Dawnstar in ACTION
I just reread last year's ACTION #858-863, a six-part story featuring Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes. Once again Dawnstar played a major rather than minor role. Writer Geoff Johns seems to see her as a team leader, a role she's never played before.
The story was about a plot to stir xenophobia on Earth by claiming Superman was a human who hated aliens. Naturally the bad guys expressed prejudice and the good guys didn't.
With one small exception, that is. When the villains attack in ACTION #860, Dawnstar and Timber Wolf each grab Superman's arms (because the sun has turned red and he's powerless). The following exchange occurs:DAWNSTAR: Hey! What are you doing, Timber Wolf?
TIMBER WOLF: Hogging all the fun, Chief Wha-hoo.
TIMBER WOLF: You need to get your gang and get Superman out of here. Huh? Like the other Legionnaires, Timber Wolf has rarely if ever expressed prejudice before. Why would he blurt out a racial comment about his Native team member?
Moreover, how would someone in the year 3008 know about Chief Wahoo (even with the variant spelling)? Are we to believe this "nickname" has endured a thousand-plus years? That's about as likely as the average person in 2008 knowing the insults used in 1008.
Curiously, Dawnstar has now appeared three times in a less-revealing costume. But if you search online, every picture is of her old costume. This alone proves what I said before: that the old Dawnstar was nothing but a sex object. A 30th-century Indian princess.
For more on the subject, see Dawnstar in LEGION OF 3 WORLDS and The New, Improved Dawnstar.
P.S. I believe the first ACTION comic I read was #350. That was more than 500 issues ago, which shows you how old I am. <g>
Below: Dawnstar the male fantasy figure.
The story was about a plot to stir xenophobia on Earth by claiming Superman was a human who hated aliens. Naturally the bad guys expressed prejudice and the good guys didn't.
With one small exception, that is. When the villains attack in ACTION #860, Dawnstar and Timber Wolf each grab Superman's arms (because the sun has turned red and he's powerless). The following exchange occurs:
TIMBER WOLF: Hogging all the fun, Chief Wha-hoo.
TIMBER WOLF: You need to get your gang and get Superman out of here.
Moreover, how would someone in the year 3008 know about Chief Wahoo (even with the variant spelling)? Are we to believe this "nickname" has endured a thousand-plus years? That's about as likely as the average person in 2008 knowing the insults used in 1008.
Curiously, Dawnstar has now appeared three times in a less-revealing costume. But if you search online, every picture is of her old costume. This alone proves what I said before: that the old Dawnstar was nothing but a sex object. A 30th-century Indian princess.
For more on the subject, see Dawnstar in LEGION OF 3 WORLDS and The New, Improved Dawnstar.
P.S. I believe the first ACTION comic I read was #350. That was more than 500 issues ago, which shows you how old I am. <g>
Below: Dawnstar the male fantasy figure.
posted by Rob at 3:43 PM
2 Comments:
It's comics. All the females have to be young (even the ones pushing 60) and have large breasts (even the Asian ones). And they all wear clothes to reveal their bodies. It's artistic convention, but it is still somewhat objectifying women.
So comics creators use artistic license to portray women and minorities stereotypically? If that's your point, I agree. ;-)
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home