Too many topics, too little time

Female [super] Heroes

This is a reopening of submissions for an anthology whose primary concern is Feminist interpretations of the female [super] hero in popular culture with emphasis on (though certainly not limited to) race, able, disabled, hyper and cyberdized bodies, gender constructions and desire. The goal of the anthology is to deal with the complex, competing, and some times contradictory images of “female heroes” in primarily cinematic (both film and television) images. Analysis of the graphic novel, comic books, cartoons, and video games are equally welcome including those geared toward young, teen, and adults audiences. Material that puts the graphic arts and the cinematic or either of these mediums and the novel (upon which the cinematic/graphic is based) in conversation are also encouraged but analysis of novels on their own will not be accepted. Since this is a reopening of submissions, only those topics listed below (or in rare cases proposals that resonate with topics listed be
low) are
welcome. Items listed below are split into three categories, which may or may not correspond to sections in the final anthology: comics and cartoons, film, television. If you are concerned about the appropriateness of your submission please send a short abstract along with your query to the editor.

Primary audience: popular & academic readers. Essays should be thoroughly grounded in analysis rather than simply a description of the text[s] in question while keeping in mind that rarified analysis may preclude them from inclusion in the final body of the anthology.

Theoretical impetus: Feminism (including but not limited to antiracist and critical race feminisms, queer theories and feminism, embodiment, poco, pomo, science and feminism, etc.). Thus, you may define feminism in any multitude of ways for the purposes of submission; however, essays whose theoretical stance is either anti-feminist or post-feminist will not be accepted. Analysis of gender is essential to the anthology – essays that take “male” or “female” subjects or audiences as given rather than critical analyzing which audiences and how subjects are constituted will not be considered.

Highest Priority: Highest priority will be given to essays that deal critically with race (including whiteness), sexuality, and various forms of the “disabled” body and the multitude of tactics utilized to represent the O/other in the depiction of gendered heroes.

Submission: 2 HARD COPIES; include name and contact information (along with the title of your paper) on a separate piece of paper, and a short (200 word) bio that includes your academic or activist affiliation if you have one.

Due Date: 2/15/05 (received by)

Contact Info: lverastegui@msn.com
Topics/Characters:

Within these character studies or programs/films, themes of particular interest are racial constructions and juxtapositions, parallels and paradoxes between male and female heroes and/or masculine and feminine bodies, the construction of disability within or juxtaposed to female heroism, desires and the potential or lack there of for transgressive sexualities. Items are split into three categories that may or may not be reflected in the anthology: comics and cartoons, film, and television. (some characters overlap categories but are only listed once)

Comics and Cartoons
Shenice Veil/She Bang – Static Shock (of interest – essays dealing with the marketing of/ constructing of multiculturalism and poc hero, deconstructions of stereotypes. Archetypes, and transgressions)
Wonder Woman ( of interest – essays dealing with existing statements that the wonder woman television show was the first attempt to put a feminist character on television, gender performance, utopia vs. dystopia, comparisons between wonder woman and current comic book and/or television heroines etc.)
Anya Corazon (of interest- essays addressing the impact of the first Latina superheroine to star in her own comic book, as well as comparison to other characters with similar powers)
The Black Orchid
Amy Chin – Silver Sable’s Wild Pack (essays dealing with ambiguous sexuality and or the role of author’s intent vs. reader response)
FemForce
The Women of X-Men (Storm, Jean Grey, Phoenix, etc.)
Maggie Sawyer – Head of Metropolis Crime Unit (superman)
Witchblade
Comet – Supergirl (essays on transgendered politics or on the complex construction of a male character with a lesbian alternate)
Catwoman (of particular interest are essays dealing with the differences and similarities between the 4 prominent actresses who have played cat woman)
Batgirl &/or Oracle (of particular interest is analysis of Batgirl as both able-bodied and differently-abled superhero)
Rene Montoya – Batman Comics (essays dealing with her outing are of particular interest; as well as essays that juxtapose cartoon female detectives like Montoya, Sawyer, et al with television detectives)
Power Girl
The Women of the Justice League (essays dealing with sexuality, interpersonal relationships between women, and male-female dichotomies welcome)
Jem (can a pop star be a hero?, are there overlaps with Jem’s balance between heroism and love that are echoed in other heroes?, what about the statement that Jem was supposed to give girls something other than Barbie to look up to?) Bubble Gum Crisis
The Women of Mucha Lucha
Sailor Moon (of particular interest the shift from Hentai to children’s programming)
Jade – Jackie Chan Adventures
Rain Maker – Generation 13 (particularly interest lesbian sexuality for the male gaze)
The Women of Robotech (possible essays comparisons between Lisa Hayes and Capt. Janeway, explorations of age in prominent female characters or as described by prominent female characters, interracial relationships and interspecies relationships)
Ms. Witch
Thelma, Daphne – Scooby Doo
Amanda – Cyberzone (examination of black lesbian identity, exploration of potential intergen issues)
Firestar (essays exploring Firestar on her own as well as the only female hero in the cartoon series starring Spider Man, Ice Man and Firestar)

