"When I'm Bad, I'm Better" - From Early Villainesses to Contemporary Antiheroines in Superhero Comics
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DOI 10.6094/helden.heroes.heros./2020/01/04 Eleonora Sereni 31 “When I’m Bad, I’m Better” From Early Villainesses to Contemporary Antiheroines in Superhero Comics Despite their immensely popular appeal, villains Shades of heroism and villainy: of the superhero genre have been largely relegat- Comic book superheroes – villains – ed to the sidelines of academic discourse, while antiheroes superheroes have, so far, garnered most of the scholarly attention. Considering the essentially sexist nature of the genre (Brown, Modern Super- In superhero comics, heroic and non-heroic char- hero 37), it is then hardly surprising that female acter types are clearly distinguishable from each villains are the most neglected object of critical other in terms of appearance, role/mission, motiv- analysis, despite having an equally longstanding ations, and deeds, and the character types are comic book presence as their male counterparts. commonly grouped into three basic categories: Since at least the 1940s, comic books have been superheroes, villains, and antiheroes. populated by powerful evil women who are the Traditionally, superheroes are dedicated to a protagonists of their own stories. Ranging from self-sacrificing prosocial mission. They are gifted seductive femmes fatales to monstrous figures, with extraordinary powers or highly developed abil- their representation – at its height in the 1940s ities, expressed in their codenames and/or iconic and 1970s – was a symptom of changing cul- costumes which function as markers of their ex- tural mores (Madrid 248-50). However, most of ceptionality and consequent alienation from the the early villainesses have by now faded into ob- world. Contrary to the equally alienated villains, scurity, replaced by countless others who never however, superheroes wish to be part of society. seem to quite reach the relevance of the male Although superheroes may question the societal villains (e.g. Batman’s Joker). Moreover, the few system and their role in maintaining it, they are successful depictions of ‘bad women’, such as essentially pro-establishment figures and do not those who have crossed into the more popular (ab)use their powers to change it. There is a line realm of the Hollywood film adaptations (e.g. that they cannot cross, although sometimes this DC Comics’ Catwoman and Harley Quinn), have line becomes blurred enough for them to cross been recalibrated to fit the mold as less trans- it and become antiheroes. As superheroes’ free- gressive, unstable antiheroines: they have been dom of movement is impeded by their moral subjected to an ‘antiheroine makeover’.1 I argue function to preserve order, they are described that the largely well-received recent increase in as “reactive” in how they deal with the social the number of antiheroines actually amounts to disruption caused by the “proactive” villains a disempowering and regressive shift in gen- (Coogan 110). Without the villains’ antagonistic der representation within the genre, rather than force keeping the scales balanced, the very exist- being proof of mainstream superhero comics’ ence of superheroes would come into question; alleged gender equality agenda.2 After compar- freed from the task of stopping super-criminals, ing and contrasting the intertwined concepts of they would become dangerous agents of totali- superhero, villain, and antihero, as well as pres- tarianism and, as such, villains themselves. enting an overview of female characters’ status Motivated by “egotism” rather than “moral tri- in the superhero genre, this paper enquires into umph” (Bongco 103), villains are the very anti- the portrayal of female villains and antiheroines thesis of superheroes and the values they stand in Marvel and DC superhero comics by way of for. A villain’s mission is an anti-social one that three case studies: Wonder Woman’s Villainy In- serves their self-interested goals and satisfies corporated (1948–2002), X-Men’s Jean Grey as their narcissistic desires for wealth and power, “Dark Phoenix” (1979–80), and Harley Quinn in or revenge and renown. Presented as morally, The Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994) and ideologically, and/or physically defective, villains the 2016 Rebirth relaunch. tend to be disconnected from the ordinary world helden. heroes. héros.
Eleonora Sereni
32
and remain at odds with the rules and values of precarious position that female characters have
society at large. The villains’ transgressive sta- historically occupied within the superhero genre,
tus brings them great freedom, as they operate when the line between good and evil becomes in-
outside the limits of law and propriety; for them distinct, they find themselves at an even greater
“nothing is beyond the pale, nothing is pro- disadvantage than their male counterparts, as
hibited, no means to any end denied.” (Alsford 83) their identity and agency are critically impaired.
One might even view villains as positive agents of
social change, since they challenge conservative
and heteronormative patriarchal structures – i.e.
