Garth Ennis is a comic book writer known for his outlandish behavior within his stories. He is responsible for the infamous (and in my opinion, highly overrated) comic book series "Preacher", and is pretty much always reliable when it comes to controversy.
In 2002, Ennis wrote a one-shot (comic book lingo for a "one and done" issue, where there are no more parts to the story after the single issue) about a prostitute who gains super powers and immediately uses those powers for her own gain. She joins a super hero team (which lampoons a popular DC team called the Justice League) and gets into more and more trouble due to her slutty antics.
What troubled me most about this series wasn't the concept, the blatant sexism, or the content as a whole. What really bothered me was that the artist who was responsible for all of the art is a woman. Amanda Conner is actually a pretty good artist, and I enjoy reading books illustrated by her. But I wondered what this meant for women readers, and especially women in the business. "The Pro" is meant to be a comedy, but it still makes me wonder why Conner agreed to do it in the first place. She is known to be kind of a potty-mouth, making constant dirty jokes, etc. I can understand all of that - people are different. But this always seemed like a step backward for women, regardless of how funny it was supposed to be.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Pro
Posted by David at 5:22 PM
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9 comments:
Yep. I pretty much stayed away from that one.
Amanda Conner's Power Girl isn't much better.
I love the Power Girl character and was looking forward to the mini-series but the book seems to be just a series of one breast joke after another.
Power Girl would be an interesting character for you to do an analysis on. Originally she was a stereotypical uppity feminist character but in recent years she's become a bit of a gag character over the size of her breasts.
Power Girl could be such an interesting character. An female equal to Superman, but with a less "boyscout" attitude. The interaction between the too of them hasn't really been explored much especially since due to her origin to earth 2 she's close enough to be almost considered family to Kal-El but far enough removed that she could stand up against him and speak her own mind.
PS: Another story comic-related project that really disappointed me was Stripperella by Stan Lee.
I totally agree about Power Girl. I was talking with some people earlier this week, and she was brought up as a strong female character, which I was a little hesitant to agree with. She is crazy strong, she does have some super snazzy powers, but I wonder how much of that really matters when her costume HAS A HOLE CUT OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER CLEAVAGE.
The "cleavage window" perfectly embodies what happened!
Originally the "hole" in her shirt was as she said, a kind of "anti-logo". She didn't want to wear the S-shield because she wanted to be her own person and not follow in anybody's footsteps.
Now instead of it being a symbol of her independence its called a "cleavage window".
If you think about it though, is what she wears really any worse than what other female comic characters wear (see Wonder Woman)? In fact, I would bet that a lot of women in real life show more cleavage in their everyday clothes than she does.
I seem to be the only one who actually enjoys Power Girl.
Yes, the boob window has a pretty ridiculous excuse, but I disagree on that being her entire character (There were, maybe, three boob jokes. That is not the focus of the series). She's drawn in a more fun light than a lot of characters, yet she truly does care about her job. As much of a cheesecake character she is, I wouldn't write her off as a not strong character. I like that the story focuses more on her life as a civilian, not just some flying pair of breasts.
But then, I've read every single issue, and I've liked them all, so I'm probably biased.
I've read The Pro... what `blatant sexism?'
Having a character who is a prostitute actually act like a prostitute?
Oh no!
As for Power Girl. For better or for worse the character has been established as having large breasts.
I know many women with large breasts who make jokes about their own large breast frequently. It's normal behaviour.
Amanda Conner for the win.
It's fine if a character has large breasts, some women in real life do as well, however, those breasts usually aren't central to that person's personality.
I only read the first issue of the Power Girl mini so my impression may be wrong, but it seemed to me like her breasts were a very prominent topic in the book.
Also, what do prostitutes act like?
I'd be willing to bet that their individual personalities are as varied as any other "profession".
IMO, a prostitute getting superpowers and deciding to use them to become a "super hooker" is about as likely as a plumber dedicating his powers to fishing out toilets.
I'd be willing to bet that their individual personalities are as varied as any other "profession".
Oh, as an accoutnant, I'd be certain of that too!
But learned/patterned/reactionary behaviour is only informed by ones personality; people's first responce to a new situation is nearly always modelled on old behaviours. If someone's first thought for a long time has been `I need to make money to support my child and I get to spend more time with my child if I work nights/irregular hours and prostitution fits that bill' why would getting super-powers change that (in a world where super-powers already exist). She's not interested in (un-paid) heroics outside of being coerced by the other `heroes' and she's not interested in villainy either (because, as lacking in `social graces' as she is, she's still a moral person) and she has no other education or job experience, so, off the top of her head no other way of making money off her powers (to support her kid; her first priority) comes to mind.
Off the top of your head, what other jobs with irregular/night work hours that you can set yourself could a non-qualified person with super-powers get that pays as well as prostitution and still enables them to hang out with their kid during the day?
At least with powers she's not in danger or rape/being murdered like so many other street workers are and she's in the position to help them out as well.
The theorhetical plumber might be in a postion where other jobs available to a super-powered person would be more tenable (he already works days, so demolition/security guard might work. Maybe police work or joining the army... but maybe that work doesnt appeal to him like plumbing does). Why do you think it so unlikely he'd keep doing what he'd previously chosen to do?
Super-powers or not, one has to pay the bills. In comics so many heroes are conveniently already rich, supported by someone else, or employed in a well paid irregular work horus job with qualifications, except spider-man who struggles with photography. Getting powers didn't mean Pete got to quit a job he hates, until he got better qualifications, did it?
The vast majority of women involved in prostitution aren't in it for the good working hours (I'm involved in policing).
I'm pretty sure that if somebody in prostitution got powers, which opens up new opportunities, they would take advantage of them.
Sure Peter Parker is still a photographer (though I think he got that job after his powers), however part of his character is that he is supposed to be hard up for cash and work which is why he never really moved on to better things.
As for characters with using their powers to benefit themselves, I recall a "strongman" character in Rising Stars who sold his services as a building demolisher.
There were also the Russian speedsters in Flash who started a courier service. Seriously, businesses would pay through the nose to have instant deliveries around the world.
I'm sure she could find other ways to use her powers, even shady means like covert government operations or illegal services.
"The vast majority of women involved in prostitution aren't in it for the good working hours (I'm involved in policing)."
I didn't say they were good hours, but night-time work is more convenient for single mothers and making the change to more conventual hours takes time and willpower.
"I'm pretty sure that if somebody in prostitution got powers, which opens up new opportunities, they would take advantage of them."
I'm pretty sure most would too... eventually. (Like you said, divers epersonalities and all that would mean that some would not change careers, because of choice or other factors, such as self esteem issues, may delay others from making the career change).
I mentioned demolisions myself, and delivery service is a great suggestion- The Pro might think of these options eventually, not having the benefit of having read comics to give her the idea.
"I'm sure she could find other ways to use her powers, even shady means like covert government operations or illegal services."
It would be pretty out of character for the Pro to chose government work; she's too anti authoritarian. And, I already said, despite her violent street, she seems to moral for outright villainy/illegal services.
You (someone involved in policing) wouldn't really advocate other illegal activity over prostitution as an option for someone who's personal safety wasn't an issue would you?
(And yep, Im still striggling to see what `blatant sexism' exists in the story).
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