Ultimate Aunt May: Answering “The Toughest Comics Question Ever”

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Rick

Last Thursday Gail Simone asked what she called “The Toughest Comics Question Ever” on her Tumblr:

For International Women’s Day, I am asking everyone to name their ONE favorite female-identifying character each for DC or Marvel. This is your all-time favorite from each publisher, and no cheating is allowed.

Who do you choose?

Now, immediately I think, “Eh, that’s not so tough. For DC, it’s Kate Kane/Batwoman, obviously.” Anyone reading Geekquality (I hope) is already a fan of Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III’s re-imagining of this Silver-Age member of the Bat-family. I mean, she’s so badass that she not only survived into the New 52, she did it without being rebooted! Her series just picks up where it had left off, regardless of the fact that the rest of the universe collapsed and restarted from square one.

Kate Kane, Kickin' It.

Art: J.H. Williams III, Script: Greg Rucka

When I got to the second part of the question – favorite female Marvel character of all time – I just drew a blank. So many great women to choose from: Storm, Kitty Pryde, Black Widow, Spider-Woman, Jessica Jones, Emma Frost, Maria Hill, Pepper Potts, She Hulk (Green and Red varieties), Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), half the cast of Runaways.

The Marvelettes?

Art: Alan Davis

But when I asked myself which one was really my favorite – the one that sticks with me the most – I realized that there was really only one choice.

Ultimate Comics Ultimate Aunt May.

You think I’m kidding, don’t you?

I mean, it’s Aunt May, right? Peter Parker’s elderly, sickly aunt who Stan Lee assured us would die of shock if she found out that Peter was Spider-Man? The one with the Lhasa Apso and the world-famous wheat cakes? Yes, that Aunt May, but also not quite.

Art: Sarah Pichelli

You’re thinking of the original Aunt May (herself a much tougher cookie than folks assume), who first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15, way back in 1962. The Aunt May I’m referring to is May Parker of Universe-1610, otherwise known as the Ultimate Marvel Universe.

I should warn you that, in order to explain why Ultimate Aunt May is my favorite, this is going to involve spoilers for Ultimate Spider Man vol.1, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man vol. 1 and even a brief reference to this past week’s Ultimate Comics Spider-Man vol. 2, #8.

Without getting into too much detail, back in 2000 Marvel launched a side project that allowed for new, younger takes on their marquee characters in a more modern setting, unburdened by forty years of continuity, but without (unlike a lot of DC’s efforts) undoing the characters readers know and love. Those characters were still safe in Universe 616 (the “main” Marvel U).

One of the very first story lines launched for this new universe was “Ultimate” Spider-Man, bringing us a Peter who was just starting both high school and his superhero career.  With this new, younger Peter came a new, younger May Parker.

This was a very different Aunt May: one who had been young in the 1960’s and 1970’s, having run away to San Francisco while she was in her teens, where she lived as a hippie, proposed to Jimi Hendrix at a concert, and was by all accounts more than a bit of a wild child. In fact, it wasn’t until some time in her thirties, with the death of Peter’s parents, that she settled down and started acting the part of an adult. The original Uncle Ben and Aunt May adopted Peter in part because they couldn’t have children. In the Ultimate Universe, it was more like May couldn’t be bothered with children until Peter needed her. Continue reading →

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Reading Comics with Alice Marie: The American Way (WildStorm)

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Alice Marie

Alice wishes she worked here, with Tim and Bilbo.

Those who know me well (Hi mom!) can tell you that I’m almost obsessively enthusiastic about the things I love. I’ll research every last detail and have a well of “useless” information in my head that can sometimes make me sound like a bit of a stalker in polite conversation: “No, coworker, Aziz Ansari grew up in North Carolina, Arj Barker is from the Bay Area.” (This conversation actually happened recently).

All hipsters are required to own this. It's part of the membership package.

I’ve been through it all with oddly specific interests: indie and college rock from 1983-2004, Troma Films, the books of Kurt Vonnegut, obscure BBC shows with a non-consecutive run of about 6-8 episodes. Yet in my scary, photographic mind I didn’t get geeky about comic books, until recently.

I’d read and loved the odd indie here or there: Chris Ware, Daniel Clowes, Adrian Tomine – the “Big Guns” of indie comics, if you will. In fact, I proudly own the McSweeney’s Quarterly issue about comix (that’s comix with an “x”, not a “cs”) that Chris Ware curated. My super beat-up copy of Ghost World has traveled with me from high school, to university, to San Francisco. For some reason, though, I never gave Comics as a genre a shot beyond that, never got into Marvel or DC. It wasn’t because I considered it some sort of “geek boy” domain. In fact, I’m the kind of girl that will saunter up to a group of dudes and ask, “Oy! What’re we readin’ then?” (Ok, maybe not like that. I’m more British in my head than I actually am in real life, which is not at all). Other interests to obsess about just got in the way.