family and nation – and offer “more disturbing Gender, feminism(s), and the super-
possibilities”, such as “subversive forms of organ- hero genre: Comic book superheroi-
ization based on affiliation” (Easton 39). Although nes – villainesses – antiheroines
villains cannot completely take on the superhero
mantle, they can, at least, sometimes borrow it as
antiheroes. Since Superman’s debut in 1938, superhero
“[S]tand[ing] in opposition to the heroic code comic books and their later screen adaptations
of behaviour” (Bröckling 39), antiheroes neither have been characterized by unequal gender
possess the qualities and motivations nor per- representation. Despite a recent increase in fe-
form the kind of deeds expected of the exemplary male readership of superhero comics and female
and often one-dimensional heroic figures. Usual- participation at comic book conventions, accord-
ly sympathetically portrayed as reflecting human ing to recent statistics, only 26.7 percent of all
weaknesses and flaws, antiheroes can “offe[r] DC and Marvel Comics characters are female,
spaces to explore complex interiority and conflict- only 12 percent of mainstream superhero comic
ing character traits” (Lethbridge 93). As opposed books consist of female-led titles, and the series
to villains, antiheroes operate in a morally ambigu- that are centered on all-female superhero teams
ous grey area and, despite their questionable are typically short-lived (Shendruck). In the last
methods of achieving them, “their goals are (usual- decade, however, there have also been positive
ly) laudable” (Misiroglu 26). There remains, how- changes in mainstream comics in terms of diver-
ever, the question of how subversive the concept sity, furthered by “a number of broader demo-
of the antihero truly is. Despite its inherent critique graphic and political changes wrought by the
of the simple good vs. evil dichotomy and of the gains of various civil rights movements” (Cocca
predictable heroic narrative formula, “the anti- 13). Marvel has introduced female characters of
hero is not separable from the hero; not free to color (e.g. the Pakistani-American Ms. Marvel/
roam completely unexplored territory” (Lethbridge Kamala Khan) and female versions of former
94). No matter how unlawful or ruthless, the anti- male characters (e.g. Thor/Jane Forster). New
hero’s “actions reflect a twisted but some- or relaunched female-led titles with more com-
how logical desire to do good” (Damico 92) plex and less sexualized characters have been
and there is always a chance for redemption. released – e.g. Margaret Stohl’s Captain Marvel
The underlying reason for their appeal might (2017) and Joelle Jones’ Catwoman (2018)
be their conventionality and familiarity, the re- comics, alongside the She-Hulk, Spider-Gwen,
assurance that there are “certain institutions and Wonder Woman comic book series –,
or values that they do not attack” (İnce 24). It although they display similarities as to age, race/
is the prerogative of the villain, not the anti- ethnicity, sexuality, and body type. Despite being
hero, to challenge those institutions and values. less objectified than in the 1990s, female char-
The breaking down of the traditionally distinct acters are still portrayed as weaker than their
categories of hero and villain can be linked to male counterparts and in a sexualized manner,
the current ‘postmodern’ sensibility, character- especially on covers and in the male-dominated
ized by ambivalence, uncertainty and the ero- superhero-team titles (Cocca 15). As to the films
sion of moral values and convictions, such as the and TV series of the superhero genre, most
black-and-white divide separating the concepts female characters are in supporting and, some-
of good and evil. The struggle between good and times, almost non-speaking roles, while those
evil is central to the superhero narrative, and the who appear as protagonists are still rare excep-
blurring of the hero-villain dichotomy threatens tions. Since the Wonder Woman TV show of
to weaken the power not only of its characters’ the 1970s, only six films and four TV series with
identity and agency but of the entire structure: women in the leading role3 have been released
the narrative turns into “a professional wrestling so far out of more than a hundred big- and
match, where combatants […] engage in end- small-screen superhero productions. With re-
less, pointless battles” (Madrid 251). Due to the gards to female villains, the dearth of memorable
helden. heroes. héros.From Early Villainesses to Contemporary Antiheroines in Superhero Comics
33
characters on the page has been coupled with manipulation, rather than with actual strength.
their near absence on screen, but for a few note- Moreover, there is a discrepancy between super-
worthy cases.4 heroines and their male counterparts when it
The gender disparity in superhero comics is comes to the legitimization of their superhero
most evident in the physical appearance of the status. For male superheroes, the role of jus-
majority of female characters which caters to tice warrior and protector is a matter of indi-
what feminist film scholar Laura Mulvey called vidual choice that does not require external
the “male gaze”: they are merely the objects of authorization or validation; for female super-
male viewers’ pleasure. Adolescent male fan- heroes, even after they have successfully prov-
tasies of women’s physical attractiveness and en their worth through a series of challenges
sexual desirability are foregrounded in the pre- (e.g. Wonder Woman), their status must be
sentation of heroic and villainous female char- sanctioned by a higher power, institution, or au-
acters in both the comic books and the later film thority figure, further limiting their agency and
adaptations. Specifically, illustrations of female self-determination. Their second-class hero sta-
characters are identified as either ‘Good Girl’ or tus is also suggested by an identity that is often
‘Bad Girl’ art. The former, in vogue between the derivative, since they may inherit their name and
late 1940s and 1950s, depicted women in a style powers from a male superhero (e.g. She-Hulk)
reminiscent of pin-ups; the latter, which became and often receive their training or tools from a
popular in the 1990s, preferred exaggerated and male mentor figure (e.g. Batgirl).
hypersexualized physical traits and poses (e.g. Unlike their male counterparts, most comic
the ‘broke back’ pose).5 book female villains of the superhero genre fail
In recent years, feminist discourse has start- to arouse a distinctive and memorable response,
ed to embrace signs of femininity and sexuality either from the intradiegetic confines of the stories
in popular culture as empowering, especially or from the extradiegetic audiences. This is
the postfeminist strand which “combines fe- largely due to the fact that their villainy is inev-
male independence and individualism with a itably correlated to their gender and is conse-
confident display of femininity/sexuality” (Genz/ quently prey to its stereotypical limitations: “their
Brabon 77). Such portrayals present, however, perceived ‘badness’ is a result of either overper-
a very narrow mode of female empowerment, forming or underperforming femininity” (Ringo).
