Crises of Maternity: Brief Reviews of Catwoman #60 and Birds of Prey #99
It's been a rather exciting week, Gentle Reader. Fall Has Come to the South, and right now, it is in the low 60s. Mr. Reads and I did some last-minute shopping for our upcoming Halloween party next weekend. I made reservations for my January research trip in the UK, and we scraped together enough money for Mr. Reads to accompany me. Our Dear Friends delivered a healthy baby boy yesterday. Oh, and Mr. Reads and I got the chance to catch up on our pop cultures. Not only did I get to read The 52 ("don't forget the fifty-two!" - gratitude, Legion), but I got to read Catwoman and Birds of Prey as well.***spoiler warning for these two issues and for Fantastic Four/Civil War, recent events***
Both comics this month are, surprisingly, about Motherhood. Dinah leaves the Birds forever to be a mother to Sin, and Selina leaves Helena for the night to be the savior of Gotham. Dinah leaving the Birds I have no problem with. Of course, that doesn't mean I don't want Dinah in the Birds! Dinah and Babs *are* the Birds to me. While I adore Helena B., and am Quite the Huntress Fan, I tend to side on All Things Canary, All The Time. But it makes sense for Dinah to try something new, and I know, deep down inside, that she will be back. Dinah can't leave the Birds for long; she's entirely too important to be somewhere else, even the JLA.
But Selina, Selina, Selina! The entire One Year Later storyline has revolved around her new duties as a mother. She had Zatanna wipe minds to protect Helena. She has Wildcat guard... I mean, baby-sit for Helena. I'm sure Batman has a video camera or ten installed in and around Selina's home to keep an eye on Little Baby Cats. She has said, ad nauseam, that her number-one priority is Helena. She has made Holly her successor so she can raise her daughter. So why, why, why would she ever act so nonchalantly about her own life? She is a mother now, a fact that she has made clear again and again. Yet the second she puts on the Catsuit, all thoughts of her obligations and responsibilities fly out of the window?
She breaks into the police station. She frees Holly. Yay, Catwoman! Let us Applaud Her For It. Not only does she ensure the continuation of her legacy, she does A Solid for her friend, as well. They escape to the roof, and decide that they need a distraction. Enter stage right: the eight-thousand-pound gorilla in the room.
Film Freak frees a giant, rampaging gorilla. Selina sees Gotham's Finest turn their lasers not to "stun" but to "kill," and decides that she Must Protect The Innocent Of Gotham, no matter the species. She goes to help, but before she can, Holly stops her and asks, "And what if you get killed?" Selina responds, "Then I get killed. Go home, Holly. Back to my apartment. I'll be there soon. And call Karon. Let her know you're okay."
Of course this could simply be Selina Being Selina: arrogant, confident, assured, so very charming and fabulous. This is the Selina we have loved over the past several years. But see, she *hasn't* been very arrogant, confident, or assured since Helena was born. She has new responsibilities and concerns, which she reminds us of, every month. And this *new* Selina is just as charming, perhaps even more so. Her awkwardness, her insecurity, her post-baby belly that is undeniably sexy, how can we not love Selina-the-Supermom? Yet her first response to Holly's concern over her safety is "then I get killed"?
Now perhaps I'm overreacting, and I admit, Gentle Reader, that I have A Tendency To Overreact. Maybe it's because I read books for a living; I'm paid to overanalyze, to discuss, ad nauseam, the implications of tiny moments of dialogue such as this one. But reading these two books back to back, and reading them so soon after Sue Storm leaves her children with Reed, I can't help but see a larger argument about Maternity and Superheroes, whether implicit or explicit, being made here.
Dinah hangs up the tights for her daughter; she decides she can't be a good mother and a good superhero at the same time. Selina, however, puts the suit back on and seemingly forgets that she has larger obligations now. Sue Storm goes off to Fight The Good Fight, and she leaves her children with their father in an attempt to force them to interact. Three mothers, three radically different viewpoints, and, while none of them scream "Bad Motherhood," all of them suggest something Different.