If you have not read this book, please leave now, and only return once you have.

And then I started dating a Comic Book Guy, who would let me borrow his books. It started with Scott Pilgrim. (HOW HAD I NEVER READ SCOTT PILGRIM!?) Phonogram, a series about BritPop kids who make magic with music, followed, clearly written with me in mind.  Most recently, I was handed Batwoman: Elegy. Greg Rucka’s writing and J.H. Williams III’s art hooked me BIG TIME.

So here we are, a girl who never really got into comics has suddenly fallen in love with them. In the spirit of sharing my journey into the world of comics, this post introduces a weekly series where I will talk about what I’m reading, as I go about learning and finding new favorites. Maybe you’ve never really gotten into comics, or maybe you’re looking for something new? Either way, I’m here to provide you with a noob‘s experience. We’ll be, of course, looking at the comics I read through various -isms and inclusivity, but there MAY be a discussion of the most superfluous and silly “Girl Pose” in each book. So come along with me on this wondrous journey! To get the ball rolling, let’s start with the book I literally just finished a few days ago – the trade paperback of  The American Way.

(2006) Wildstorm Productions - John Ridley, Georges Jeanty, Karl Story

The American Way is set at the beginning of JFK’s presidency and right in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. It’s 1961, and the United States has spent the past few decades under the protection of the Civil Defense Corps and the Southern Defense Corps: an elite team of superheroes stationed in Washington D.C. and Atlanta, GA who protect America and her people from communism, nuclear missiles, and the occasional alien attack.

Wes Chatham, a Manhattan Ad Man, gets called in by his old school buddy Bobby Kennedy to be the new brain on the CDC team, where he finds out that these “gods”, “super humans” and “aliens” are really just paid actors who have been given gene therapy. The powers are real, but the situations they diffuse are staged by the government to keep Americans believing in something bigger than themselves. Read on for more plot details and my thoughts.

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x-post: Psylocke is a crap character

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Rick

Our guest blogger Rick Gee keeps busy on his Tumblr as well. Cross-posted here for your enjoyment is his truth bomb on Psylocke, with an extra dash of pictures and links for your edutainment.

I challenge anyone to describe this particular X-Woman without bringing up her appearance. I’d really like to be proven wrong on this one. But I don’t think I will be. She’s like Marvel’s Power Girl. A blank that exists pretty much only due to fanboy fetishism. PG is for breast fetishists, Psylocke is for Asian fetishists.

Do a google image search. Come on. I dare you.

Did you know she’s not even actually Asian? She was born Caucasian. Her name is Lady Elizabeth Braddock. She’s twins with Captain Britain. The way she’s looked since the 90’s is due to mystical plastic surgery/body swapping. And that’s possibly the least confusing thing about this character. She’s just been piled on with layers and layers of WTF storytelling that have ended up making her not one whit more interesting.

She’s an Omega-level telekinetic and telepath. She’s on par with Jean Grey/Professor X. Why is her role just “posing with swords”?

Thing is, none of the other X-Men are blanks like this. They all have at least one well-known personality trait. Cyclops has a stick up his ass. Wolverine is surly. Emma Frost looks down on everyone. Storm is compassionate despite being better than you. Kitty Pride is down-to-Earth and practical. Even Gambit, a character I loathe, can be described as a squirrely Lothario bastard. But Psylocke? Nada.

I’m not surprised she’s been extremely popular for twenty years. It would just be nice if it were for actual reasons.

She needs her own mini with a writer that strips down all the continuity idiocy, develops ramifications of the powers and the ninja training, and, for the love of god, no goddamned Greg Land.

Posted in comic books, cross posts, guest post | 1 Comment

Geeking Out

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Mace

We’re going to get very serious for a moment, because we’re mad (no, LIVID) about the passing of an Arizona bill that would allow doctors to withhold prenatal information from their patients if they believe that information may lead to the mother choosing an abortion. This is all under the guise of cutting down on “wrongful birth” and “wrongful life” malpractice suits, but really it’s just another example of politicians chipping away at women’s reproductive rights. The more people know about this, the better.