since the ideal postfeminist subject adheres Often, they are reduced to one-dimensional and
to a slim, white, heterosexual, and feminine oversexualized cutouts that lack the backstory
beauty ideal. Moreover, as signaled in the name, and complexity afforded to male characters.
the postfeminist “girl power” rhetoric tends to Although their actions may not be condonable,
“infantilize the women to whom it refers” (Smith male villains’ motivations are usually fleshed out
155). Such popular cultural texts are thus re- enough to either inspire sympathy as “misun-
garded by feminist scholarship “simultaneously derstood victim[s] of circumstance” or to provide
as a site of pleasure and an object of critique” vicarious entertainment as evil, yet “multifaceted
(Budgeon 280), where the meanings of gender, and interesting character[s]” (Craig). Female vil-
sexuality, and power are negotiated alongside lainy, on the other hand, is traditionally less subtly
notions of feminine subjectivity and heroism or or realistically portrayed and, if women are also
villainy. capable of evil for evil’s sake, then their behavior
Although it could be said that “the female is often associated with mental disorders.
superhero [or villain] originates in an act of criti- While male characters are allowed to op-
cism” (Robinson 7) against the male-dominated erate easily and successfully across the moral
generic tradition, their representation often spectrum (e.g. X-Men’s Magneto), antiheroines,
merely reinforces mainstream comics’ hege- who are often ex-villainesses reformed to a more
monic, heteronormative masculinity. Female amenable type of femininity, are notoriously
characters of the superhero genre have been unstable figures; their inner moral conflict is por-
largely portrayed through a series of “unflatter- trayed as a split personality that constantly os-
ing clichés about [their] powerlessness and isol- cillates between the two extremes of innocence
ation” (Bongco 109) and their general need for and seduction. Their transgressive behavior is
male aid and/or rescue. These clichés apply to commonly curbed by the promise of heteronor-
all female comic book characters: damsels in mative romance, while their power(s) and agency
distress, love interests, powerful and capable are also diminished.
(anti)heroines and villainesses. Female characters in superhero comic books
In contrast with male superheroes, superhero- are often victims of male violence and abuse
ines’ powers often have more to do with stereo- that leave them permanently scarred and trau-
typically feminine traits of sexuality, seduction and matized (e.g. Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, Harley
helden. heroes. héros.Eleonora Sereni
34
Quinn). Except for rare cases, such as the Alias and loss of individuality, while the majority of
comic book series (2001–4) and its TV adapta- women on Paradise Island are seen wearing
tion Jessica Jones (2015–19), this issue has not uniforms and speaking in unison. In their colorful
been seriously tackled in the genre which mainly costumes, the female villains stand out in a strik-
still presents a sexist discourse of vulnerability, ing, and surprising, line-up. They come, quite
with female characters in need of protection literally, in all shapes and sizes, partly defying
from and by strong, powerful male figures. Over the conventional beauty standards embodied by
time, mainstream comics have introduced more the series’ titular heroine. One half of the team
and more portrayals of female characters also is comprised of the tall and muscly Giganta and
using force or committing violent acts; while this three cross-dressers: Byrna Brilyant wears a fat
has been gradually reclaimed as empowering in suit as The Blue Snow Man, Princess Maru is
the case of superheroines, it is however often cloaked from head to toe in a shapeless lab coat
showcased in an overtly graphic and sexualized and mask as Dr. Poison, and Hypnota is dressed
manner in the case of female villains and anti- in male oriental garb with a turban, black curly
heroines. mustache and a goatee. The other four women
are feminine and attractive but not sexualized.