Friends, *I* like Different. *I* think Different is what Makes Us Great. But in these three different interpretations of Motherhood--the single, adoptive mom, the divorcee (for all intents and purposes), and the single, working mom--Different just skirts the realm of Social Not Good. *I* as a person may like different, but the *I* indoctrinated into social expectations--the *I* who is forever influenced by social judgment and stereotypes and genres--anguishes over Canary's decision to leave the Birds to raise her child, but judges Selina and Sue for leaving their children at home while they pursue their careers or ambitions. I guess I am suffering under That Greatest Of Feminist Quandaries: I want the job and I want to raise my children, too, and I want it for my female characters as well.
This issue has popped up again and again in my life, as more and more of my friends are having children *and* careers. Feminism gave us The Right To Choose: pregnancy, career, child, no child, child and career, no child and career, etc. Yet society sometimes judges women as Lesser Beings if they choose to stay home and raise the kids, the same as it sometimes judges women as Lesser Beings if they *don't* choose to stay home and raise the kids. Supermom or Superhero? Pick one or the other, Dinah, Selina, and Sue, because apparently, you can't have both.
There is no similar quandary for men, is there, Gentle Reader? I can't think of a Superdad or Superhero situation in comics, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, over and over again. But Mr. Fantastic is allowed to go off and work and still have children, as is Batman (who actually takes his kids to work, every day!), Green Arrow (who didn't even know he had a kid for a good long while), and Power Man (who sent his kid off with Jessica to protect them). Please let me know if you can think of any such situations in normal continuity (not in the "now retired and having kids" world of, say, future Spider-Man and his web-slinging daughter Spider-Girl).
These three comics, while perhaps not overtly judgmental themselves, offer up Motherhood in the Superhero Community for public scrutiny. Dinah, Sue, and Selina are all of them available for judgment, acceptance, and yes, Friends, even scorn. Readers can judge them as fit or unfit mothers based on how they balance life and career.
After I struggled with this, with social indoctrination, with gender expectations drilled into me from the moment of birth (gratitude, Ms. Butler), I discovered that I did judge Selina, but not for leaving her child at home, and certainly not for putting on the Cat costume again. I like Selina as Catwoman; I like Holly, too, but Selina Is Catwoman for me. There can be no other. And Selina will put the costume on thousands of times between now and retirement, and I applaud every single one of those times.
But.
But here's the thing: I found her nonchalant, laissez-faire attitude about the value of her life to be off-putting, even more off-putting than last issue's sex-with-Sam scene. More off-putting than the Sam-telling-Slam scene of this issue. Because it stings of the previous, near-suicidal incarnation of Selina that I thought we'd overcome. She fought, so long and so hard, to be who she is, to treasure her own life, to believe in herself and her self-conversion to The White Hats again. And in one sentence, all of that comes crashing down.
Perhaps it was meant as a sign of confidence, or perhaps a taste of nihilistic flair. Perhaps it was meant as all of those things and more. But I didn't read it that way. I read it as the Return Of The Repressed. I read it as The Taste Of Things To Come. And always, always the future smacks of the past, because no matter how far we shove it down, it always, always comes back.
posted by Amy Reads @ 11:17 AM
17 Comments:
But here's the thing: I found her nonchalant, laissez-faire attitude about the value of her life to be off-putting, even more off-putting than last issue's sex-with-Sam scene. More off-putting than the Sam-telling-Slam scene of this issue. Because it stings of the previous, near-suicidal incarnation of Selina that I thought we'd overcome
See, for me, the most off-putting part was the Sam/Slam conversation.
"You don't know her like I do."
"Actually, Dad. . . "
Now, Slam was clearly not talking about the "Biblical sense" of know, and having a one-night stand doesn't give you a window into a person's soul. Sam STILL doesn't know her like he does.
Meanwhile, I read "Then I get killed" as just brushing off Holly, not brushing off the value of her own life. The way I see it (so far, subject to revision) is that the "moral" of the On Year Later arc -- which I think Selina realizes at the "then I get killed" moment -- is that you can die anywhere. Holed up in retirement by the Angle Man, or out doing your thing with King Kong.
Where the world is unsafe regardless, one might as well get killed being oneself then trying to be someone else.
One fully expects that Dinah is just in an earlier stage of learing the same lesson soon, especially if she's going to be in the Justice League.
The only time I've seen a man retire over a baby was Starman, actually.