Now then, onto this week’s list of geeky items of interest:

  • There have been more releases for the new Avatar: The Last Airbender series, Legend of Korra, including this awesome clip via The Mary Sue. Over on Tumblr, korranation has concept art, clips, and other teasers posted pretty regularly.
  • Wonder what Elyse has been up to? Playing Mass Effect 3, duh! In fact, that’s what she plans on doing all weekend. It’s research!
  • This cool behind-the-scenes look at the puppets used in Jurassic Park does nothing but make us love the movie even more. Time for a rewatch!
  • Ben Browder, Farscape‘s own John Crichton, will guest star in an episode of the upcoming season of Doctor Who. The story will be set in America’s Wild West and the episode is written by Being Human creator Toby Whithouse. (We’re willfully ignoring the part of the news article that speculates on the Ponds’ departure).

Poison Ivy in New Delhi

  • We’re loving this gallery of photos from Comic Con India, which took place last month. It’s a great reminder of how connected fans are across the globe, being inspired by the same stories and heroes.

  • One can’t help but cheer during this epic take down of sexual harassment in gaming, including that abhorrent use of the word “raped” to describe losing a game. And for once, the comments on the post aren’t all completely disheartening. There is still hope for humanity!
  • Take a peek at this delightful selection of re-imagined posters for Studio Ghibli films.
  • Continuing the Game of Thrones frenzy, we love the Simpson’s nod to the series in its famous opening sequence and the continuing Arrested Development and GoT mashup that’s been taking place.
  • For those who couldn’t make it to the Parks & Rec panel at PaleyFest and missed the livestream, don’t fret: there’s a written recap for your reading pleasure!
  • This ad campaign for the Montreal Science Center’s Star Wars Identities exhibit is nothing short of brilliant. (via Tor)
  • It’s usually a safe bet that an original is better than a remake, but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t curious about new horror flick Silent House (originally from Uruguay as La Casa Muda). Just the trailer alone has us shaking. Fun fact: the original film was shot in one continuous take – now that’s scary.

    In Bruce we trust

  • We’re torn about the Evil Dead remake. The casting is looking good, and both Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell are producing, but messing with a cult classic could be almost as dangerous as reading from the Necronomicon. We’re hoping it’ll be awesome but reserving our opinion until release.
  • Wait, what? A movie based on the true story of an incredibly valuable Superman comic book from Nicolas Cage? Awesome! It combines all the things that are good: heist movies, comic books, and the unstoppable Nic Cage, source of many memes. Unfortunately, so far it’s looking unlikely that Cage will play himself in the film, but we’re not losing hope.

 

What’s on your radar this week?

 

Check out our previous Geeking Out posts.


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March 8 – International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Tanya

Happy International Women’s Day!

The holiday as we currently know it is rooted in several historic occasions. In 1909, the Socialist Party of America commemorated the struggles of working women – primarily motivated by the Shirtwaist factory strikes led by Clara Lemlich – by holding National Women’s Day on February 28 of that year.  Over the next couple of years, unanimously approved by women representatives of the Socialist International movement, March 19 was observed in several European countries as a day of solidarity for global suffrage and women’s rights.

It wasn’t until 1917, when on March 8 Russian women revolutionaries protested for equality and peace, that the date was marked as International Women’s Day. In the USSR – and Russia to this day – the day is one of the most widely commemorated holidays in the nation. It closely resembles Valentine’s Day, since a lot of flowers and cards are exchanged on the occasion, but it goes beyond romantic appreciation. Fathers call their daughters to wish them happiness and health, sons and daughters show their appreciation for their mothers, and colleagues and bosses give flowers to the hardworking women with whom they share their workplace.

Since then, the holiday has grown in its significance and continues to have more global representation. It is a commemoration of women’s global social and political history, a nod of respect to the women who came before, fighting long and hard just to be heard, and a reminder that there is still work to be done. We could certainly address the fact that some people choose this day as an opportunity to complain about some sort of exclusionary treatment. In fact, we could go on a whole long, drawn out discussion about how that’s Completely Missing The Point. Instead, I will just rest happily knowing that, when it comes down to it, the UN is on our side.

So, whoever you are, wherever you might be, take this day as an opportunity to express your solidarity with women world wide. Remember that there are still ongoing struggles involving equality in the workplace and reproductive rights, for instance; Remember, also, the rights of trans women globally, who encounter violence and discrimination in addition to the struggles faced by their cisgendered sisters.

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Race in Games and the Next Assassin

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Rick

Please welcome our guest contributor Rick Gee!

Ladies and Gentlemen. I am Puerto Rican and I play video games – lots of video games. Which is funny, since, to look at the gaming industry, as well as the content of the games themselves, you’d think that there’s no such thing as a Black, Latino, Arab, South Asian, or Native American. This is a less-than-accurate representation of the actual state of things.