As an alternative form of organization, Vil-
lainy, Inc. is democratic with regards to its hori-
From early villainesses to contempo- zontal power structure; all eight members pull
rary antiheroines: Three case studies equal weight within the group, pooling their
different resources and expertise – physical,
From worthy adversaries to inconse- mental, or technological – in order to achieve a
quential foes: Wonder Woman’s Villainy common goal. This subverts the usual sexist cli-
Incorporated (DC Comics, 1948; 2001; chés of women being isolated and unable to play
2002) well with each other. Notably, the name of the
team recalls a business association and carries
no gendered connotations, unlike the other all-
In the last story written by W. M. Marston female groups of villains in both the Marvel
and published in 1948, Wonder Woman battles and DC comic book universes: the Femme
a team of eight female criminals called “Villainy Fatales, the Hell’s Belles, the Female Furies, or
Incorporated”, “Villainy, Inc.” for short. Follow- the Femizons. Described as “fierce”, “implac-
ing the fate of most female villains in superhero able”, and “clever beyond belief” (ibid.), these
comics, the group was dismantled right after its women are worthy adversaries who do not
promising debut with only two later reappear- need flashy superpowers to be redoubtable, as
ances in Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War they single-mindedly and unrepentantly carry
(2001) and Wonder Woman: In the Land of the out their escape and revenge mission. The
Lost (2002). The plot of the 1948 story is as conservative ending, upholding the traditional
follows: a group of young women belonging to superhero narrative of the “hero(ine)’s triumph”,
the invading monarchy of Saturn are captured however, ultimately dismisses any hint of the
by Wonder Woman and taken to the holding positive subversiveness brought on by the fe-
facility – a cross between a prison and a rehabili- male villains and rather admiringly presented at
tation center – on Transformation Island. One the beginning of the story. All the members of
of the prisoners, Eviless, cunningly manages to Villainy, Inc. are captured and magically brain-
steal Wonder Woman’s lasso, set herself free washed into submission, in keeping with the
and round up a group of like-minded women ‘special treatment’ given to female villains in the
who equally long for “freedom and revenge on Wonder Woman Golden Age comics. In fact,
the Amazons” (Wonder Woman #28). Wonder while the male villains are punished and only
Woman must use every skill in her arsenal to sometimes repent, poor, misguided ‘bad women’
foil Villainy, Inc.’s plan of conquering Paradise like the Villainy, Inc. criminals are instead taken
Island and the rest of the world. care of in the Amazons’ correctional facility on
The earliest portrayal of the female villains Transformation Island and guided back to the
of Villainy, Inc. is compelling to a modern sens- right path. The villainesses’ change of heart is
ibility, whereas the ideology-bearing Wonder brought about through a running motif of the
Woman and her Amazons pale in comparison comic series, namely bondage: compelled into
with these sympathy- and awe-inspiring lawless goodness and obedience by wearing magical
women and their commitment to fulfilling their metal Venus girdles locked around their waists,
ambitions at any cost. The villainesses question they are cured of their evil ways and can finally
the system that demands their total obedience find fulfillment as women. However, even though
helden. heroes. héros.From Early Villainesses to Contemporary Antiheroines in Superhero Comics
35
the female villains are ultimately defeated, their iron fist and a sharp tongue. Dr. Poison is a sadistic
representation as tough, uncompromising, rebel monster with a permanent rictus; she enjoys ex-
women can still offer “a symbol of freedom perimenting on live human subjects and unleash-
and power that may be culturally constructive” ing viruses and other toxic substances on the
(Grossman 4). Their representation as highly in- world. The other ‘recruits’ are similarly vile. The
telligent, strong, competent women who eschew “[i]rresponsible, greedy, addicted” Cyborgirl uses
the standards of traditional, and therefore appro- her cybernetic abilities to “bribe and to steal, and
priate, femininity, offers an example of female to plunder” (ibid.). The witch Jinx gained her magic
agency that counters oppressive conventional powers by murdering her teacher and other
expectations of gender roles and behavior. acolytes. Trinity drives people insane with her il-
The same cannot be said for the later ap- lusions, looking emotionlessly on as their bodies
pearances of Villainy, Inc. in the early 2000s contort in painful death throes. Their impressive
that reinforce negative gender stereotypes and super-abilities and ruthless ‘masculine’ behav-
reflect the regressive postfeminist tendencies ior, however, paradoxically work to neutralize
in contemporary popular culture (Ringrose 65). the threat of Villainy, Inc. The greater the power
“We are queens and princesses! Scientists and they wield, the more mentally unstable and out
thieves! Magicians and rogues!” (Our Worlds at of control they seem to be. Moreover, the group
War 22), declare the reassembled Villainy, Inc. dynamic is toxic: the vertically structured organ-
after a five-decade absence from the comic book ization of Clea and her ‘pets’ is driven by their
pages. In the 2001 Wonder Woman: Our Worlds mad lust for power and control that makes them
at War, they make a three-page cameo appear- distrust and (ab)use each other repeatedly, until
ance as part of a story intended to pay tribute to their downfall is ultimately brought about by Trin-
the Golden Age Wonder Woman comics. Their ity’s betrayal. Their portrayal is also undermined
comeback, however, entails both a cutdown and by the hypersexualized presentation of their
a makeover. Only five of the eight original mem- bodies that adheres to the precepts of comic
bers of Villainy, Inc are present: Queen Clea, book ‘Bad Girl’ art: big breasts, wasp waists, bare
Dr. Poison, Cheetah, Hypnotic Woman, and midriffs, and broke back poses. Once captured,
the priestess Zara. They are now subjected to they must suffer the humiliating and ‘emasculat-
the stereotypical limitations of heteronormative ing’ experience of being shrunk to three-inch-tall
femininity and embody postfeminism’s narrow dolls and kept in a tiny cage. In the final panel
beauty ideals. Without their costumes and the in which they appear, they are mute and hardly
transgressive elements of crossdressing, they visible through their miniature prison’s bars; the
are indeed virtually indistinguishable from one once threatening adversaries are now tamed
another due to their very similar, conventionally women who should be neither seen nor heard.
feminine facial features and physiques. Further- Any kind of gender performance that does not
more, female villainy is denied the possibility of fit in with the narrow, socially acceptable ideals
agency since, after announcing their plan of rul- of femininity is therefore rejected, and the prom-
ing the world, they quickly end up silenced and ise of transgressive female power is tainted by
subdued, caught in a giant net. sadistic, sociopathic, and out of control behav-
In the third and final appearance of Villainy, ior. Marked by ‘masculine’ traits, but without the
Inc. in Wonder Woman: In the Land of the Lost authority and legitimization of actual masculinity,
(2002), the changes are even more noticeable. the women of Villainy, Inc. are ultimately shown
The line-up is different again, with three of the as nothing more than aberrations.