You've found another reason that series was awesome
Hi Ragtime,
See, for me, the most off-putting part was the Sam/Slam conversation.
"You don't know her like I do."
"Actually, Dad. . . "
Ugh, I know. There was no part of that conversation that didn't make me feel icky.
Now, Slam was clearly not talking about the "Biblical sense" of know, and having a one-night stand doesn't give you a window into a person's soul. Sam STILL doesn't know her like he does.
And I think that's ultimately my problem with the Sam storyline. He's not interesting, and he doesn't seem all that interested in Selina. Now of course, I am fully aware that he may not be the father and that this may all be just A Grand Tease (and honestly, when hasn't DC given us Grand Tease?), but I adore Slam, and Ted, and I swoon for Bruce Wayne, and I could adore Sam, too, if the book made me care even a little bit about him.
Meanwhile, I read "Then I get killed" as just brushing off Holly, not brushing off the value of her own life. The way I see it (so far, subject to revision) is that the "moral" of the On Year Later arc -- which I think Selina realizes at the "then I get killed" moment -- is that you can die anywhere. Holed up in retirement by the Angle Man, or out doing your thing with King Kong.
Very interesting point, particularly in your follow-up: Where the world is unsafe regardless, one might as well get killed being oneself then trying to be someone else.
But here's the thing for me: have we had the "not being someone else" moment for Selina? I mean, we end on murder and mayhem and questioning her purpose, and then we pick up with baby and nothing else. I just feel like I want more from the intervening year, and I'm not getting it. At the end of the arc before Crisis, I saw Selina hit rock bottom. I haven't seen her crawl up again, and that bugs me, you know?
One fully expects that Dinah is just in an earlier stage of learing the same lesson soon, especially if she's going to be in the Justice League.
Exactly. She seems to have learned that lesson in the jungle, and we saw her struggle with it, with Sin, with responsibility to herself, her teammates, even the Canary legacy. I think ultimately Black Canary and The Birds are being handled much better than Catwoman and Holly, but maybe it's because I find Gail Simone the better writer. Not to say that I don't enjoy Pfifer, because I do, very much. I am just reserving my right as a Witchy Fangirl here, and complaining as I see fit.
Ciao,
Amy
Hi Ragnell,
The only time I've seen a man retire over a baby was Starman, actually.
You've found another reason that series was awesome
Mr. Reads mentioned Starman to me as an exception to the male bias case, although I must admit I've only read the first volume of the Starman trade. I adored what I read, but I just haven't had time to read the rest of the series yet, sad to say. I will get on it, forthwith!
Ciao,
Amy
Hi Charlotte,
interesting post - I'm amazed at how prevalent motherhood suddenly is in comics. A year or so ago, the only Superhero mother in comics was Sue Storm. Now Black Canary, Catwoman and Manhunter are mothers.
It's rather amazing, isn't it? I find it all quite fascinating, and I admit, I wonder how the general fan base is responding. It almost makes sense to me, a natural progression, if you will, because I am reaching that age in life when all of one's friends are becoming mothers, but I'm curious as to how it's resonating with a younger reader, say, the reader I was ten years ago.
Cheshire's had another baby, and seems to be more determined to look after him than she was previously (this not being difficult).
Crap. This is from Secret Six, right? I stopped reading after a few issues last year. Worth picking up again?
Talking of Cheshire's kids - Roy has occasionally dropped out of heroing to raise Lian, the way Dinah's just done. Granted, he's never stayed gone for long, just like I don't expect Dinah to never rejoin the Birds - she's already joined the new League.
Roy, Catman? I admit, I had to Wiki it :) Good to know there's another example. I'd like to think that Ralph would have dropped out for a bit to help with the kid-raising, had Sue lived and delivered her pregnancy. But maybe I'm just being romantic and sentimental.
I don't think Dinah will stay away for long, either. There's just too much history there, although I admit, a BoP with Bulleteer would be quite keen (if they pick her, that is!).
Ciao,
Amy
But here's the thing for me: have we had the "not being someone else" moment for Selina?
Now, for me, that is what works best about the One Year Later storylines. They allow things to happen that otherwise could not have happened because they would have been so boring to read about.
