Where power really lies: Depiction of female superheroes today
Chances are you are one of many who saw Captain Marvel in theaters recently or maybe you saw Wonder Woman when it was released back in 2017. Or maybe you are one of those who likes to shout “Darna!” when you were younger (or you still do it today). Next to being a princess, becoming a superhero is one of many young girls’ fantasies.
But why is it that despite the long history of comic books and comic book movies, only now are we seeing successful films or upcoming films about female superheroes? Has the film industry finally realized that you don’t need good-looking men with ripped muscles to be the face of your movie? Or that women have been demanding for big productions revolving around female comic book characters? Or, maybe, these filmmakers and storytellers had a hard time figuring out how to write an excellent female superhero that truly embodies the essence of being a woman in this society.
Let us take a look on three superheroes and why their great characterization has contributed to their success as films and to their impact on women here in the Philippines and around the world.
Wonder Woman: Love is not a weakness, but strength
Wonder Woman, or Princess Diana of Themyscira, is a DC Comics character that has very feminist roots. She was created by William Moulton Marston who wanted to create a superhero who gains victories not through violence but through love or compassion. His wife, Elizabeth, suggested that he make the character a woman.
There have been numerous adaptations of Wonder Woman and many fabulous women have had the chance to step into this role. A lot of you though are mostly familiar with the recent adaptation played by the incredible Gal Gadot in movies such as Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and in her own solo movie, Wonder Woman (2017).
Unlike her fellow superheroes in DC Comics, previous films or television series about Wonder Woman have failed to attain the success that films about Superman and Batman have reached. For a long time, there weren’t any films about this female superhero. That’s unfortunate because, how many reboots of Superman and Batman occurred already? Two? Three? I’ve lost count (and also stopped caring). What, then, did Gadot’s Wonder Woman did right, that previous versions failed at, that made it such a hit with women everywhere?
It’s because it stayed true to what her creator, Marston, wanted the character to be. He wanted a female superhero “with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.” This was perfectly portrayed in the film, where Diana displayed qualities such as compassion, sweetness, and peace-loving and wasn’t seen as weak because of these. In fact, the film emphasized that these traits made her stronger. It’s not because of her capability to punch through hundreds of bad guys, but the strength of her character and goodness of her heart is what made Wonder Woman really special.
Captain Marvel: A ‘90s Heroine with Present-Day Struggles
Carol Danvers, or Captain Marvel, graced our screens and made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) just a month ago. It is the 21st film in the MCU and is the first one to be led by a female superhero. Makes you wonder what took them so long…
When the first posters and trailers came out, there were people, mostly men, who criticized Carol for “not smiling enough” or “not showing any emotion” besides looking fierce and tough. Some of them even photoshopped the posters to make it look like she is smiling. Brie Larson, who plays Captain Marvel, clapped back at her haters and posted on Instagram photoshopped images of other superheroes like Iron Man and Captain America smiling on their own posters. She showed how ridiculous it is that women can’t be portrayed as tough or fierce just like male superheroes. Brie also said that, sadly, many women have experienced this kind of thing, having men tell you that you should smile more because you’ll look prettier that way. It’s like women are not allowed to feel any other emotion or that we can’t look serious.
Coincidentally, a similar situation happens to Captain Marvel in the movie, where a biker guy tells Carol to smile. Both Brie and the director, Anna Boden, have said that it was not a response to that criticism but that it was not an uncommon thing that women experience. It was written in the script long before the controversy happened and, lo and behold, the same thing happens in real life.
Darna: A Powerful Dalagang Pilipina
The Philippines also boasts a rich collection of superheroes, but none has had a greater impact on Filipino pop culture like Darna. There isn’t a single Filipino who doesn’t know this female superhero. When you are asked to mention a Filipino superhero, I bet the first one to come to mind is this character.
Darna was created by legendary comic book cartoonist, Mars Ravelo. He started working on this character before World War II, when she was still named Varga. She was intended as the Philippines’ equivalent of Superman, drawing on Ravelo’s concept that America is “male” and our country, as the one colonized by them, as “female.” He proposed the idea to both Filipino and American publishers but was turned down because, according to them, “female superheroes will not sell.”
But, as we can see now, Darna became a big hit with readers and many film and television show adaptations have come out throughout the years. Rosa del Rosario was the first actress to play Darna on screen in 1951. Other actresses that have brought this character to life are Vilma Santos, Lorna Tolentino, Rio Locsin, Angel Locsin, and Marian Rivera. There is an upcoming remake of Darna and, with Angel Locsin and Liza Soberano exiting the project, who knows who the next woman to step into her shoes would be. There is a pressure on both the filmmakers and the actress who would play Darna because this character is so iconic and well-beloved by Filipinos.
Of course, Filipinos were quickly endeared to her not only because of her superpowers, but also because of her love for her family, a trait that is very special to Filipinos. Darna, as her alter ego Narda, takes care of her grandmother, Lola Asay. Who would also forget her brother and sidekick, Ding. Also, we grew to love the ever-inspiring story of a simple village girl who, upon encountering a small meteorite from space, transforms into a powerful being. It’s a very good metaphor than you can become someone extraordinary despite of your small beginnings.
Dawn of a New Age
These three superheroines all have faced their challenges and criticisms. For some reason, they underwent greater scrutiny than their male counterparts. But, despite all these, they found a way to triumph and still make their impact on women all around the world. Their films made millions at the box office and it’s good to see that the film industry is now more confident in telling superhero stories from a woman’s perspective. In the past, and, unfortunately, some movies still do this, women are just there as love interests or as the prize that the hero gets to win at the end. There are still others that sexualizes female superheroes, but because of the help of social media, these kinds of films get called out quickly.
Women using social media to better voice out what they want to see in these kinds of films may be one of the reasons why the film industry is starting to pay more attention and improve their characterizations of women in films. Women are now at the forefront and not just sidekicks to male superheroes. Let’s hope that this continues and lastly, let’s hope that future endeavors continue to portray these female superheroes with a much honest reflection on how it is to be a woman in this present society.
Words by Jemimah Cresencia
Graphics by Kimberly Joy Alejo
Image Source for Darna, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel.