original members – Giganta, Queen Clea, and
Dr. Poison – joined by the witch Jinx, the token
minority character Cyborgirl, and a masked god-
like entity with three faces called Trinity. Every-
Reining in the transgressive female
thing has been heightened, from their physical force: X-Men’s antiheroine Jean Grey
and personality traits to their powers. Appearing (Marvel Comics, 1979–80)
“in a hail of electricity and magic and evil” (Land
of the Lost #179) in the savage world of Skartaris,
their goal is to conquer it and rule over its inhabit- Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s extended
ants who fearfully describe them as “no women X-Men storyline known as the “Dark Phoenix
[they have] ever seen” (Land of the Lost #180). Saga”, which follows the downfall of the fan-be-
Giganta is now a height-changing giantess with loved character Jean Grey, “redefined the con-
an insatiable thirst for violence and destruction. cepts of hero and villain in comic books” (Madrid
A power-crazed Queen Clea is armed with a 251). By combining the character traits of both
god’s weapon and rules over the group with an heroine and villainess, the story presents a new
helden. heroes. héros.Eleonora Sereni
36
kind of comic book female character: the anti- ruggedly handsome “gentleman rogue” Jason
heroine. For more than a decade, until a new Wyngarde (Uncanny X-Men #129). Through
and more diverse team of characters was even- these sudden visions, Jean is transported to
tually introduced in 1975, Jean was the token the alternative reality of a historical romance,
female character in the original X-Men team where she plays – partly against her will but with
created in 1963. Similarly to other depictions of the full complicity of her emotions – the part of
superheroines at the time, the attractive redhead Wyngarde’s blushing and eager bride: “You’re
had all the trappings of stereotypical femininity: mine now, Milady. Bound to me until the end of
“fashion-oriented, positioned in relation to men, time!” – “Milord, I would not have it any other
assumed to be unable to control her power” way!” (Uncanny X-Men #130). Wyngarde exploits
(Cocca 122). As Marvel Girl she possessed spe- Jean’s vulnerable state, caused by her new surge
cial abilities far more advanced than those of her of power, to bring her over to the dark side as ruler
male counterparts (i.e. Cyclops, Beast, Angel, of the villain organization called the Hellfire Club.
and Iceman), but she was still at times the team’s By accessing her “innermost forbidden needs and
cook, nurse, stylist and potential love inter- desires”, Wyngarde “molds” Jean into the villainess
est. Jean’s ‘will-they-won’t-they’ romance with persona of the “Black Queen” who stereotypical-
teammate Scott Summers/Cyclops came to de- ly dresses as a burlesque dancer/dominatrix
fine her character. Moreover, her impressive and complete with spiked collar, velvet bustier, high-
thus potentially dangerous superpowers were, heeled boots, and a whip (Uncanny X-Men #125).
in the beginning, preemptively blocked by the Through the ambiguous portrayal of Wyngarde
group’s leader and mentor Professor Xavier. and Jean’s relationship, the gender stereotype of
In other words, Jean was portrayed as yet an- women’s physical and emotional vulnerability is
other capable woman stifled by a paternalistic- once again implied as the line between consen-
patriarchal structure. sual sexual intimacy and abuse becomes dan-
Her chance for freedom and empowerment is gerously blurred.
seemingly wrought by her literal rebirth as “Phoe- The only way to ‘bring back’ Jean is through
nix” that happens after Jean is caught in a fatal the psychic bond she and Scott Summers share
solar storm as part of a selfless mission to save after having consummated their romantic relation-
the lives of her X-Men friends. She miraculous- ship. As soon as Jean is free from the fantasy Wy-
ly survives and returns to Earth with abilities that ngarde has created, she is ready for a reckoning
reach far beyond any human comprehension: with her ‘mental rapist’. At this point, however,
“No longer am I the woman you knew! I am fire! she starts to display signs of a split personality
And life incarnate!” (Uncanny X-Men #134). The disorder; on the visual level, the text boxes are
reason given for her survival and for her reincar- in two different colors, blue and red. On the one
nation as Phoenix is, however, again stereotyp- hand, Jean feels fearful and powerless at her lack
ically female: her love for Scott Summers is the of self-control – “more afraid now than she’s ever
catalyst for “achieving her full potential as a psi“6 been”, “she cannot stop it”, “she weeps”; on the
(Uncanny X-Men #125). In addition to referring other hand, her rage and taste for revenge grow
to a woman’s empowerment as possible only – “she laughs to herself”, “she will enjoy what hap-
through a man that completes her, the narrative pens next” (Uncanny X-Men #134). The “Phoenix
then shows Jean plagued by fear and self-dou- Force” that was coiled inside Jean is now flowing
bt about the discovery of her newfound powers: out in bursts of flaming energy; even the borders
“You’re worried about whether I can handle it. Well, of her speech bubbles crackle with it as she con-
I’m worried too” (ibid.). Despite being a super- fronts and accuses her abuser:
heroine, Jean’s femininity is still linked to a con-
dition of physical and emotional vulnerability, as You came to me when I was vulnerable.
