Michelle Obama - Comic Book Heroine?

by Dorothee Royal-Hedinger · 2009-03-19 12:29:00 UTC
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As a young girl, comic books were never something that excited me as much as my brother. Although I tried to get into the stories, I couldn't identify with the hyper-muscular main characters and didn't appreciate that most of the female characters needed to be saved (if they weren't being brutally maimed or killed).

Gail Simone, author of Women in Refrigerators (and die-hard comic book fan) notes, "it's not that healthy to be a female character in comics." And that's not just hyperbole, Gail has put together a lengthy list chronicling the multitudes of violent and un-heroic deaths of women in her favorite comics. Taking a look at that list, it's not hard to imagine why those books failed to appeal to me.

Despite my early reticence, I still haven't given up hope for the genre - which is why I'm excited to share news that a company called Bluwater Productions is working to fight sexist stereotypes with their new "Female Force" series. Featuring women like Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama, they aim to inspire young girls with tales of influential women who are making and shaping modern history. Now that sounds like something I could get into!

The life of America’s future first lady, Michelle Obama, will be the subject of the latest chapter of Bluewater Productions' ongoing "Female Force" comic series. The book will follow Obama, a Princeton- and Harvard-educated lawyer, from her youth on the South Side of Chicago to her community, civic service and private-sector career successes through the 2008 presidential campaign and election day. [Bluwater]

For a genre that prides itself on artistry as well as a good storyline, I honestly find the illustration style a bit bland. But it's certainly a good start to bringing more positive female roles into this typically male-dominated industry.

Who do you think should be featured in a "Female Force" comic? I would personally love to see a comic biography of Green For All's new CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins.

Dorothee Royal-Hedinger
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