Dear DC Comics,
*Just a note. Thanks for the link to Felica Day and io9.com and everyone else. I’m stunned by the response. Also I’m approving comments as I can and will approve any comment that isn’t spam or hateful.threatening or outright insulting of myself, my daughter or any commentor here. I adhere to the John Scalzi commenting policy. Please feel free to disagree with our opinion, because that’s what reader feedback is all about. And thanks!
I’m not going to rant like Comics Alliance (though you need to read it), or this one by Andrew Wheeler (also an excellent read), Ms. Snarky says it really well too (Go, read, DC editors. Take notes.)
Instead I’m going to hand over my forum and let someone else speak for me. Pay attention, DC. This is my 7 year old daughter.
And for good measure this is my 7 year old daughter as she falls asleep most nights, reading.
They’re both your books, DC. And furthermore she bought them both with HER money. Her allowance, her birthday and Christmas money. She gets at least one graphic novel and one book for major holidays. She buys superhero movies (we’ve managed to see all the major releases this year except Green Lantern and she’s loved them all.) She has a full-sized cardboard cut out of Spiderman guarding her bookshelf.
Most importantly? Starfire is her favorite hero.
So today I showed her your rebooted Catwoman and Starfire. She is not happy with you DC.
“Why do you like Starfire?”
“She’s like me. She’s an alien new to the planet and maybe she doesn’t always say the right thing, or know the right thing to do. But she’s a good friend, and she helps people. She’s strong enough to fight the bad guys, even when they hurt her. Even her sister tried to kill her, but Starfire still fights for the good side. And she helps the other heroes, like Superboy and Robin and Raven.
“She’s smart too. And sometimes she gets mad, but that’s okay because it’s okay to get mad when people are being mean. And she’s pretty.”
“What do you think about her costume?” (Referring to the outfit on the right)
“Well, she’s a grown up in that picture, not like in the Teen Titans cartoon, so if you’re a grown up and you want to wear something like that you can. It’s okay.”
“Tell me about that Starfire.”
“That’s where she’s starting the Teen Titans again. She’s helping the kids learn how to use their power and not be as sad because their friends died. She even protects them from grownups who want to tell them what to do.”
“Does that outfit make her pretty?”
“Well, no. It shows lots of her boobs though.”
“What does make her pretty?”
“Her long, pretty hair.”
“What about this Starfire? What do you think about her?” (Referring to image on the left from DC’s reboot Red Hood and the Outsiders)
“I can see almost all of her boobs.”
“And?”
“Well she is on the beach in her bikini. But…”
“But?”
“But, she’s not relaxing or swimming. She’s just posing a lot.” *my daughter appears uncomfortable*
“Anything else?”
“Well, she’s not fighting anyone. And not talking to anyone really. She’s just almost naked and posing.”
“Do you think this Starfire is a good hero?”
“Not really.”
“Do you think the Starfire from the Teen Titans cartoon is a good role model?”
*immediately* “Oh yes. She’s a great role model. She tells people they can be good friends and super powerful and fight for good.”
“Do you think the Starfire in the Teen Titans comic book is a good role model?”
“Yes, too. She’s still a good guy. Pretty, but she’s helping others all the time and saving people.”
“What about this new Starfire?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“Because she’s not doing anything.”
“Is this new Starfire someone you’d want to be when you grow up?”
*she gets uncomfortable again*”Not really. I mean, grown ups can wear what they want, but…she’s not doing anything but wearing a tiny bikini to get attention.”
“So, you know I’m going to put this on my blog right? (she nods) Is there anything else you want to say?”
“I want her to be a hero, fighting things and be strong and helping people.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because she’s what inspires me to be good.”
See, it’s not about what they’re wearing, though that can influence things. What makes a hero is WHO they are, the choices they make and the things they do. If my 7 year old can tell what you’ve done from looking at the pictures (there is no way I’m going to let her in on the whole emotionless random, amnesiac sex plot line) why can’t you see the problem here?
If this is your attempt at being edgy and reaching out the huge female comic audience out here then I look forward to when this crap collapses around you so someone who gets it can take your place. We’re looking for good stories and great heroes. This just isn’t it.