Players at MLG (Major League Gaming) tournament, via Empire Arcadia

A 2009 Ziff Davis poll showed that use of video games is mostly equal between Whites and Blacks over the age of 18, with 51% of those polled self-identifying as playing video games. Interestingly, both groups were surpassed by a very large margin by Latino adults, 63% of whom identified as gamers. Clearly, it’s not just Caucasian gamers out there, but you wouldn’t know it from some of stats about the industry and the games it produces. A 2005 International Game Developers Association (IGDA) survey (PDF) of Western gaming professionals showed that the industry is almost exclusively white, with 83.3% of respondents identifying as non-Hispanic White. All other races reported in the single digits: 7.5% Asian, 2.0% Black, 2.5% Hispanic, 4.7% “Other”.

The demographics of the virtual worlds aren’t that much more encouraging. A 2009 study (PDF) looked at characters in the top-selling 150 games – across all platforms – from 2005-2006. The numbers showed a marked disparity between real world demographics and the populations of virtual worlds. Of the 8,572 human characters reviewed, 80% were White, while Black characters were just shy of 11%. Further numbers showed that of the counted characters, only 5% were Asian/Pacific Islander, less than 3% were Latino, barely 1.4% were biracial, and – this is fairly remarkable – 0.09% were Native American. That’s one tenth of one percent.  The researchers go on to note that of the 8,500-odd recorded characters, not a single protagonist was Hispanic or Native American, while fully 85% were White.  It’s no stretch, then, to say that while gaming consumers aren’t monochromatic, the games and the industry undeniably are.

Ezio Auditore/Altair Ibn-La’Ahad

However, lest I give the impression that I’m here exclusively for a statistics-based rant, the main reason I wanted to bring up player demographics and race portrayal in video games is due to Ubisoft’s recent unveiling of the setting and protagonist for their upcoming game, Assassin’s Creed III. Continue reading →

Posted in gaming, race | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Mass Effect 3: First Impressions

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Elyse

Well, it’s finally here! Mass Effect 3 was released in the U.S. today, and I immediately ran out for my copy. Readers will know from our recent Geeking Out roundups, as well as my previous Mass Effect post that I’m a die hard fan.

It may have taken Bioware two games to work out the kinks in the franchise, but ME3 more than makes up for it. The game combines all the successful elements of its predecessors to create a satisfyingly epic final chapter to a space opera five years in the making. There are plenty of callbacks to old decisions and relationships for the players who will import their save files from Mass Effect 1 and 2, but the gameplay is still simple enough for someone who is just now tuning in.

Mass Effect 3 has been the subject of a lot of discussion because of the unprecedented attention that was paid to the female main character for the game, lovingly known as FemShep. Unlike the first two games, FemShep received her own trailer and cover art this time around. Fans were even asked to vote on her default appearance (which, despite its share of controversy, turned out fairly similar to the original default female character). All the hype then raises the question: how does FemShep stand up in action? Is it worth it to advertise the game with a female lead? I say absolutely. Playing as FemShep is incredible because she is allowed to be so much. She is a woman of color, a hero, a bitch – anything the player likes and all of it while saving the entire galaxy.

There’s a certain sense of satisfaction in playing as FemShep in the greater context of the game as well. She’s a high ranking officer in a field that is primarily led by men, and she is the one person in the galaxy with enough knowledge and experience to handle the enormous task at hand. In fact, she’s managed to do it all while being underestimated and doubted by those around her. It makes for a compelling story, with exceptional nuance and emotion.

I’m going to continue playing, and we’ll see if BioWare and FemShep continue to impress. But so far, as an opinionated and feisty fan, I am thoroughly enjoying myself. Expect to hear more from me as I explore the game in more depth.

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Suspended Belief: a Guide to Watching K-Drama

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Lois

Boys Over Flowers

With Hulu’s recent release of a cache of Korean dramas, I’ve been delightedly revisiting some old guilty pleasures that help me bond, on an existential level, with other Korean women across the world. The K-drama is an art form that may not take the first time due to culture shock, so I will guide you through Mordor this bewildering wonderland of curly hair, physical slapstick, and a lot of frustration that is both infuriating and titillating. I’ve put together a list of some tried and true tropes you will encounter along the way.

Sassy Girl Chun Hyang

THE MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL
So clueless, yet so appealing in her unaffected innocence and carefree ways, meet the K-drama Manic Pixie Dream Girl! She is a loudmouth who can eat twice her weight on a whim and she usually runs around dressed rather inappropriately for the weather. More importantly, she is completely oblivious to the power her actions and words have over men. The MPDG breezes into the hero’s life and forces some much needed emotion and sunshine into his dry and meaningless existence.