she goes from an active protector role to a pas- You filled the emotional void within me. You
sive one of victim. made me trust you – perhaps even love
The running motif of the Dark Phoenix Saga you – and all the while, you were using me!
is Jean’s emotional instability and lack of control (ibid.)
as she struggles and eventually fails to reconcile
the light and dark sides of herself. Problem- The portrayal of Jean as an antiheroine oscillates
atically, these aspects are tied to her sexual between the ‘good girl’ and ‘bad girl’ sides of her
awakening and, consequently, to the notion of personality, embodying the polarized “madonna-
dangerous, unrestrained female sexuality. Jean’s whore” model of femininity.
mind and personality are at the mercy of intru- By giving Wyngarde/Mastermind a taste of
sive telepathic daydreams conjured up by the his own medicine through a blast of her powers,
villain Mastermind who appears to her as the she drives him insane and leaves him coma-
helden. heroes. héros.From Early Villainesses to Contemporary Antiheroines in Superhero Comics
37
tose; however, this also sends her over the on Transformation Island, it seems that the need
edge and seals her fate as “Dark Phoenix”. As a to reform unruly women is still a current concern.
transgressive female force of chaos and death, There is an ongoing and increasing trend in
Jean sets all her repressed feelings free, literal- mainstream comic books of turning well-known
ly soaring beyond the limits of her previous life female villains into likeable and friendly – in
as the self-sacrificing friend, devoted girlfriend, other words, unthreatening – antiheroines (e.g.
and good daughter. She has made the transition Catwoman, X-Men’s Mystique). One notable
into villainess territory with a brand-new tight- example is the rebooted Rebirth version of DC
fitting costume and a sexually connotated, in- Comics Harley Quinn. Quinn has been a fan fa-
satiable appetite for power: “[u]sing her power is vorite since her first appearance in Batman: The
turning her on”, “the ultimate physical/emotional Animated Series in 1992 and has undergone a
stimulant”, “an awful, all-consuming lust”, “[s]he is number of transformations over the years, going
in ecstasy” (Uncanny X-Men #135). The portrayal from a one-off side character to full-blown series
of female power is highly stereotypical, as Jean’s protagonist. She first appeared on the big screen
Dark Phoenix persona adheres to the archetype in the film Suicide Squad (2016) and played the
of the uncontrollable, sexually transgressive, and leading role in the female ensemble film Birds of
dangerous femme fatale. Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One
Jean Grey’s overdue empowerment ultimate- Harley Quinn) released in February 2020.
ly leads to her destruction. Her uncontrollable In her origin story, presented in the graphic
hunger “for a joy, a rupture beyond all comprehen- novel The Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994),
sion” (Uncanny X-Men #136) drives her to com- Harley Quinn starts out as Dr. Harleen Quinzel,
mit genocide by swallowing a planet and its five a psychologist drawn to the “exciting, challeng-
billion inhabitants whole, a crime for which she ing, and glamorous” (Mad Love) side of super-
must be judged and sentenced to death. Howev- criminals. While working in Arkham Asylum,
er, she is neither unstoppable nor irredeemable. she breaks the code of conduct and falls head-
Through their combined efforts, Scott Summers over-heels in love with one of her patients, the
and Professor Xavier succeed in reaching the Joker, and decides to help him escape. Driven
‘true’ Jean Grey: the loving, nurturing, and self- by her obsessive and unquenchable passion for
less woman they can ‘hold’. She is stripped bare the Prince of Crime, Harley becomes his most
and wakes up naked in Scott’s arms to accept his loyal sidekick, donning for the role a red-and-
marriage proposal. The next time Jean appears, black harlequin costume that makes her appear
she is wearing her old Marvel Girl costume, chas- both grotesque and goofy. The bizarre and tragi-
tened back into her feminine ‘good girl’ role and comic aspects of their twisted Punch-and-Judy
ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. Jean can relationship are at the same time humorous and
feel the Dark Phoenix lurking just beneath the pitiful. Harley is pathologically in love with the
surface, waiting to manifest herself again and narcissistic criminal psychopath, who is too ob-
again at the slightest loss of emotional control. sessed with Batman to care and reacts violently
At the end, Jean does change back into the Dark to her helpful meddling in his nefarious schemes.