I will likely read many posts on this topic, but thisis the one that will stick with me the most. Thank you for writing it, and thanks to your daughter for allowing the interview. 🙂
You are welcome. Sometimes they say it better than I ever can.
Ouch. I wouldn’t have had the heart to show those images to a little girl.
We aren’t casual about skimpy clothes/nudity but we aren’t secretive about it either. She’s already seen skimp clothes on tv not to mention walked in on us getting dressed before. But I refused to let her read any of it.
Good for you! Walking in on you getting dressed is normal and human and harmless; everybody gets dressed. But posing in bikinis for attention is NOT OK for superheroes who are supposed to be helping!
Yeah, I think your story is a perfect example of why nudity/skimpy clothing isn’t the problem, but posing in an exploitative way for the viewer is. That’s what made her so darn uncomfortable.
Brilliant. Will be sharing.
Thanks you for posting this. As someone who fights daily to stop these kinds of portrayals in literature, I’m glad that people are speaking out.
So thanks, to you, and to your daughter.
THANK YOU. This is an argument that doesn’t bring in politics, or “progressive” opinions regarding sexuality, or even really talk about the demographics. What we want to see less of, and what DC needs to stop defending, is BAD WRITING.
I think it’s easy to see discussions getting lost in rhetoric and labels. While the anti-sexism arguments do have points, at the heart it really is just crappy writing that causes these problems. Cliched, unimaginative writing.
My main problem with just the little bit I know about this new Starfire (also my favorite character from the Teen Titans cartoon) is that her personality in of itself isn’t bad…if it was used as a negative, not titliation. Women who are like how Starfire is now (and men too to be honest) who NEED sexual attention all the time and refuse emotional bonds need help. Humans (and aliens and all sentient lifeforms) live for making connections. We need the emotional connection and that doesn’t mean women can’t be sexual or flirtatious or even sleep around with every guy in the world, but they shouldn’t shun ALL emotions as a result. Sex is an emotional action, no matter how it’s committed. To remove all emotion from it, it’s a breeding tool at best and a cold manipulation at worst. This Starfire obviously, taken in a real world context, has a lot of problem and NEEDS help. Which could be a great character arch…but it’s not treated that way, it’s treated as a cheap thrill, and destroying a great character to accomplish it. Starfire, as I know her, was never emotionally dead, couldn’t be emotionally dead. So that’s the saddest thing, to see a vibrant woman who loved emotions, expressed emotions constantly and always, always kicked ass while doing it turned into…a talking sex doll. It’s just…icky. And it says a lot about how the writers view women.
It could be a poignant story arc, why she can’t remember the Titans, why she doesn’t want to feel emotion, why she’s urging others to use her. It reads like a trauma victim struggling, I can only hope it does go somewhere interesting and not remain all sex-roboty.
Thanks for sharing this.
It’s poignant, pointing out this way. Not so much about the sex, but just the fact that your daughter is right: this Starfire isn’t doing anything. She’s not fighting, she’s not having fun. She’s just posing. And honestly, put so innocently, I think that’s what bugs me most.
You’ve got yourself one smart kid there. Kudos on raising a critical thinker of seven. Seems like she’s already something of a hero-in-the-marking. At very least, she’s got good taste.
Thanks. Yes, we try to teach her how to think, not what to think . Discussion/debate is a huge part of our house and times like this it pays off. She impressed me.
The pre-reboot Starfire would be proud of her.
Not gonna lie, my eyes welled up at the end. This REALLY puts it all in perspective: I think DC’s trying too hard to appeal to an “older” audience and forgetting who COMIC books are REALLY supposed to be made for. Great post, and I’ll be sharing it.
Comics are not REALLY suppose to be made for any one group of people. They are for EVERYONE.
Wonderful, thoughtful post. You really cut to the very core of the matter here. These books are alienating and not the aspiration kind of stories superhero books are supposed to be.
Thank goodness for all the amazing all ages stuff being produced in comics elsewhere and I’m so lucky to have Little Island Comics, an all ages comic book store, in my town.
