Pop Culture Heroines
Strong Female Characters in Popular Culture
Displaying the 10 most recent entries.
Liz Sherman - reluctant hero
Posted on 21st July, 2008
I really hate those origin stories that have the hero hating her powers because she doesn’t want to be different, I mean I understand why and all but I often find the reluctant hero archetype a little frustrating. I think I liked the movie Jumper because the main character just accepted the fact and embraced the powers.
There is an exception to every rule and this is no different. I am entirely fine with the idea of Liz Sherman from the Hellboy/BPRD franchise rejecting her abilities.
Liz has the ability to generate and to a lessor degree control fire, she’s ...
Stephanie Brown (the Spoiler) is returning
Posted on 31st May, 2008
Karen Healey over at Girl-Wonder.org is commenting about the return of Stephanie Brown (The Spoiler) to the Robin comic. Stephanie was killed off in Batman comics with a story that echoes the “Women in Refrigerators” syndrome.
Reclaiming our imagination
Posted on 24th April, 2008
Has anybody else noticed how it has suddenly become terribly unfashionable to have an imagination?
It used to be a real point of pride among the terminally smug that they never enjoyed movies nearly as much as the books they were based on -
“because the books allow you to use your own imagination.”
If you were to read books like “To Kill a Mockingbird”, you’d discover the subtle joys of learning to walk a little in someone else’s shoes. You’d see how much both you and that other person might grow as a result, and how much richer the world might appear - not necessarily nicer, or easier, but undoubtedly a richer place for hearts and imaginations to roam.
No damsel in distress
Posted on 23rd April, 2008
In the original Donkey Kong game you play a character named Jumpman (who later became known as Mario) whose job it is to rescue ‘the Lady’ (later known as Pauline). This is one of the early if not first example of the now classic damsel in distress scenarios, Pauline (I’m not going to continue referring to her as ‘the Lady’) dressed in her pink dress calls out to her hero to rescue her with the word HELP appearing next to her periodically.
Flash forward ten years and a lot can happen in a ...
Feisty, independent and a scardey-cat
Posted on 28th February, 2008
Pretty much every time I see a new heroine emerge on a movie or TV series these days, I notice the same kind of buzzwords creeping in - she’s feisty, she’s independent, she does thing on her own terms… I read interviews with the actress, all of which confirm that her character is indeed feisty, independent and likes to do things on her own terms. It’s a good thing, we’re all reminded, to be your own person (honestly, there’s a certificate you can get and everything), to take no crap from anybody and not to be afraid of getting in people’s faces. The last one is particularly perplexing - why exactly do I need or want this person in my face again? Last time I checked, my face needed space. I’m over-egging it here, I know, but there is a ...
Nerd, Witch, Lesbian, Evil Incarnate
Posted on 03rd February, 2008
Nerd, Witch, Lesbian, Evil Incarnate - Willow Rosenberg certainly developed enough material for three characters. She is off centre, quirky and sweet - the go-to girl for all kinds of knowledge and the
shoulder to lean on. Willow is all these things, but her most important role on Buffy is playing ‘Old Reliable’ (not to be mistaken for Old Yeller..) But whilst she sees this as being a fault, we see it as being an integral part of her character. She is the stability in world gone mad, the rock that never strays. Without Willow, Buffy loses her main anchor of support and strength.
Willow starts off in Season 1 as a bundle of nerves ...
The bright side of Faith
Posted on 27th January, 2008
Faith Lehane is arguably one of the more powerful female characters in living television history. Created as an antagonist to Buffy Summers, Faith not only added an extra dimension to the Slayer lore but also changed and challenged the show’s fundamental principle – that the Slayer is inherently good.
Faith does more than play opposites to Buffy’s hero, she also demonstrates a depth of humanity that is sometimes lacking in Buffy’s demeanour. Faith’s flaws ultimately serve to mature her – another trait that Buffy doesn’t possess in her earlier years. Her strength lies in the core of her personality and background, she is rough, ...
Wonder Woman review
Posted on 25th January, 2008
This article first appeared at No Smoking in the Skull Cave. If you have an article or review that you’d like to contribute please contact us.
For those of you who don’t know Lynda Carter was not originally cast as Wonder Woman, no that honor went to the more than dull Cathy Lee Crosby and the first pilot for show was aired in 1974. It failed and anyone whose seen the original pilot can tell you there is just something missing, honestly it’s not Worth talking about so I’ve decided to skip ahead to the second pilot with Lynda Carter.
The second all-star pilot starts off with cheesy narration and an ...
First female astronauts selected by NASA
Posted on 15th January, 2008
I thought whilst we wait on some more articles I would celebrate a particularly important date that is often overlooked:
On this day in 1978 “NASA introduced its first female astronauts when it named the eighth class of astronaut candidates. This class of 35 included six women: Anna Fisher, Shannon Lucid, Judith Resnik, Sally Ride, Rhea Seddon and Kathryn Sullivan. All six eventually flew on the space shuttle. And Shannon Lucid set an endurance record for American ...
The Professional Series #4 – Nina Myers: 24
Posted on 27th December, 2007
Character Overview
“You’re worse than a traitor Nina. You don’t even have a cause. You don’t believe in anything. You would sell anyone and anything out to the highest bidder.”
Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) could have forged a successful career working for her government and her country within the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), and for a while she did seemingly follow this path. However she eventually succumbed to the temptation of quick money and seduced by the power of secretive dealings with powerful partners. While the motives for all Nina’s actions are not entirely clear, she does seem to enjoy leading a double life and ...
Pop Culture Heroines
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- Updated: 4th September, 2008
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