The MPDG never actually threatens to overturn the status quo, but she’s still endearing in her random and un-ladylike acts of charm, like headbutting the hero in the face or embarking on an impossible eating binge. While she is desired for her joy and innocence, she is actually quite flighty and unwilling to settle down just yet. Word of caution: don’t be completely fooled by her sunny, capricious way of life. Deep down the MPDG harbors a secret pain, which will be revealed in a rare heart-to-heart over some ice cream and strategic tears. Continue reading →

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5 Favorite Bowling Scenes

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Tanya

Bummed out doesn’t come close to describing my reaction when I heard that my favorite local bowling alley will be shutting its doors in April, after operating for over 50 years. I have many fond memories attached to that place, from drunken birthdays and bachelorette parties, when a friend once accidentally punched me in the eye with a sock puppet – my friends are so awesome- to several years in a row spent bowling on Halloween  in full costumes. Serra Bowl is situated right across the road from In’n’Out and Krispy Kreme (double trouble!), the alley has its own karaoke room and lounge, and one of the most seasoned managers at the place is a surly older gentleman who’s accomplished a feat of hairstyle wizzardry: he has both a pompadour and a mullet. Basically, it’s magical and will be sorely missed, even if in all my years, I never really got to be very skilled at the game.

Badass bowling babes

Bowling is a sport that has long had a fond overlap with geekdom, perhaps because many (humorless) people seem to shrug the game off as a juvenile activity, the same way they do comics, obsessing over sci-fi nuances, or collecting figurines. Those who own a pair of bowling shoes and their special lucky ball, weighted just right; those who obsessively quote the Dude and drink White Russians in the face of lactose intolerance; those who proudly compare bowling injuries, from strained wrists to sore tailbones from accidentally slipping on the well-waxed alley floor – I get you. You are welcome here.

I’m feeling sentimental, so in the spirit of the occasion, here are my five favorite bowling-related scenes:

1) Trying to pick the best bowling scene from The Big Lebowski is a sisyphean task. So how about Walter Sobchak being amazing:

Continue reading →

Posted in fluff, lists | Tagged | 2 Comments

Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Alice Marie

Theodor Seuss Geisel March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991 

On this special day, I wrote a poem to remember the great Dr. Seuss. – Alice Marie

I do not know what I would do
If I hadn’t grown up reading you.
Your stories, poems and artwork books
Helped shaped the way all children look
At cats in hats, green eggs and ham,
The Fox, and Pop, and Sam I Am.
From Myrtle the Turtle, to Max and the Grinch,
From the Whos down in Whoville, to the red and blue fish,
Wockets and a Lorax all meet to remember
A celebration of life on the 2nd of Octember.
With ting-tinklers, strompets and voices they sing
Parading down Mulberry Street in the Spring
A circus of love and of silliness loose
As we all remember the great Dr. Seuss.

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Geeking out

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Mace

We’re excited about some stuff and things:

  • 6 days until Mass Effect 3! Elyse is bouncing off the walls with excitement.
  • March is Women’s History Month! We are always eager to learn something new about the inspiring women that came before us.
  • Despite conservative protests from One Million Moms, Life With Archie #16 has sold out from the publisher (there should still be copies left at the retail level). We like this “in your FACE,” commenting with our dollars approach, which is why some of us are currently living in piles of empty Girl Scout cookie boxes. Not telling who!
  • We’re all for minorities breaking into – and making it in! – “non traditional areas.” While following sports isn’t a “geeky” pursuit, Cracked has been KILLING IT lately with their articles on race and gender, and this post on “benign” racism is no exception.
  • We love Maya Rudolph and we loved her hosting SNL, so it’s a total shame her famous impression of Oprah got cut! Well, never fear: here’s the cut footage!

    The next "READ" poster for ALA, maybe?

  • Who will you vote for in Suvudu’s literary Cage Match this year? The brackets have just been announced and voting begins on Monday. In the running are Granny Weatherwax from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, Raylene Pendle from Cherie Priest’s Bloodshot and Hellbent, and Tyrion Lannister, the beloved “imp” from A Song of Ice and Fire.
  • Speaking of Game of Thrones, we’re steeling ourselves for the inevitable storm of feelings and crying jags over the fate of the Stark family when the show returns. Until then, this list of GoT mashups and the Season 2 trailerare tiding us over.