Thank you for this post, and kudos to you for having a great relationship with your daughter. You’re doing something right! 🙂
OK, I know this is heated, But I have to say: It is not DC comics responsibility to raise anyone’s children. The writers have every right to write what they do uncensored as do the artists. Parents raise children, not media. If she wanted to buy a XXX movie “With Her Own Money” would you let her? Of course not! It’s inappropriate! As this book is for a child. And before we start the warning label debate, as a parent it is YOUR job to keep on top of what your kid is getting into. It’s not my job, not DC comics job: YOURS. Also, because the debate was already on, you obviously, willfully decided this would be a good article for your blog and gave consent for her to buy the book. All things are not for children, and they aren’t supposed to be. Somethings, be they good or not, and I think the book is crap anyway, are not meant for little kids, and you are the one that allowed your daughter to read it.
I didn’t let her read it, I showed her panels from it. I won’t let her read it, but I can’t help be disappointed that her favorite hero is off limits to her now. If DC wants to stand by their plot line that’s their choice and mine is to sadly not let my daughter purchase their books anymore. I certainly have nothing wrong with adult material, or adult story lines, I just think people forget why we read these books. If we’re adults we have plenty of access to sexually explicit materials (including comics!) We don’t need to corrupt characters presented as kid friendly in one forum into sex addicts to get our kicks.
Is this Starfire being presented as a kid friendly character? I certainly don’t think so and I also don’t think that because Starfire in the cartoon was presented one way that she should be locked into that look and characterization forever.
DC has said (publicly) that they currently don’t have a good answer for your daughter (and young readers in general) and while I think that sucks, that fact is they are not trying to market this book to your daughter. What I do hope is that they will find a way to create superhero books for younger readers outside of Tiny Titans (which my 4 1/2 year old reads now).
As I’ve said before the real problem with Red Hood and the Outsiders is that it’s simply not a well written book. The characters are all poorly developed and explained, their motivations are non existent, and there’s not enough background to make sense of any of their actions. That’s the biggest crime of this book, it’s just not good.
That all said, your daughter seems like a great and thoughtful child. But before you throw it all away, maybe Supergirl might work for her, or Batgirl. There’s also a whole drove of back catalog with Starfire in her Teen Titans days that she could dip into (I’m old enough to remember that even back in the 80’s Starfire was HOT stuff for the day).
DC is printing 52 books this month 3 of those books (Red Hood, Catwoman and Voodoo) are catering to that more “mature” audience. Unfortunately, one of those includes your daughter’s favorite character. I get how as a parent that is disappointing at best. But that’s 3 books out of 52. I find it hard to paint the entire company and line of books with the same brush.
I hope that both DC can make more books that cater to her and that she can find something in this new line that appeals to both her and you.
Cheers,
Jose
You’re completely right on these points, I don’t believe this comic is being marketed to kids. The only reason I did this blog was because it is her favorite character. I think there does have to be some care taken when a character is presented as a kid-friendly in one place (like the Teen Titans cartoon, Batman the Brave and the Bold, etc.) then very much not in another place, especially a place that’s just as accessible to the kid as the cartoons are. I really, really do not expect all comics to be Super Friended or Hero Squaded out.
She does love Super Girl and She Hulk and for Christmas she’s getting the first Classic New Mutants graphic novel. There are, always, alternatives. But who can blame a girl for being upset when finding out her favorite superhero is now off limits?
This book isn’t just “not for children”. It isn’t for anyone who wants to see women portrayed as much as people as the male characters. It’s fanwank for straight men, being published as legitimate material.
There isn’t really an age where a female fan of Starfire on Teen Titans is going to reach where she’s gonna be happy with Red Hood’s version. The Shortpacked comic put it best.
A lot more than 3 out of 52 are being aimed at a “mature” audience. Only a tiny handful that would be teen-friendly, and Supergirl might be the only one that’s child-friendly.
Could not have put it better myself.
You won’t let her read it…and that’s wise, since it is rated for older than her. But there’s a bit of the problem: you’re having her weight the presentation of the character in media geared more towards including her, in a lengthy and completed form, against selected panels in a single issue. What you show her reading (with her eyes closed, probably an unfortunate reaction to the flash on the camera) is a completed work.
