My Hero

I know, I know...

I'm doing a big group project on comic book superheroines for Gender Studies, and I should be denouncing the way the female form is presented.

Ahhh but I really like this cover leh.

For one, I'm a fan of Batman ever since I fought for him 5 years ago.

JC debates- This house believes Batman is more of a superhero than Superman.

We won. Batman ruled.

I bought Batman comics with the prize money.



Secondly, she's portrayed unlike all other comic super-heroines.

Our gender studies group that met up today noticed something different about Batgirl's image when compared to all the other heroines we were studying.

For most female heroes, their slim, sexy and voluptuous bodies are emphasized, in costumes that are revealing and totally impractical in real life. Take for example the Jean Grey in X-Men comics vs. the Jean Grey in the X-Men movies.

Notice any differences?

But this cover of Batgirl doesn't subscribe to these negative ideas. Her costume's in dark realistic colours, and most importantly the focus of the picture is not on her body but her face and her blue eyes.

For once, the artist makes the focus who the girl is, not how she looks.

(If the picture focuses attention on the face, it's so your attention will be on the identity and character of the girl. If it focuses on the body and not the face, then she's just there as an object of sexual appeal.)

Here are some examples of the usual covers I'm talking about.

I don't think her face is the focus here.

The "X" marks the spot just in case you got distracted.

Okay good. I've reasoned why I am drawn to this image though most comic books are bad representations of women's bodies- coz this one is different. Now on to why I like this image more than just for its artistic value but for the symbolism it holds.

I'm a sucker for a kick-ass warrior princess- especially one without super powers. She's so mortal, so vulnerable, so weak, yet so willing to risk everything just for a chance to fight for all she believes in.

I empathize more with such characters you know?

I look up to the likes of male heroes like Batman, but these heroes are so distant from me. I am not your usual strong-built and tough masculine guy. For me to follow after Batman is to aspire for impossibility- it's very depressing.

I can never be anything like this.

But I don't want to give up just like that. This is why I've been drawn to warrior women. I might have long mistaken it for the kind of girl I like.

No, now I'm sure it's not the case.

She is weak, but works and trains to be strong.
She is scared, but she finds her courage to face her fears.
She is not the prime candidate for heroics, but she still became a hero.
She is a girl, but she manages to hold her own in a very masculine environment.

I don't want her. I want to be her.


Comic books draw men and women so differently there seems to be no middle ground between sexy feminine beauty and strong masculinity. But I cannot identify with the hyper-masculine male heroes. So I am drawn to the female heroes who represent a greater balance in soft and hard power.

The real world of course is a different story. But as far as the comic world is concerned, Batgirl is my hero, whom I emphasize best with and want to be like.

I am weak. Yet I try to defeat monsters bigger than me.