    *Jazz hands!*

  • Roald Dahl’s famous story about a bookish young girl, Matilda, is coming to Broadway! The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production is tentatively set to open in NYC, come 2013! Can’t wait to see how the production treats Miss Trunchbull and her tricks of torture of misbehaving children.
  • We’re still reeling from the racist mess that was Billy Crystal’s blackface and the flat jokes at the Oscars. Over at the Daily Blam!, they’ve compiled a Top 10 list of their suggestions for future Oscar hosts, including the entire cast of How I Met Your Mother hosting as an ensemble, some of the SNL ladies, and Robert Downey, Jr. Who would you like to see hosting the ceremony next year?
  • We have a tendency to edit and retool our Zombie Apocalypse Contingency plan (which we probably won’t share with you anytime soon). io9’s list of places to ride out the fallout of the world is a good place to start your strategy. To get yourself prepped for avoiding the brain eaters, Zombies, Run! is work-out app and post-apocalyptic interactive storyline all in one package (undead cannibals not included).
  • Relating to our earlier Young Adult fantasy lit appreciation post, you’ll want to take a look at this list of YA dystopian fiction, from the ’60s to upcoming releases.
  • This latest production video from the set of The Hobbit has us twitterpated with excitement, as well as in respectful awe of the amount of work that’s going into the film:

Not so good:

  • Stop toying with our emotions!!! Will there or will there not be an Inspector Spacetime series? Currently, news points to the contrary. Until then, we can at least send in our Inspector Spacetime Confessions…
  • VIDA, a site devoted to women in the literary arts, has released a disheartening breakdown of 2011 rates of publication for women vs men in some of the most important literary outlets and publications. While it’s not a terrible shock that women across the board are severely underrepresented, this is still something we need to remedy.
  • Sad that the Phantom Menace 3D has done so well in theaters. Stop it, America! Stop giving George Lucas money!

 

What’s on your radar this week?

Check out our previous Geeking Out posts.

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The Case of Lucy Liu and the Unasked Question

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Athena

This impassioned open letter to the Sherlock Holmes fandom and the broader community is written by our guest contributor, Athena.

I’m angry. I had a bad day this week and it’s smoldering in the back of my brain. When CBS announced that Lucy Liu is going to play Joan Watson in Elementary, the new adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, I was just happy to see a WOC, and an Asian woman no less, get a major role in a major TV production of a popular story. However, the Internet – predictably – had a conniption. While there are those who are happy about the new show and casting choices, there are also people who insist that Watson can’t be anything but a (white) man, and there are those who worry that changing Watson’s gender would allow the network to convert the implied homosexual subtext to an explicit heterosexual text.

Yet, in all of the apprehensive conversations about CBS trying to hetero the homoerotic through gender-bending, there was something glaringly amiss: the topic of Liu’s race. So this is a post – more precisely, a rant – about these conversations and about how it really feels.

For all the fretting that the homosexual subtext in the relationship between Sherlock and Watson would be transformed by the heterosexual formulation, why is nobody worried about how her position as an Asian woman affects this dynamic? Representations of Asian women in popular culture are almost always problematic – why is nobody asking those questions? Why isn’t there a concern that Watson might be exaggerated as care-giving or supportive in a demure-Asian-woman way, instead of a “girlfriend”/heterosexual way? Why aren’t more people pondering if CBS can do a decent job and avoid exoticizing Liu? On the reverse of that, shouldn’t there be serious concern about the de-sexualization of Asian women in American culture, unless they’re being passive-giggly-sexual or are Suzy Wong, in which case it’s a-okay? I have a whispering feeling that had Watson been cast as Black, Latina, or (the most unlikely) Native American, people would have been immediately discussing how the show would treat her race.  The question is how CBS might portray an interracial relationship – romantic or otherwise – since it’s a relationship that is extremely fraught with racial, sexual, Orientalist, colonial, imperial histories and inflections. Why the fuck aren’t more people wondering what might happen to an Asian woman in a white man’s show? Somehow, the idea of a potential mistranslation of a homoerotic subtext is causing more anxiety than the fact that the new direction might perpetuate a story WE don’t want to hear anymore.

Yes, “we”. I use “we” very deliberately because I want to indicate those of us who are literally hurting every time people we thought were allies are uneven in their engagement. Why is it resting on us to ask why people aren’t talking about this? I, as an Asian woman living in America (and note that I said Asian, not my specific ethnicity because this culture doesn’t make those distinctions in positive ways), am tired of the invisibility, the elision, the assumption that we are doing just fine and that the model minority stereotype is “gentler” than others.* We are not fucking fine.