The quotes from your daughter seem to indicate you didn’t show her the action scenes where Starfire saved her friends from certain death at the hands of an unfriendly military, as she only seems to be reacting to panels of her “not doing anything” and “posing a lot”.
I get a parent wanting something their child likes to still be available to them, rather than written for an older audience. I get folks who think that comic books should be written for a younger audience because, to their thinking, comic books are supposed to be for kids, despite that not really being the case for decades now.
But DC has not hidden the fact they’re gearing their product to mid-teens and older. As such, it removes a fair number of the teeth from the argument made against them here.
Her favorite hero isn’t off limits..she is in tiny titans. Her favorite hero is a white washed dumbed down version of the Starfire that Wolfman/Perez created 30 years ago. The book you showed your child was clearly labeled as being intended for persons well over twice her age.
http://i.imgur.com/0RqDx.jpg
Did you even read this article? She bought the old Teen Titans with her own money, and the author even stated that she did NOT let her daughter read this new book. That’s not even what this article is about. It’s about DC Comics taking away good, female role models for girls and women of all ages and making another posing sex symbol. DC wants to open their demographic and bring in new, younger readers, yet they produce crap like this.
Next time read the whole article before spewing your negative opinions just to be argumentative.
“DC wants to open their demographic and bring in new, younger readers”
DC’s idea of opening up their demographic is interesting. And by interesting, I mean “a lie”. They’ve clearly stated they *don’t* want younger readers: they only want “males aged 18-34”. The content of the #1s make it clear they only want a particular subset of that demographic. If anything, they’re aiming at a narrower demographic than they were prior to September.
(Not jumping on you personally, just reiterating how hostile DC actually is to new readers while claiming to be otherwise. So many people *think* DC wants new, younger readers because that’s what makes sense.)
I completely agree with you on your first argument, tv/movies/books should not be raising kids, parents should be raising kids.
No where in the article does it state the little girl bought that comic (the Red Hood one) with her own money. Not to say that the author didn’t buy the comic, instead of used one of the many images online, or the little girl, in fact, did buy it. It just doesn’t state that anywhere in the article.
Also in the comments the author states, “But I refused to let her read any of it.”
As for the second part of your argument that this comic is for adults, I’m not going to disagree either. It has mature subject matter, violence, etc.
I just wanted to point out the statements above.
The message I took away from this interview is not, “Hey, DC, your character isn’t kid-friendly anymore and we don’t like that.”
The message I took away from this interview is:
“Hey, DC, the Starfire in this book isn’t really even a character, she’s just a pinup. She used to have a personality, and she used to be interesting. You took all that away, and left us with something that’s nice to look at, if you are sexually attracted to women and like unrealistic poses, but she’s not interesting to read about, and we’re more interested in reading about the Starfire who did more than look pretty. Give us back our interesting female characters, please.”
If a grade-school child can identify what makes an interesting character (to people of any age, in my opinion), DC’s decision-makers shouldn’t have had such a difficult time with that.
If that wasn’t the intended message, that’s fine. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Ms. Lee and her daughter agreed with my opinion. I won’t presume to assume so, but I wouldn’t be surprised either.
You absolutely got it! 🙂
This is a great story for some of the retards in editorial positions in comics to read. There is no doubt that in a medium like comics that we want our heroes to have attractive qualities, this does not mean mindless sex symbols. Your daughter has made that abundantly clear that she loves the “Starfire” who is strong, fighting for a cause, and teaches good lessons, Not this terribly oversexed pinup girl rendition.
Wow, I has no idea it had gotten that bad with DC. I stopped reading comics when the Heroes Reborn thing hit Marvel in order to lock in my view/memories of the characters I love. I couldn’t imagine being 7 and seeing my favorite character turned inside out before my eyes, ruining everything I’d known before. I guess that’s why I collect action figures of DC/Marvel characters instead of comics. Those are permanent representations of the characters I love and no bad writing or terrible decisions can alter them on my shelf.
Your daughter has a Starfire on her shelf right? A GOOD one from Teen Titans?
You know, sometimes even superheroes just pose. Not every panel they’re in they’re doing something.
Maybe in the next issue she’ll be fighting things and be strong and helping people. And then she’s a hero again.
