Highlights from DC in DC-Wonder Women
My final thoughts on DC in DC include the 3rd panel, Wonder Women. The Wonder Women video reel showcased Candice Patton as Iris West-Allen with a weapon in her hand ready for action. Oh, it was glorious. There it was, her married name in big, bold letters. Her importance was not cast to the background as mediocre, but instead, on the same level of empowerment as the other female characters. What a day to be alive for that moment. The moderator pointed out that it was Geoff Johns who said, “DC has the best female heroes.” I still yearn for the day when Storm will be showcased properly in all her glory, but that’s a different franchise. Moving on…the moderator continued explaining that 53% of comic book readership is women. I knew the number was high, but not that high and I’m not surprised. On the other hand, there were a few disagreeing grunts in the section I sat in. Perhaps they don’t know any of the percentage who read them. Comic book fans in general are very specific about what they like, are very particular about their favorite characters/stories. The moderator admitted she was never into comic books, but she was ready to fight after watching “Wonder Woman.” She felt so empowered by that movie that she knew she could be strong and sexy without compromise. Most of the women on the panel nodded in agreement.
I sort of had the same reaction to “Wonder Woman.” Yes, I felt more empowered than usual, but I also felt a sense of relief that I finally got to see her solo movie. I sobbed over that movie the moment the credits started rolling. The tears were coming down so much that I didn’t even have enough tissue for them. She’s one of our oldest female superheroes, and look at how long it took for a cinematic origin story to be made. She has always been my favorite. While I enjoy the Superman and Batman movies, I’ve always ALWAYS asked when is Wonder Woman getting her due. How many more Superman/Batman origin stories do we need?! So, I sobbed over finally getting her movie, and I sobbed over Steve Trevor’s death. I hope, by some miracle, he can come back. I ship them, so what.
Erin Richards interjected with the fact that “Wonder Woman” brought in so much money, that executives had to take notice.
Jessica Lucas used to wonder if she needed to make her character on “Gotham” more likable by dialing down the evil, sort of speak, until she realized it’s not about likability. It’s about what’s the best way to bring this character to life, whether evil or not.
Cameron Bicondova learned that sometimes, she must openly disagree with certain writers/directors about who her character is or would really do in a scene. She was such a true delight that I wasn’t even expecting in this panel. I might have to watch “Gotham” for her. She almost made me emotional when she answered a new father’s question about how to raise his own ‘wonder woman.’ She shared that her own father is her hero and that those moments when he just gave a listening ear and let her cry on his shoulder meant a lot to her. You can be strong and still know it’s ok to cry. It doesn’t mean you’re weak. Caity Lotz added to “believe in her, and give her lots of comics.”
Sarah Schechter was back to talk about objectification. A producer should listen when an actress says, “I don’t agree with my character’s choice in actions or outfits.” If your character is a fighter or hacker, she can be sexy too, as long as the outfit is comfortable and/or appropriate for the scene. Julie Benson chimed in to say you can look sexy without being sexist. Sarah also seemed proud of the fact that #KeepIrisBlack has been trending all over Twitter in relation to ‘The Flash’ show/movie.
Candice Patton continued the objectification conversation by saying that “women are more than what we wear.” If they are written with a story arc, then “it shouldn’t matter how my hair is or what my clothes look like.” I enjoyed watching Cameron shake her head and snap her fingers in agreement. It is also so important to have a diverse group of people in the room who will stand up for you. This role has become accidental activism for her. She was always “cast as the best friend to the main, pretty white girl. Now, she gets “to be the pretty white girl” as a pretty BROWN girl. Ironically, in ‘The Flash,’ she is the best friend to the main white guy. However, she gets to be married to him as well and is treated as the center of his world. That’s the difference. It was also refreshing to hear her say that when it comes to equality, pay, harassment, “we can’t fight the fight without our male comrades. That’s really feminism.” Lastly, she made the statement she always makes in relation to her character, Felicity Smoak of Arrow, and countless others who get in on the action of the shows, that you don’t have to have powers to be a hero. Cameron, again, showed how much she agreed with, “Go, Candice!” Should there be a crossover with ‘Gotham’ in the future?
It was surprising as well as nice to hear Danielle Panabaker say that she would like to hear more about the other characters’ stories on the show, including Iris’ and how Mrs. West-Allen will play a role in Barry’s upcoming, “The Trial of the Flash” arc. *gasp*
Well, those were all the moments that stood out to me the most. As an audience member pointed out at the microphone, this event was great to have because we don’t get a lot of love on the east coast unless it’s in New York or Florida. I’m 8 hrs away from each state. This was also a way for me to branch out more and get back into writing. Surprise! I’m a freelance journalist/editor/blogger with a natural hair website I’ve been on leave from due to some personal issues which left me in a stuck rut. Being on this platform has opened a whole new world to me, and hopefully, these types of events will continue to inspire me and everyone else to be their own kind of hero.
