[Discussion] UPDATE: Female Heroes (2/15/04; anthology)

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

Deadline extended:

Female [super] Heroes

This is a reopening of submissions for an anthology whose primary
concern is Feminist interpretations of the female [super] hero in
popular culture with emphasis on (though certainly not limited to) race,
able, disabled, hyper and cyberdized bodies, gender constructions and
desire.  The goal of the anthology is to deal with the complex,
competing, and some times contradictory images of =93female heroes=94 in
primarily cinematic (both film and television) images.  Analysis of the
graphic novel, comic books, cartoons, and video games are equally
welcome including those geared toward young, teen, and adults audiences.
  Material that puts the graphic arts and the cinematic or either of
these mediums and the novel (upon which the cinematic/graphic is based)
in conversation are also encouraged but analysis of novels on their own
will not be accepted.  Since this is a reopening of submissions, only
those topics listed below (or in rare cases proposals that resonate with
topics listed below) are welcome. Items listed below are split into
three categories, which may or may not correspond to sections in the
final anthology: comics and cartoons, film, television. If you are
concerned about the appropriateness of your submission please send a
short abstract along with your query to the editor.

Primary audience: popular & academic readers.  Essays should be
thoroughly grounded in analysis rather than simply a description of the
text[s] in question while keeping in mind that rarified analysis may
preclude them from inclusion in the final body of the anthology.

Theoretical impetus: Feminism (including but not limited to antiracist
and critical race feminisms, queer theories and feminism, embodiment,
poco, pomo, science and feminism, etc.).  Thus, you may define feminism
in any multitude of ways for the purposes of submission; however, essays
whose theoretical stance is either anti-feminist or post-feminist will
not be accepted. Analysis of gender is essential to the anthology =96
essays that take =93male=94 or =93female=94 subjects or audiences as give=
n
rather than critical analyzing which audiences and how subjects are
constituted will not be considered.

Highest Priority: Highest priority will be given to essays that deal
critically with race (including whiteness), sexuality, and various forms
of the =93disabled=94 body and the multitude of tactics utilized to
represent the O/other in the depiction of gendered heroes.

Submission: 2 HARD COPIES; include name and contact information (along
with the title of your paper) on a separate piece of paper, and a short
(200 word) bio that includes your academic or activist affiliation if
you have one.

Due Date: 2/15/05 (received by)

Contact Info: lverastegui@msn.com

Topics/Characters:

Within these character studies or programs/films, themes of particular
interest are racial constructions and juxtapositions, parallels and
paradoxes between male and female heroes and/or  masculine and feminine
bodies, the construction of disability within or juxtaposed to female
heroism, desires and the potential or lack there of for transgressive
sexualities. Items are split into three categories that may or may not
be reflected in the anthology: comics and cartoons, film, and
television. (some characters overlap categories but are only listed once)

Comics and Cartoons
Shenice Veil/She Bang =96 Static Shock (of interest - essays dealing with
the marketing of/ constructing of multiculturalism and poc hero,
deconstructions of stereotypes. Archetypes, and transgressions)
Wonder Woman ( of interest - essays dealing with existing statements
that the wonder woman television show was the first attempt to put a
feminist character on television, gender performance, utopia vs.
dystopia, comparisons between wonder woman and current comic book and/or
television heroines etc.)

Anya Corazon  (of interest- essays addressing the impact of the first
Latina superheroine to star in her own comic book, as well as comparison
to other characters with similar powers)
The Black Orchid
Amy Chin =96 Silver Sable=92s Wild Pack (essays dealing with ambiguous
sexuality and or the role of author=92s intent vs. reader response)
FemForce The Women of X-Men (Storm, Jean Grey, Phoenix, etc.)
Maggie Sawyer =96 Head of Metropolis Crime Unit (superman)
Witchblade
Comet =96 Supergirl (essays on transgendered politics or on the complex
construction of a male character with a lesbian alternate)
Catwoman (of particular interest are essays dealing with the differences
and similarities between the 4 prominent actresses who have played cat
woman)
Batgirl &/or Oracle (of particular interest is analysis of Batgirl as
both able-bodied and differently-abled superhero)
Rene Montoya =96 Batman Comics (essays dealing with her outing are of
particular interest; as well as essays that juxtapose cartoon female
detectives like Montoya, Sawyer, et al with television detectives)
Power Girl
The Women of the Justice League (essays dealing with sexuality,
interpersonal relationships between women, and male-female dichotomies
welcome)
Jem (can a pop star be a hero?, are there overlaps with Jem=92s balance
between heroism and love that are echoed in other heroes?, what about
the statement that Jem was supposed to give girls something other than
Barbie to look up to?)
Bubble Gum Crisis
The Women of Mucha Lucha
Sailor Moon (of particular interest the shift from Hentai to children=92s
programming)
Jade =96 Jackie Chan Adventures
Rain Maker =96 Generation 13 (particularly interest lesbian sexuality for
the male gaze)
The Women of Robotech (possible essays comparisons between Lisa Hayes
and Capt. Janeway, explorations of age in prominent female characters or
as described by prominent female characters, interracial relationships
and interspecies relationships)
Ms. Witch
Thelma, Daphne =96 Scooby Doo
Amanda =96 Cyberzone (examination of black lesbian identity, exploration
of potential intergen issues)
Firestar (essays exploring Firestar on her own as well as the only
female hero in the cartoon series starring Spider Man, Ice Man and Firest=
ar)

