Robert Jones's Blog, page 14
June 27, 2016
Graphic Mythology: Comparing Feminist Superheroes
It occurred to me that it might be interesting to compare feminist superheroes who also have some kind of connection to mythology. In saying this, I would like to emphasize that qualitative comparison need not equate to a ranking system. We are free to choose different favorites, and I think I have betrayed some of … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: Comparing Feminist Superheroes →
June 20, 2016
Graphic Mythology: Creative Responsibility
What I have to say this week applies not only to comics but to writing in general. A couple of weeks ago, I lamented negative portrayals of women and children in graphic novels and used early issues of Wonder Woman to exemplify my arguments. While it might seem irrelevant to get upset about something that … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: Creative Responsibility →
June 13, 2016
Graphic Mythology: A Good Example
So after all my carping, can I point to any positive examples of the portrayal of women in graphic novels? I hope I don’t sound too much like Mr. Rogers, but sure I can. In fact, I already did (Winged Victory and Cleopatra from the Astro City series). So let’s do another this week. Nausicaa … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: A Good Example →
June 6, 2016
Graphic Mythology: A False Feminism
The panels I have selected for this post come from Wonder Woman stories written by William Moulton Marston and drawn by H. G. Peter, and they disturbed me for a number of reasons. These were (and some more contemporary cartoons are) drawn so as to make harmful or destructive practices seem innocuous. Take, for example, the following … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: A False Feminism →
May 30, 2016
Graphic Mythology: Wonder Woman (cont.)
Wonder Woman is the brainchild of William Moulton Marston and was first drawn by H. G. Peter. Marston, also credited by some with inventing the polygraph, was an educational consultant for one of the companies that eventually merged to form DC Comics. Following a suggestion from his wife, Elizabeth Marston, he created one of the … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: Wonder Woman (cont.) →
May 23, 2016
Graphic Mythology: Wonder Woman
It’s time to come full-circle. Since I started this series, enough time has elapsed for me to do some background research on Wonder Woman, a character that I read about only a little when I was a boy. I will date myself by mentioning that I remember the Silver Age of comics when each issue … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: Wonder Woman →
May 16, 2016
Graphic Mythology: An Impersonal God
Allow me to jump back into the DC universe and a graphic novel which was a critical sensation. Watchmen was highly regarded (perhaps too highly) and garnered all kinds of superlatives when it came out. The artwork for this limited series now seems dated, but it is good enough to stimulate the imagination and move … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: An Impersonal God →
May 9, 2016
Graphic Mythology: Astro City Pantheon
Actually, I have described a partial pantheon of Astro City characters I cherry-picked for the purposes of my blog. Though I have praised this series in the past, I need to emphasize that this does not mean that I approve of everything it contains. Their are some characters and stories that I find objectionable due … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: Astro City Pantheon →
May 2, 2016
Graphic Mythology: The Pale Horseman
This week’s entry from (or, as you will see, into) the Astro City universe is the Pale Horseman. He is a spectral character whose imagery is somewhat reminiscent of Ghost Rider from the Marvel universe, but their back stories are quite different. Like something out of the book of Revelation in the Bible, he comes … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: The Pale Horseman →
April 25, 2016
Graphic Mythology: Cleopatra
Last week, I alluded to a superhero named Cleopatra. She is evidently a supernatural entity derived from the original Cleopatra. Her identity is transferred from one individual to another by means of something called the Gem of Thebis. This is independent of race. Her former incarnation was white, her present incarnation black. In the story … Continue reading Graphic Mythology: Cleopatra →