I’m definitely hoping for this! I want to believe DC’s writers (um, since I’ve met a few of them) are better than this. Regardless this is clearly isn’t a good series for her.
Thank you for sharing this. As a father myself, it was really emotional for me …
This is one of the most amazing articles I’ve read in a while. Thank you so much Michele!
Your seven year old sounds like the kind of kid that I’d want. She’s smart and able to get a message across of what most, if not the majority of the fans. She has a rather clear voice and knows what she likes, instead of being told what she should like by DC.
DC in this day and age needs to try and increase its reader base, not alienate a decent number of them. They fail to realize that not just comic book stores carry their books, but so do some toy stores.
I like reading comics. I don’t mind a little bit of cheesecake, but only if it goes along with the story or progresses the story further. Just painful posing and random sex scenes that are just fanboy wank that I most likely have seen on gallery sites.
I hope that DC sees this and reads it fully.
Thanks for your post. I have 2 little girls (6 and 3) who are (at my encouragement) just getting into comics, and they love the Tiny Titans (particularly the 6 year old). Thus far I have been enjoying the DC relaunch (for the most part), but I would be incredibly embarrassed if they ever saw the Red Hood book or the Catwoman book. It’s absolutely possible to have comics including attractive, strong women without turning them into sex objects.
The other things that’s bothered me in the relaunch is the extreme levels of violence (decapitations, exploding babies, etc.). Some of it just seems gratuitous.
Your “daughter” comments that this “new Starfire” isn’t doing anything and says that she likes how the other Starfires helped fight and saved her friends. Why didn’t she notice that Starfire saved Jason and Roy from a large amount of tanks by destroying them all? Why do you both seem to ignore that part?
It appears as if you’re only showing her the “bad” examples of this “New Starfire” instead of giving her the whole picture for the sake of manipulating her opinion to fit your needs.
she didn’t show her that…she specifically picked panels to show her…then fabricated some outrage based on exposing her kid to half a story…then telling us half a story. Meanwhile, she didn’t spend a dime on DC and the rest of us are in danger of losing a Red Hood book because some Blog Harpies need hits, raging about some cartoon nostalgia.
4 years of a cartoons vs 30 years of comics…wtf
This is just my opinion as a person but I believe that there should not be any “bad” examples of a character to point out in the first place. If the character is written well and with purpose, “bad” examples should be non-existent. She didn’t allow her daughter to read the new book because, to put it simply, the book is not age-appropriate for a seven year old child; not to say that the original comics were much more appropriate for children but they did create a version of Starfire for younger viewers as well as the original. But you see, this adult-version of Starfire isn’t just a special character created for our adult versions of the comics- this IS Starfire now. This is what she has become and this is what she’ll continue to be even when the seven year olds are old enough to read the stories. And honestly, do you think that little girl’s opinion is going to change?
She could give her the entire book and still be only showing her “bad” examples of Starfire. Even when she’s in rescue mode she’s described not by her nature fighter or by her abilities, but by her chest size. She’s a poorly written character in a poorly written book. And the sad, ironic twist – it also makes her less sexy. At least it’ll be much easier for Dick to choose between her and Batgirl now.
*nature as a fighter*
Thanks for this , as a parent of a 7 year old girl who likes Superheroes I can really feel this. I think your daughter has a better understanding of what has happened here than the creators involved.
I <3 this post so much. Thank you to you and your daughter.
This is brilliant, thank you for sharing it. I am hugely impressed with your daughter’s awareness and understanding of what she sees in print.
Thank you for posting this. Smart girl, put it better than I ever could.
Thank you for posting this. It so clearly and articulately puts across a key issue and one I face with my own daughter.
Wow. This was excellent. Honestly, I wouldn’t want my daughters going anywhere near these comics, but your girl managed to aptly analyze the Starfire “problem” with a surgical precision that DC seems to be lacking.
DC missed so many opportunities with this reboot of theirs.
I know my girls would be all over a good TEEN TITANS GO! Starfire comic if it was done well and made for them.
http://i.imgur.com/0RqDx.jpg
then get out your checkbook
Got ’em!