Phoenix costume, but this time she is torn apart This does not dampen Harley’s spirits nor her
by fear and sorrow without a trace of her joyful ex- flames of romantic passion for her “Mr. J”, as she
ploration of raw, unmitigated power. She thus fantasizes about building a future happy family
chooses to let herself be blasted into non-exist- with her “Puddin’” and their two criminally in-
ence, calling with her last cry the name of the clined children, perfect miniature replicas of their
man she loves.7 The normative balance of gender parents. Despite what might appear as an anti-
roles and power, temporarily upended by the feminist depiction of a so-called henchwench,
‘unstable’ antiheroine Jean, is restored with the the narrative shows a woman’s struggle to tran-
punishment and eradication of transgressive, in- scend the limits imposed upon her by sexist
appropriate femininity. social norms, albeit with traditional comic book
levity. Although repeatedly foiled by both Batman
and the Joker who treat her with derision and
contempt, Harley manages to remain optimistic
Not with a cackle but a giggle: Harley and mostly unscathed, driven by self-confidence
Quinn’s transformation from villainess to and self-delusion in equal parts. However, she
antiheroine (DC Comics, 1994; 2016) constitutes a real threat to the two men who
both fear being emasculated by her, as she
successfully and independently achieves one
Although it has been eighty years since Wonder of the Joker’s most ambitious plans to capture
Woman’s correctional facility for female villains and eliminate Batman. Both Batman and the
helden. heroes. héros.Eleonora Sereni
38
Joker are shocked by this turn of events; the pet and creation: he literally molds her in his own
former cannot hide his indignation at being so image by throwing her into a vat of chemicals
easily trapped by the likes of her, while the lat- which bleach her skin “just like his”, and teaches
ter seethes at the thought of becoming the ob- her to be his perfect girl fantasy, “the sex kitten,
ject of ridicule as “the guy whose girlfriend killed the seductress...the innocent, the aggressor...
Batman” or “Mr. Harley Quinn” (ibid.). Her life the antagonist, the victim...the ditz” (ibid.). In a
choices and sanity may be questionable, but dream sequence that references the early Mad
Harley is unapologetically and gleefully herself. Love graphic novel, panels depicting Harley and
She is committed to fulfilling her own aspirations, the Joker as a normal, happy and loving couple
and will risk her life to do so, while the Joker is are alternated and then replaced with images
only the catalyst for her desired transgressive of a one-sided abusive relationship in which the
transformation. Joker repeatedly beats up and chokes an utterly
Over the years following her 1994 comic powerless Harley. Thus, the narrative turns her
book debut, Harley Quinn has undergone many into another unwilling female victim of mental
transformations, sometimes striking out on her and physical abuse at the Joker’s hands, along-
own but most often teaming up with fellow DC side other women in the genre – e.g. Selina Kyle/
villains, as in the Suicide Squad series. Recent- Catwoman in Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight
ly, she has been cast in the role of unstable vigi- Returns (1986) and Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in
lante antiheroine heading her own comic as part Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke (1989).
of the Rebirth relaunch begun in 2016. Turning her As a reformed-villainess-turned-antiheroine,
into a main headliner of the company has proved Harley is supposed to have successfully –
to be a commercially profitable move, meant “through much soul searching” (ibid.) – dealt with
to capitalize on the character’s cross-media her past trauma and emerged as a liberated and
popularity and to appeal to the demands of a empowered survivor who will, one would imag-
growing female readership. Especially with re- ine, help others like her. Nothing could be further
gards to the latter, the producers’ intention is to from the truth, however, as shown when Harley
present Quinn as a more ‘accessible’ feminist role is faced with someone who is essentially the
model in contrast to the iconic Wonder Woman.8 male version of herself: a mentally unstable man
This new portrayal of Harley Quinn, how- named Edwin, fallen prey to a “ridiculous infatu-
ever, largely adheres to a regressive postfemi- ation” (Rebirth #13) with Harley. As it turns out,
nist script, presenting a version of contemporary in order to get back at his run-away ex-girlfriend
femininity indebted to the notion of the ‘cool girl’:9 Harley, the Joker has successfully manipu-
an impossible ideal of femininity, stemming from lated Edwin into becoming his perfect double in
societal expectations of women’s behavior and every way. When Edwin shows up on Harley’s
appearance, masquerading as a valuable model doorstep, she is however instantly suspicious
of female subjectivity. and recognizes him as a fraud. She then pro-
To mark Harley Quinn’s transformation from ceeds to beat him to a pulp, tie him to an elec-
villainess to antiheroine, she has been relocated tric chair and interrogate him. After discovering
from Gotham City to Brooklyn’s Coney Island, that his life story disturbingly mirrors her own,
where she has become the neighborhood’s un- Harley unsympathetically calls him “a loser” for
likely protector and has turned her house into a having been just “a tool, a weapon” (ibid.) to the
sanctuary for stray animals and a curious as- Joker. She decides to put Edwin out of his mis-
sortment of misfits. As hallmark of her independ- ery and shoots him in the head with the deadpan
ence, the “new and improved” Harley has cut all one-liner: “Later much, Deadwin” (ibid.). The
ties with the Joker in order to become “better, self-righteous attitude Harley displays in inflict-
smarter, an[d] stronger” (Rebirth #1). However, ing extreme violence on a fellow victim-turned-
this role switch has required significant changes perpetrator contradicts the Rebirth series’ prem-
to the details of her origin story, calling into ise of Harley’s new journey of personal growth. In
question Harley’s position as agent of her own lieu of genuine character progression and devel-
transformation into the liberating harlequin per- opment, for which her antiheroic role could offer
sona. In the Rebirth continuity, Harley meets the fertile ground, the issue of mental and physical
Joker in Arkham Asylum, not as a psychologist abuse is here addressed only in terms of a sim-
but as an undercover inmate. This balancing of plistic rape-revenge style narrative.
