I would pay good money to see a Black Widow, Ms. Marvel, or WW film. Do not get me wrong: I would be close to dying happy if a Batwoman film was made, based on the modern iteration of the character. Sadly, a lesbian superhero would be suicide in the world where Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and Evangelism exist.
I dunno, the conservative right didn't kill Brokeback Mountain, or any other LGBT film. So... no, it would not be suicide. In fact, a lesbian heroine would actually get guys who like girl-on-girl action to take a look. What would kill Batwoman is that she's a knock off of a billion dollar film franchise... so.
A lot of this is true. However we have to keep in mind that the majority of superheroes are not translated exactly, beat for beat, to screen. They're adapted for the screen, and their character traits are altered accordingly. Batman, Thor, Iron Man, etc. They're all sort of departures from the characters as they were written in the comics, molded to be more of a human and less of an ideal by writers who understood them.
I think that's the key: you need a writer who respects and understands the character, but who isn't afraid to tweak characteristics of that character in order to make them genuine cinematic leads.
And to answer the question: yes, studios are afraid of all female-lead tentpoles, not just superhero pics. Hopefully Hunger Games and some of its inevitable knockoffs can help to change that mentality
But there are no knockoffs to Hunger Games, are there? I believe this is because a female action heroine is just plain old more challenging to do well. Even Angelina Jolie can't do it like she used to (Salt vs Tomb Raider). And while with the male heroes, different things are emphasized, their dominant traits are intact. The dominant trait for most female heroes is being sexpots. Second to that being a badass warriors. I'm sure a good writer will, as you say, understand this, and pull out those minor characteristics used to delineate them from other female heroes. But I don't think fans will be pleased with a Miss Marvel who is not in stripper boots, or a Black Widow that wants to be more than just an assassin, or a Wonder Woman that dare cries.
I think a lot of my issues with the character have to do with her, and basically all amazonian women, representing that over the top feminist attitude of women being better or stronger than men, or hating them.
I don't want the first representation of a female superhero to be a women than comes from a world where women rule supreme and men are lesser beings.
I mean, what exactly does that inspire?
Why can't we have a character who is normal, and then gets super powers/finds out they aren't actually normal, and starts the journey towards becoming a superhero... like, you know, the majority of superheroes out there...
But a woman...
Is that really so hard to do?
Why aren't there any that aren't spin off secondary characters?
I swear, I am so damn glad I grew up in a world with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Best female superhero ever.
I feel you. Comic book writers generally don't identify with any kind of female coming-of-age adventure, and those that do know that most of their customers don't, which pushes women away, vicious cycle, etc. Some have tried to create characters like this in recent times, however, it's the year 2000+, and it's too late to introduce characters who are important to the MU. So, while we have Arana and Spider-Girl and perhaps a couple others who start out normal, it's very easy to write them out of the comics or shove them in a corner of a team, because they're not beloved like characters conceived in the 60s and 70s. Buffy was pretty great though.
What did you think of the Wonder Woman 2009 animated movie?
It pains me to think that people in this day and age *still* haven't gotten over the stereotypes of who Wonder Woman is. Yes, she began as a Golden Age bondage queen for dirty old men to fap to back in the 1950s. Yes, bra-burners like Gloria Steinem tried to make her into a man-hating lesbian uber-goddess.
But guess what? That ain't Diana. Never has been, never will be.
Wonder Woman is a symbol of empowerment, but NOT emasculation. Wonder Woman IS a role model for women, *not* just wank material for teenage boys. Hell, most comic-book guys I know (and knew) wouldn't be caught dead with a WW comic, although they have no problem with buying She-Hulk, Emma Frost, Ms. Marvel, Elektra or other female headliners.
Wonder Woman is THE pop culture icon, the third of DC's Big Three. It's an absolute no-brainer that she should be elevated to the top of DC's movie pantheon, where she belongs.
It's mystifying to me that anybody here, or in the hallowed offices of Warners, would think that freakin' Wonder Woman is a risky venture.
That's not Diana to you, brother, but to many others, including writers and readers of WW comics of the years, she has been many of those negative things, as you said (even though you later said she has never been those things)? Now I love her, and certainly she has the potential to be an amazing character, but currently, in reality, how is she a symbol of empowerment to women? What does she inspire exactly? When was the last storyline that she actually inspired such a thing? And while you may not understand why WW is risky, you do understand that people, including filmmakers, perceive Diana was what she has been portrayed as throughout her history.
I honestly think in making Wonder Woman dont worry about making her a feminine icon or a role model for women. Just make her cool, badass, and likeable
A likeable woman would be a role model to women by definition, methinks.