🙂
The things I am hearing about the DC reboot truly sadden me. Thank you for having the courage to share this — with your daughter, with us. For me, I believe you just put the nail in the figurative coffin.
GREAT post! As a former comic collector, I have a ton of books that I am saving for my children (2 boys, 2 girls), and they all have shown interest in them. Though I am a Marvel fanboy, some of the issues are the same. Spider-Man’s wife, Mary Jane, has been turned into some kind of sexpot stripper by various artists. Although her profession is a model, there is a fine line between good taste and too much. I don’t usually read DC, but if this is what their big “reboot” is all about, I fear they are alienating their established fan base, and missing their target market completely. Thank you for sharing this.
Its wrong when comics pander to male readership with skimpy outfits and poorly written, sex driven plotlines. We have porn for that.
If you look in the right places, you can even find porn of these characters. For free. If I want to see a naked drawn woman, I do not have to buy a comic to get it. The only things that DC can offer that make a comic worth money is interesting stories involving their characters. Everything else, I can get for free on the Internet.
I think it is sad that they do not realize how very huge their female audience is. I’m sulking on my own about what they’ve done to Zatanna. We do like our leg girls (not all of us like to cos-play with our boobies out.) They have completely re-written Amanda Waller as well making here very thin,super busty, and tall. Things she has never been. I don’t see it as edgy, or catering to the youth this day and age we are looking for more intellectual and well written things. Things geared to adults and kids can be done. (teen titans and Justice league unlimited cartoons)
There are Adult lines- keep then there, it is getting rather silly, and if they haven’t noticed that is the kind of art in Image and Top cow comics, which do not sell well…
I personally wouldn’t have shown that to a 7-year-old, but it is definitely a strong point.
I’ve seen a lot of people arguing this from many angles, but few of them realize… it doesn’t matter if you rate a comic for teens or something, when you publish a mainstream comic, like Batman, Superman, Spiderman, any of it… you’re setting the role models for millions of kids.
Love this – a great perspective, and it’s a wonderful example of good parenting, and a wonderful relationship between you and your daughter. My kids are a little older, but we still have these discussions, and I find that some of the lessons I learn from talking with them are the most valuable of my life! I hope she gets her Starfire back!
I’m a comic book/film writer who produces content for a female audience and it breaks my heart when stuff like this gives the medium a bad rap. If it made sense in terms of the story I’d be all for it, I am certainly not a censorship prone prude — but this is clearly an example of lazy writing with hopes of gaining some attention.
I am so sorry your daughter is disappointed. At the very least you had a discussion and she seems very in tune with who she wants to be and that’s a decent person who wants to help others.
They are called super “heroes” for a reason.
They are called “Anti-Heroes” for a reason…Red Hood and the Outlaws work as mercenaries and are a psychopathic ex-Robin and a Junkie ex-sidekick. I notice on your site that you list http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm_Fairy_Tales_%28comic_series%29 as a project you work on…..This is your idea of “content for a female audience”? Zenoscope???? or maybe the really classy sounding “Japanese Schoolgirls in Love ” Hypocrite, much?
I really hope this reaches DC Editorial. I was outraged by what I saw of the new Starfire and I’m about as typical a comic nerd as you’ll find.
I’m curious: did your daughter read the new Teen Titans: Games hardcover? Written and drawn by Starfire’s creators, Marv Wolfman and George Perez, it shows her as the polar opposite as her characterization in the new 52.
Nope. Honestly she’s only about 3 Graphic novels into the Teen Titans. She has to have her Super Girl and She Hulk and Doctor Who too 🙂
Having met Michele’s daughter, I can testify that she’s a brilliant, charismatic kid that deserves better than this DC crap. (Then again, all kids deserve better than this crap). Rage against the machine, kiddo! 😉
I love this article. Your daughter is obviously smart and very observant. I sent a link to this to DC and Geoff Johns. 😀 I hope Red Hood gets canceled quickly so someone who actually knows about and cares for the characters gets to do them properly.
