finish what she started/tried to do. Mariko calmly looks at him and says that she never intended to kill herself. Her father looks shocked. He realizes that he’s been played. Of course she wouldn’t try to kill herself in such a public and easily foiled way! She wanted to see if he would stop her or saying something, show some concern. He didn’t. Because he wanted her dead. She needed proof.
At the house in Nagasaki, Logan asks Mariko about her fiance. Mariko says she doesn’t want to marry him, but her father arranged it. Logan is clearly full of opinions about her being obedient to her father and marrying someone she doesn’t love. She tells him that it would bring dishonor to her father and that she doesn’t expect him to understand, being non-Japanese. That shuts down the questioning–which is what she intended. Keep in mind that she likely knows that her fiance and father in are cahoots to off her. She’s still playing the long game, which means being the obedient daughter. Her fiance tells Logan that Mariko would never go through with the wedding if she knew she was the sole inheritor of the company/fortune. But that’s not her motivation at all. He makes it sound like she wouldn’t marry him if she were financially independent, but she cites honor and duty. The fiance is part of her con.
Everyone is trying to kill her before her grandfather’s will is read. Mariko asks Logan why her grandfather would leave her a company, a fortune and a legacy she doesn’t want and he says that’s why. Becauseshe doesn’t want it. Thing is, we’re supposed to believe that she has no idea she’s going to inherit this…but she never really seems shocked or surprised. Like someone would be. Again, not as ignorant as she seems.
3. Logan as white savior:
Logan clearly thinks that he is going to sweep in and save Mariko from all this Big Bad Stuff. Because he's assigned her the role of Princess and him of Hero/Prince. It’s very interesting how differently he treats Mariko and Yukio. Based on looks alone he assumes that Mariko is the delicate damsel who needs the strong man to heroically protect her. He never treats Yukio like this. In fact, he’s often brusque with her. Dismissive. Cold. Even when she’s expressing great concern for him. But then she’s not pretty like Mariko, (seemingly) delicate, willowy, aloof, soft-spoken, or submissive. Yukio doesn’t trigger his white man protective urges. Where the trope is subverted is that it’s the other way around more often than not. Mariko is in control. She has to save him several times.
First of all, he doesn’t know the country or the language or the customs. Mariko has to translate for him. She has to explain what things are (like the couples hotel). She has to navigate for him. She instructs him in etiquette and proper use of things like how to tie his robe and properly using chop sticks. He has no means of getting things like food and shelter without her. Unlike the usual trope, he’s not better at being Japanese than she is.
Second of all, after he collapses in the hotel, she gets medical treatment for him. His healing factor is gone. He would have likely bled to death if she hadn’t gotten help for him. Despite being a “princess,” as he calls her, she has the knowledge and means to quietly get the hotel owner’s son, a veterinarian student, to remove the bullets in his body and patch him up.
Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, she saves him in the big showdown at the end. Logan is effectively confined to the chair-thing and unable to defend himself when the giant samurai tries to cut off his blades with it’s meltingly hot sword. It’s Mariko who jumps into the fray, in front of a GIANT SAMURAI MADE OF ADAMANTIUM WITH A GIANT FIRE HOT SWORD, and gives Logan the opportunity to escape. Keeping in mind that she has escaped from her badass ninja childhood friend to do it. And she saves Logan at the end when he’s at the mercy of her grandfather and getting his healing ability sucked out of him. She's the big damn hero! At the end of the film, she's saved Logan, solved her own story/kept herself alive AND is running the company.
…..honestly, why was this movie not called “Mariko Yashida: She’s Fine, Logan, Thanks”??
Do you agree with all this? Any of this? Or do you think I'm reaching and/or giving the movie more credit than it's due? Let me know!
*note: A first draft of this content originally appeared on my personal WordPress blog in June of 2014*