Think of the representation of Asian women on American television. Think of any interracial Asian/Caucasian relationships on television. Think of what kind of Asian woman is on TV (by that I mean, you will never see one as brown as me or anything less gorgeous than Lucy Liu – where’s our range, our representation?). I don’t think these things are separate from the fact that people always ask me what type of Asian I am, or if I’m 100% Chinese. When men harass me it’s almost always about my race (“Sayonara!”, “Are you Korean?”, “Hey Nepali girl!”), and people do ask me if I’m good at math or play the violin or if my parents pressured me to do well in school. We aren’t seen except for our racialized sex, and then we get told it’s because we’re doing just great.

You may think I’m reading too much into this. If you do, you should go back and re-read what I wrote. This is as personal as it gets because this is every damn day. To be honest, I fucking hate how hurt I am, because it would be easier if it didn’t feel so personal. This is not the oppression Olympics; I am not trying to be a martyr or accuse anyone in particular of being a bad agent for social justice. I’m pleading, begging for everyone to read this and to hear where we are feeling the burden fall; to listen to each other so everybody can learn and it can finally stop hurting every time it feels like we’re the only ones remembering Lucy Liu’s race.

* Here seems as good a place as any to note that this isn’t about who-has-it-worse-in-America. I reject any ranking of suffering because it’s not productive and it isn’t how racism and patriarchy work.

Posted in guest post, open letter, race, television | 3 Comments

In Praise of YA Fantasy Fiction

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Tanya

You’ve devoured The Hunger Games trilogy and can’t wait for the movie. You might have every word of the Harry Potter books etched into your heart like a fond memory you’ll never give up. Perhaps you celebrated the 50th anniversary of A Wrinkle in Time by baking a special cake? Whether you are 14 or 74, you are just like me: a fan of young adult fiction featuring strong, smart and diverse characters. There is no shame in that! YA lit, while intended for a specific demographic, has still been some of the most imaginative, evocative and addictive reading I’ve encountered.

Sign spotted by YA Highway contributor Sarah Enni (www.sarahenni.com) in an Olympia, WA bookstore

I briefly chatted with our friend Kate, bad-ass children’s lit expert and an all around lovely lady, about the popularity of YA literature. We both agree that one of the reasons young adult fantasy appeals to such a broad spectrum of readers is that it offers escapism within complex fantasy universes, yet still maintains a narrative in scope. Kate pointed out that a lot of times, in fantasy aimed at younger readers, there are distinct goals for characters to accomplish, allowing the reader to join a quest or journey with the protagonist, like in the Harry Potter books. Harry’s path is pretty clear from the start – he must defeat Voldemort – even though the journey is detailed and involved enough to fill seven books. “It’s comforting, in a way,” says Kate, “we know who the enemy is and what needs to happen.”

That doesn’t mean that the goal of YA fantasy fiction is to be simplistic, quite the contrary. When done right, these books tackle serious themes that carry parallels to the real world, just translated in a fantastical setting. For many young readers – and grown up ladies like Kate and myself – it’s an empowering form of escape. A lot of YA fantasy introduces us to very strong, resourceful and clever characters who excel in a variety of ways. In the end, even if we’re giving in to a little bit of escapism with these books, we still are enriched by the experience. As Kate puts it, “We may be waking up and going to our jobs and going home to clean the house or make dinner, but in our heads we’re climbing mountains with Katsa or traveling on the back of a polar bear with Lyra.”

To celebrate our shared appreciation, here is a list of some recommended YA fantasy fiction series, based both on my personal favorites and suggestions from friends from across the web.  For a lot of of you this might just be a walk down memory lane, but I hope that a few of you might find something here to add to your Goodreads list. I take no responsibility for any unwashed dishes or missed phone calls as a result of your complete immersion in these books.

Abhorsen (Old Kingdom) Trilogy, Garth Nix
Start with Sabriel

This is a fantastic trilogy with a really unique magical premise. In book one we meet Sabriel, a young woman attending boarding school in a country similar to early 20th century England. She is summoned by her father, the Abhorsen – a sort of reverse Necromancer, using controlled Charter magic to send the walking dead back to where they come from. Sabriel then has to take the dangerous journey to the Old Kingdom, to find her father and learn the tasks of the Abhorsen. The books are set in a sophisticated and well developed magical universe. The main characters all grapple with loss as the driving force that helps them bravely accept their destiny. I can’t recommend these books highly enough.

