a DIACHRONIC study of the IMAGE of the POWERFUL FEMALE in POPULAR (and maybe other) CULTURES
Monday, October 11, 2010
TOP 50 FEMALE/MALE FIGHTS IN COMICS: #10
From a tiger I proceed down the evolutionary scale to Felis Domesticus, and the inevitable (but quite undomesticated) Catwoman.
Though invented in 1940 Catwoman was not often seen doing anything more than a little roughhousing until the late 1960s, so her re-invention as a martial kickboxing pussycat has only endured for roughly the past forty years. The first 1990s CATWOMAN series, all or most of which sported the art of Jim Balent, isn't as critically accalimed as certain later manifestations, but to be sure Balent always delivered the goods in the action department.
The cover of CATWOMAN #53 is rather low-key considering that the interior deals with the Princess of Pussy finding out that the fellow on the cover is actually the serial killer known as the Headhunter. This revelation leads to an epic battle of about six ass-kickin' pages, spoiled only by an ending in which the nutty serial killer offs himself. Possibly either the editorial or creative team didn't wish Catwoman to spoil her record of keeping her hands clean of the charge of murder. Too bad, the Headhunter would have been a nice first kill for the Queen of Cats.
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