Time for another pop culture graphic novel/comic/manga update. This time, I went for some American fare, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I saw the movie, thought it was pretty cool, and didn’t understand why the fans of the comic would not like it. After reading volumes I and II, I’ve discovered the problem: not enough rape.
These are the anti-heroes, a collection of drug addicts, killers, rapists, and terrorists and one very mysterious lady. Mina locates and organizes the group, but her place among them is unclear. Until, of course, she is almost raped. And when they talk about her past rape. Then when she has sex with a man about sixty years her senior. Finally, when she actually gets violently raped by the invisible man, it all comes together.
After finishing the two volumes, I finally realized why I was unsettled. For one, it appears that Mina’s character exists to either be raped or fucked, and victimized by the evil Chinese/aliens/vampires/whatever. Also, it becomes clear viewing the series from a distance that every female that is represented in the book is either a whore, or has been/is in the process of/or will be raped. There’s the whorish headmistress of the school for wayward girls, who is barely dressed and decorates the place like a whorehouse; the schoolgirls themselves who are cast as eager participants in their rape by the “holy spirit” (which turns out to be the head rapist, The Invisible Man). The headmistress’ assistant apparently tutors the students in basic S&M, providing a little female-on-female rape. I think that is the sum total of the women in the two volumes, as Mina picks up the slack in the rape scenarios to come.
As it stands at the end of volume two, it appears that Mina is the perfect victim and a complete characterization based on male wish-fulfillment: busty, gorgeous, intelligent, proper, highly sexed, available to even crusty old men, and a victim of the highest degree. By the way, revenge is served on The Invisible Man, as he suffers a horrible and bloody rape by Jekyll to defend Mina’s honor. Aww, isn’t that sweet? I feel like I need a shower
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4 comments:
We talked about this kind of thing in literature classes a lot, and now I can't watch a movie or read a book without sizing up the character stereotypes. I don't know if it's the case with League of Ext. Gentlemen, but on of the stereotypes is that women should be confident, strong, and appear independent....and yet not too much so. So they're kept in their place via victimization.
It also reminds me of the token African-American character in movies and books.
I can't help it...I can't enjoy a movie or a book if I can't manage to get past the stereotypes.
P.S. Stereotypes in movies are boring...predictable. I want to be surprised with an unconventional take on things...like maybe the black guy being the hero and the white guy being the bad guy?? For once or three times? Or the super strong hot woman not having to be saved in the end? Maybe?
Wait a minute....male comic book fans get excited about a hot woman being victimized? That's weird. I don't get it.
Well, there is rape fantasy to consider. Some men have it, some women have it, and it allows the Madonna vs. whore dichotomy. She’s a Madonna, since she didn’t willing participate, but she’s a whore because she’s having sex. She can be forgiven, since it was force upon her by strong, virile men with the dominating penises. See how that works? Ego stroking leads to stroking of other kinds . . . I’ve heard a similar explanation for rape fantasies in women, a disconnect between the way a woman is taught to behave versus the way she would like to behave sexually, so the rape fantasy/submission thing is attractive to some women because it removes the “choice” from the women. It is thrust upon them (so to speak), removing any feelings of guilt.
Wow...this is all very interesting!
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