Film & Video Games
Trish Jenner – Jeepers Creepers (How can ordinary women – no technology, no science, no special powers – be heroic? Comparisons between Trish and Nancy or others in similar genres or dissimilar genres like the human women on Roswell)
Jade – Bullet Proof Monk
Nancy-Nightmare on Elm Street
Alice, Rain Ocampo – Resident Evil
Lara Croft (of particular interest are essays that deal with the ambiguous racial constructions of the character, as well as essays that deal with technology and heroism, and the “new” female body)
Elektra Natchios – Daredevil (the juxtaposition of the female body and the dis/able body)
Oracle, Trinity, Niobe – The Matrix (essays dealing with blackness, whiteness, and female empowerment of particular interest)
Sarah Conner T1-2
Ripley – Alien/s
Kate Brewster- T3 (particular interest – comparisons between Kate and Sarah Connor as reluctant heroes)
The Women of Bond Films (of particular interest analysis of Wai Linn – Tomorrow Never Dies, Jinx – Die Another Day, and/or comparison between Bond girls over time)
Selene – Underworld (what is the role of the dark hero?, comparisons between Selene and other similar heroes, etc.)
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Anna Valerious – Van Helsing
Gothika
The Monkey’s Mask
Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (racial discourse, motherhood, rape and sexual violence)
The Women of Austin Powers (camp and heroism, Felicity Shagwell as American archetype – whiteness, etc.)
Foxy Brown (can blackexploitation films be feminist? If so for whom?)
Charlie’s Angels

The Vampire Effect (women as rescuers of men, window dressing and heterosexuality, the need to become the other, racial constructions – Asian heroes vs. white super villians)

Television
Arina – The Beast Master TV series (is a sidekick a hero in their own right?)
Amanda- The Raven &/or Amanda -Highlander
La Femme Nikita (the role of the reluctant hero, compared to other reluctant heroes, exploration of her relationships and/or comparison to other heroes whose heroism was in direct conflict with their love interests)
Cordelia – Angel &/or Buffy
Winifred &/or Illyria – Angel
The Women of Mutant X
The Women of Farscape
The Women of Andromeda (of particular interest is analysis of Andromeda as warship, love interest/object of desire, and sentient being)
The Women of Star Trek
The Women of Roswell
The Bionic Woman
Dark Angel
The Profiler
The Women of CSI
The Women of Law and Order
Tru Davies – Tru Calling
Nancy Drew (analysis must include TV show; comparisons between Nancy Drew and other teen detectives like Veronica Mars or Drew’s contemporaries)
Gigdet (watch the 70s movie, then the tv show, and then ask yourself again how she ended up on the list)
Kendra, Willow, Tara, Kennedy, Cordelia, Faith – Buffy the Vampire Slayer (of particular interest – analysis of episodes like “Pangs” or characters – including liner notes- like Kendra that deal critically with race; analysis of class in constructions of characters like Faith and Cordelia; analysis of desire between Willow and Tara, Willow and Kennedy, or exploring all of Willow’s relationships –Xander, Oz, Tara, and Kennedy – NO papers on Buffy herself, papers on Buffy have already been accepted)
Charmed (of particular interest is analysis of a recent episode in which the central theme was PMS and the Charmed ones were turned into werewolves; other close readings of episodes, or the show in general are welcome.)