By Amanda
As DC and Marvel keep trying to outdo each other with closely-released announcements regarding Batgirl and Thor, I’ve been craving less sensationalized girl-centric comics so I can just enjoy what I’m reading without whipping into political-correctness frenzy. Of course I support less-sexualized and simply more strong female superheroes. I am happy that both companies have taken another step toward pleasing the growing (but already-existing) crowd of women who enjoy comics. However, in this light, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate X-Men, which features an all-female team but does so in a way that does not make “female” a spectacle. Because at the end of the day, these girls are X-Men just like all the rest.
Brian Wood’s series celebrates the power of established characters in the Marvel universe without making a big deal that the team doesn’t feature any dudes. Wolverine is presently dying, Scott Summers is having a pity party on an island in the middle of nowhere, and yet this team and the Jean Grey School still manage to move forward. Storm, Psylocke, Rachel Grey, Jubiliee, and Monet comprise the central squad with backup from the students and other mutant staff members.
Brian Wood’s series celebrates the power of established characters in the Marvel universe without making a big deal that the team doesn’t feature any dudes. Wolverine is presently dying, Scott Summers is having a pity party on an island in the middle of nowhere, and yet this team and the Jean Grey School still manage to move forward. Storm, Psylocke, Rachel Grey, Jubiliee, and Monet comprise the central squad with backup from the students and other mutant staff members.
Reading through this week’s issue #16, there was never a question of the power of the X-Men. Storm is an undisputed badass, and everyone reveres her status and motherly nature when it comes to her peers and students. The issue strongly illustrates the themes of atypical families and acceptance as everyone comes together to steal Jubilee back. Jubilee tells her kidnapper, “Storm’s ‘tactical error’ is her choosing loyalty and love and honor over the threats of a terrorist like you. This is why the X-Men will always win!” Jubilee also stands out for being a mother, even though Shogo is not her son by birth. Wood does a fantastic job discussing that family is not just blood, but those you choose to surround yourself with. These themes of family and parenthood are usually viewed associated more with women. Yet everyone accepts those qualities as innately being a part of who the mutants are in general. |
The issues don’t stress the “all-female X-Men” or “the female version of so-and-so.” Just X-Men. Just as the students come in all types, this run of X-Men does a great job of living up to its roots in civil rights-type dialogue by embodying acceptance. A few of the comments on the Marvel website following the announcement of the female Thor ask why Marvel doesn’t just highlight the great women it already has instead of making a male thing female—which can still be problematic because that still can situate the male version as the norm. Yay, female Thor, but why not also market the beautiful thing its already got going?
The comic industry needs all sorts of help regarding women. No one can deny that. Yet there are so many projects out there that are headed in the right direction. I hope that you’ll check out Wood’s comics because these issues have been solidly action-packed and entertaining and light-hearted.
The comic industry needs all sorts of help regarding women. No one can deny that. Yet there are so many projects out there that are headed in the right direction. I hope that you’ll check out Wood’s comics because these issues have been solidly action-packed and entertaining and light-hearted.