Yep! Smart little lady. If you come for heroics, and find sports illustrated swimsuit edition, it can get really boring, really fast 🙂
“If this is your attempt at being edgy and reaching out the huge female comic audience out here…”
DC isn’t reaching out to females with those portrayals of the character – they’re getting teenage boys (and yes, some of us older comic-buyer guys) to buy the issues. I can guarantee that the women are being drawn not as the artist thinks women want to be seen, but as he thinks women should be. I don’t agree with it, but there it is.
And sadly, as always, sex sells.
The spendex-clad heroine always sells more than the Jeans/T-Shirt/sensibly dressed heroine does. The ‘not really clad at all’ heroine sells even better.
The funny thing is, you don’t need sex to sell a good story – good art will do. I refer to the “Old Man Logan” Wolverine series – excellent art, nary a boob to be seen. (Ok, there might have been a couple, but I honestly can’t remember them.) As long as the majority audience of comics are boys, young men, adult men, and women are the minority (in all age-forms) there will be a lot of tightly/scantily clad women in comics.
http://miskatonicrich.blogspot.com/2011/09/in-defense-of-book-about-anti-heroes.html
TL,DR
not rated for 7 yos
not a titans book
Starfire was always sexy and wore a metal bikini
Girls looking for positive rolemodels can read books like
Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Batwoman, and Batgirl.
I can’t even imagine how anyone can think that this kind of stuff appeals to women. This is obviously to appeal to the “sexually pent up boy” demographic.
Great writing. This ties in very nicely with David Willis’ take on this in Shortpacked the other day.
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Thanks so much for sharing this. Your daughter is incredibly smart. I’d hate to see her lose respect for one of her favorite super heroes. I hope DC carefully rethinks their reboot.
On an unrelated note, I don’t read comic books myself but I’m very intrigued by those that do. As a parent that struggles with a child who hates to read, I can’t help but wonder if introducing comic books might help.
It can help, depending on why your child isn’t reading. My son is autistic and reading comic with short bursts of text and images really helps him.
From the mouths of kids comes wisdom.
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I’m sorry, but the anti-pedo in me can’t find her sexy after her role in Teen Titans.
She was too much of a hero/good person. She wasn’t meant to be molested like this. What’s next? Going to have Superman raped?
I can’t believe it was written by a girl. Are there such a thing as female misogynists?
Seems like that child was raised better than her mother though
Hey there~ Just wanted to say I love the article, and I plan to link to it for a blog post I’m doing for a Women and Gender Studies class at school in relation to DC and its newest round of problematic portrayals.
Excellent article and points. My 8 year old daughter likes spiderman, batman, superman, and the short series they had “Supergirl adventures in the 8th grade”.
It’s incredibly unfortunate where DC decided to take Starfire. If they were going to have a character indiscriminately sleeping around and posing to pander to the lowest common denominator, they should make a new one rather than use a great character like Starfire.
If your daughter doesn’t have a copy of the New Teen Titans Omnibus with the great George Perez and Marv Wolfman stories, I would be happy to buy it for her.
Finally a reasonable argument on this topic! I’ve seen people go back and forth on this, but this is by far the best example/explanation I have seen.
Your daughter seems very level-headed and mature in her understanding of the world and how things work. Nice to see she can take a reasonable and fair approach and be objective about this (and her favorite character at that!).
They really need to get their target audiences straight. It’s fine if they want to publish mature books, but they should label them correctly. I also think they should seriously consider marketing a series of books for younger readers. Yes they have Tiny Titans and Young Justice, but there is a major gap there that could be filled.
Why are people complaining about materials that a 7-year old shouldn’t be reading in the first place? It makes about as much sense as complaining to playboy for how inappropriate their material is for children. It is not DC’s responsibility to not publish crap, but it is the parents’ responsibility to screen the material. Why complain about DC when they’ve really done nothing wrong here?
My husband recently showedme some of the panels from Starfire and Batman and I was dreadfully disappointed. These were superheroes from my childhood, a little darker than superman but not risque. There’s Watchmen for that ;-)…. or countless out and out porn comics. I’m sad that if this continues that my own son may never get to buy his own set of the DC universe. What are these writers doing to our heroes?
You know, the Batman/Catwoman sexual relationship didn’t bother me. The chemistry between them has always been blistering (and between Harley and Joker too, as twisted as it is). I just didn’t expect a full on sex scene in the comic.