the scales of power between them is short-lived, Similar scenes of excessive and graphic vio-
as she falls immediately and completely under lence are depicted throughout the comic, usually
his control: “he saw right through me...an’ his at the hands of the series’ hypersexualized and
power over me...well, it was like he knew me my extremely limber protagonist. Not only is Harley
whole life” (ibid.). Harley becomes the Joker’s Quinn’s costume her most revealing yet, but the
helden. heroes. héros.From Early Villainesses to Contemporary Antiheroines in Superhero Comics
39
comic repeatedly offers up images of Harley’s blurred, female characters lose more than they
cleavage as well as of her stripping out of her gain; shifting from foe to lover one moment and
clothes, in her underwear, wearing revealing pink from ally to enemy the next, their power, agency,
lingerie, or barely covered by a towel. Harley’s and even their identity, can be severely com-
sexual objectification is, in fact, so gratuitous promised. Lastly, as examined in the Harley
that it makes any comment about it seem almost Quinn case study, recent attempts at presenting
superfluous. To top off her contradictory por- feminist portrayals of comic book superwomen
trayal, Quinn combines traditionally masculine by transforming successful female villains into
and feminine traits. Although such a combinati- ‘new and improved’ antiheroines are ultimately
on in female characters has been positively re- doomed to fail when, under the gloss of female
claimed as straddling both sides of the binary gender empowerment, they display a mentally and emo-
divide (Brown, Dangerous Curves 43-62), in this tionally unstable protagonist, whose contradict-
case it consists merely of a recycling of sexist ory appearance and attitude reinforce regressive
stereotypes. On the one hand, Harley revels discourses about contemporary femininity. If the
in brutal and bloody violence, acting as ‘one of early comic book villainesses could have once
the guys’ with her coarse language, unhealthy proudly declared “[W]hen I’m bad, I’m better”,10
eating and drinking habits, and lax hygiene. On the the same cannot be said for most of the recent
other, she boasts an athletic and curvaceous representations of female characters, whose
body and is extremely girlish in appearance with ‘bad’ behavior is only temporarily allowed and
her pink and blue tipped blonde pigtails, she linked to violent, sociopathic tendencies, men-
loves playing dress-up, going to spa treatments, tal instability, and hypersexualization. With films
and talking about boys – e.g. “Batman’s eight and TV series of the superhero genre working
pack” (Rebirth #8) – with her best friend, the re- to meet today’s growing need for more complex
formed villainess Poison Ivy. As a result, she is and compelling expressions of female subject-
highly attractive and openly attracted to suitors ivity in popular culture, one may hope that the
of both sexes, yet her coy flirting and non- significant, and still largely untapped, potential of
chalant attitude make her seem disingenuous in female villains and antiheroines in superhero
her relationships with either men or women. Har- comic books can be harnessed for a more nu-
ley Quinn is a perfect embodiment of the ‘cool anced gender representation. If these possibilities
girl’ and, as such, another male fantasy cloaked are successfully explored, mainstream comics
in the guise of female liberation and empower- of the superhero genre will introduce female
ment. The potential subversiveness of her anti- characters who are morally flawed, transgress
heroic role is therefore curbed, or even neutral- the boundaries of traditional gender roles, break
ized, by her highly sexualized and exaggerated with unrealistic (sexual) expectations of women,
performance of hegemonic femininity. thrive beyond heteronormative romance, and
are granted the freedom to be powerful and un-
likeable.
Conclusion Eleonora Sereni is a Ph.D. candidate in Eng-
lish and American Studies at the University of
As seen in the Villainy, Inc.’s stories, the more Freiburg, where she is currently working on her
conservative comic book Golden Age of the dissertation project on female superheroes in
1940s was able to produce formidable and American films and TV series from the 1980s
emancipated female characters: women who to the present. She also teaches courses at the
chose to be evil in order to achieve the power University’s English Department on visual repre-
and freedom they aspired to, outside of the patri- sentations of women in popular culture as comic
archal social norms. The transgressive subject- book superheroes, femmes fatales, witches, and
ivity of evil women that questions and subverts TV antiheroes.
the hegemonic notions of traditional femininity
may have a productive potential, just as long 1 The term ‘makeover’ is used here significantly in ref-
erence to conventional postfeminist makeover narratives,
as it is not tied to gender stereotypes, clichés where reconstructions of femininity that transform women
and hypersexualization, as was the case in the according to an extremely conservative male-serving ideal of
two negative depictions from the early 2000s in feminine desirability are falsely presented as empowering.
Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War (2001) and 2 Since 2015 more Marvel and DC female-led projects –
Wonder Woman: In the Land of the Lost (2002). from comic books to TV series and films – have been re-
As shown in the analysis of Jean Grey’s journey leased or are currently in the works (Barnett; Scott).
from superheroine to villainess to antiheroine, 3 The films are Supergirl (1984), Catwoman (2004), Elek-
when the line between good and evil becomes tra (2005), Wonder Woman (2017), Captain Marvel (2019),
and Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One
helden. heroes. héros.Eleonora Sereni
40 Harley Quinn) (2020), while the TV series are Birds of Prey Bröckling, Ulrich. “Negations of the Heroic – A Typological Es-
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