Dangerous Angels, Francesca Lia Block
Start with Weetzie Bat

The setting is Los Angeles, less in the state of California and more in a state of magic. Weetzie Bat, a punk rock dreamer of a girl, and her best friend Dirk live in his grandma’s cottage, where they find a genie lamp and make a wish for love. Weetzie finds her match in the brooding film maker, her Secret Agent Lover Man, while Dirk falls in love with a freckly surfer boy named Duck. And as the series starts off with love and friendship, it is the magical power of love in its many forms that drives all the books and the diverse and captivating cast of characters. Love that can’t be returned, and love for something intangible, love as a cure against loss and tragedy, and as inspiration for art and poetry, all of it steeped in a mix of hazy magic and gritty reality. Block also handles very sensitive topics – abortion, AIDS, being adopted – in gentle and lyrical ways. Continue reading →

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Let Lucy Be Great!

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Alice Marie

The internet has been all a-flutter since CBS announced its newest show, Elementary, a modern American take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries. British/American actor Johnny Lee Miller has been cast in the lead, which is interesting considering that the highly popular BBC reboot, Sherlock, stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the detective. See, Cumbarbatch and Miller performed together in Danny Boyle’s stage production of Frankenstein. This fact, plus the present-day update that the new CBS series is getting, has had the fans of Sherlock and the original canon up in arms and more than a little skeptical.

And then something amazing happened. Yesterday, it was announced that Lucy Liu would be the Watson to Miller’s Sherlock Holmes. Or more specifically, Dr. Joan Watson, Sherlock’s sober companion as he leaves rehab and sets up life in Brooklyn, NY.  That’s a twist that we can get behind!

Lucy Liu in 'Southland' Credit: (c) TNT, 2012

Taking a well-loved character like John Watson and making him a Woman of Color? BRILLIANT, HOLMES! Liu as Watson has the potential to be not just great, but incredible. She has proven her range in comedy, drama and serious action roles – Kill Bill actually would cover all three of those categories, no? – and she’s also no stranger to translating her talents in TV roles, having been on shows like Ally McBeal, Dirty Sexy Money, and Ugly Betty. While I can’t personally write all of the characters I want to – what a world we’d live in if I could! – there are some really key ways in which Watson can be made either really awesome or truly terrible, if done incorrectly.

For starters, I want to see Dr. Watson’s character fully fleshed out, as much as every other John Watson has been. She should be a war hero, perhaps, and a caring (but not mothering) companion. I’d like to see her as Sherlock’s intellectual match, even if that intellect manifests in different ways. If the CBS series also makes Sherlock’s brother Mycroft as much a presence as the BBC reboot has, then Liu’s Watson won’t idly stand by and take the brothers’ bickering crap.  And most importantly, with everything I hold dear, I don’t want her to be Sherlock’s love interest.

Let it be known: we at Geekquality will rage and destroy everything CBS loves if Dr. Watson is made the love interest. (Any CBS lawyers picking up their phones to dial OMG, please look up the word “hyperbole”.)

I’d actually love to see her with a string of different lovers, men OR women, much like Martin Freeman’s Watson has been with women. Or maybe write for her a fiance, a husband, or wife. In Doyle’s novels and stories, Watson has a stable family life outside of his relationship with Holmes – sort of like Gwen Cooper does when not working for Torchwood – and there’s no reason why Liu’s Watson couldn’t have the same.

Whatever is done to develop Dr. Watson in Elementary, it’s important that her character remain a strong and admirable partner to Holmes, not an idle companion or a love interest. While we can’t have everything we want in a character with this much potential, we hope CBS knows what’s good for them, and that they will listen closely to what the fans – particularly fans who are women of color – are hoping for.

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The Woman in Black: Waistcoats, Moors, and Ghosts, oh my!

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Lois


Official Synopsis: A young lawyer travels to a remote village for work, only to discover that a vengeful ghost of a Woman in Black is terrorizing the locals.

Snap Synopsis: Bleak House meets The Grudge.

“OH SHIT!” Moments: three in total.

I’d been anticipating The Woman in Black ever since I saw the trailers. A period piece complete with waistcoats, moors, and a grand house? Awesome. Wait, even better – a horror period piece! Yes! The best of both worlds! I went opening night, which is sort of a big deal and a good indicator of my enthusiasm, since I hate crowds.

The story introduces us to ‘Arry Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a down-on-his luck widowed solicitor, very much on the verge of losing his job. He has a cherubic baby to feed (aptly played by his IRL godson), so he takes a job out in the middle of nowhere – always a promising start – sorting through an eccentric dead widow’s estate. The locals are by turns sullen and taciturn, wishing this pesky Londoner would just go away and stop prying into the town’s secrets. No matter, though, because Kipps is a professional. He’ll go in, unmuck everything, and get out. Well, it’s a rare day when a man can just get his job done, without the supernatural meddling with his progress. Kipps begins to uncover stories of the town’s traumatic history, all the while being haunted by a ghostly woman in mourning wear. Continue reading →

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