Film & Video Games
Trish Jenner - Jeepers Creepers (How can ordinary women =96 no technology=
,
no science, no special powers =96 be heroic? Comparisons between Trish an=
d
Nancy or others in similar genres)
Jade - Bullet Proof Monk
Nancy-Nightmare on Elm Street
Alice, Rain Ocampo - Resident Evil
Lara Croft (of particular interest are essays that deal with the
ambiguous racial constructions of the character, as well as essays that
deal with technology and heroism, and the =93new=94 female body)
Elektra Natchios =96 Daredevil (the juxtaposition of the female body and
the dis/able body)
Oracle, Trinity, Niobe - The Matrix (essays dealing with blackness,
whiteness, and female empowerment of particular interest)
Sarah Conner T1-2
Ripley =96 Alien/s
Kate Brewster- T3 (particular interest =96 comparisons between Kate and
Sarah Connor as reluctant heroes)
The Women of Bond Films (of particular interest analysis of Wai Linn =96
Tomorrow Never Dies, Jinx =96 Die Another Day, and/or comparison between
Bond girls over time)
Selene =96 Underworld (what is the role of the dark hero?, comparisons
between Selene and other similar heroes, etc.)
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Anna Valerious =96 Van Helsing
Gothika
The Monkey=92s Mask
Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (racial discourse, motherhood, rape and sexual
violence)
The Women of Austin Powers (camp and heroism, Felicity Shagwell as
American archetype =96 whiteness, etc.)
Foxy Brown (can blackexploitation films be feminist? If so for whom?)
Charlie=92s Angels


Television
Arina =96 The Beast Master TV series (is a sidekick a hero in their own
right?)
Amanda- The Raven &/or Amanda -Highlander
La Femme Nikita (the role of the reluctant hero, compared to other
reluctant heroes, exploration of her relationships and/or comparison to
other heroes whose heroism was in direct conflict with their love interes=
ts)
Cordelia =96 Angel &/or Buffy
Winifred &/or Illyria - Angel
The Women of Mutant X
The Women of Farscape
The Women of Andromeda (of particular interest is analysis of Andromeda
as warship, love interest/object of desire, and sentient being)
The Women of Star Trek
The Women of Roswell (are the non-alien women on the show just gfs or
are they every day heroes, if so how?)
The Bionic Woman
Dark Angel (ability,technology, diversity, etc.)
The Profiler
The Women of CSI
The Women of Law and Order
Tru Davies - Tru Calling
Nancy Drew (analysis must include TV show)
Gigdet (watch the 70s movie, then the tv show, and then ask yourself
again how she ended up on the list)
Kendra, Willow, Tara, Kennedy, Cordelia, Faith - Buffy the Vampire
Slayer (of particular interest =96 analysis of episodes like =93Pangs=94 =
or
characters =96including liner notes-  like Kendra that deal critically
with race; analysis of class in constructions of characters like Faith
and Cordelia; analysis of desire between Willow and Tara, Willow and
Kennedy, or exploring all of Willow=92s relationships =96Xander, Oz, Tara=
,
and Kennedy =96 NO papers on Buffy herself, papers on Buffy have already
been accepted)
Charmed (of particular interest is analysis of a recent episode in which
the central theme was PMS and the Charmed ones were turned into
werewolves; other close readings of episodes, or the show in general are
welcome.)




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