No one actually wants to read about Selina NOT being Catwoman for a year, much like we don't really need to follow her into the delivery room (we have Baby Story on TLC for that!)
By skipping the year, we can cut out the boring (Selina enters the third trimester . . . ), and see the little that is necessary in flashback. I'm very happy with the concept. I'm only disappointed with the execution (the flashbacks are just so bad!)
Hi Ragtime,
Now, for me, that is what works best about the One Year Later storylines. They allow things to happen that otherwise could not have happened because they would have been so boring to read about.
Arg, sorry, that's not what I meant. Of course you're right, and no one wants to read that, but I meant more of a metaphysical "what does it all mean" and "who am I?" kind of "not being someone else." I don't want to see Selina in the 3rd-trimester, etc., but I *do* want to see the moral quandary of the Black Mask murder (she seems almost fine with letting Holly take the rap) and the repercussions of the Zatanna revelation (is she or isn't she a bad bad girl?).
:) Sorry for any confusion! But with me, that's pretty much what you get at any given time (scatterbrained, you realize).
Ciao,
Amy
Hi Amy:
I'm b-a-c-k! At any rate ...
Yeah on Europe. How fun. I'm way overdue for another visit - it's been 11 years!
As for Selina jumping into harms way even though she has new responsibilities (Helena), I chalked it all up to the fact that she's trying to do the mothering thing but that her old Catwoman ways are creeping their way into her life no matter how hard she tries to stop it. I am glad that she came to Holly's rescue. If she didn't and let her languish in jail, then that would have been a near complete abandonment of her values. She's new at being a mother. Nearly her entire adult life has been as Catwoman so there's a familiarity with that for her that is assuredly so easy to slip into. Incidentally, Film Freak finally clicked as a villain for me this issue. I actually enjoyed him.
As for Dinah, I understand the motivation and all, but her insta-mothering of Sin seems so forced. I hope it gets developed well (where? JLA?). I agree that her and Babs are the heart and soul of the Birds of Prey. I do appreciate that Huntress has come around and made some ethical decisions that work well within the confines of the book. Less of a tortured character and more of fighter for justice. I really am curious as to who will move in to fill the void. Scuttlebutt on the web has pointed at both Big Barda and Manhunter. Although I like the later as a choice, the former would probably change the tone of the book more than I would like.
As for Sue Storm, considering the situation, I think the choice was better than if she had had taken the kids on the lam with her. The Baxter Bldg is pretty secure, although still something of a target so perhaps she should have taken them to a neutral locale like Wakanda or something for safekeeping.
Although as a man, I agree that there is no direct corallary with the career/children dilemma that women have, just the decision to have children radically changes everything in life for so many that I still haven't decided if I want to have children. I think I would make a great dad, better than my own, but is that the right reason to have children? I hope not. Having children would force me to change my lifestyle (not necessarily a bad thing) and would impact my ability to be footloose and fancy free taking jobs far and wide at a whim - when others are involved it complicates things. Again, for women the choice is starker. I do think it's something of a false dichotomy that women have to choose between career or family. They should have both and society should stop implying that one or the other is losing out. I know plenty of men that once they have children, back off on their careers big time. It's just no longer important to them.
And I think Ragtime's p.o.v. and the death comment is spot on.
Hi Mr. Fanboy,
Hi Amy:
I'm b-a-c-k! At any rate ...
Huzzah! Welcome back, Friend. You know, I'm convinced Cali has something against my blogging friends. Both you and Loren have had terrible technical difficulties lately. It's a massive Cali conspiracy, isn't it? And it's because I keep calling it Cali, right?
Yeah on Europe. How fun. I'm way overdue for another visit - it's been 11 years!
I'm very excited. Of course, I will be in the archives all day, every day, while Mr. Reads flaneurs his way through London, but such is the life of an academic and her husband, no?
As for Selina jumping into harms way even though she has new responsibilities (Helena), I chalked it all up to the fact that she's trying to do the mothering thing but that her old Catwoman ways are creeping their way into her life no matter how hard she tries to stop it.
You know, I read this whole big thing into putting on the suit and forgetting Helena, almost as if the fashion statement were the thing Itself. But then, the diss is on fashion, so I may just be projecting. And procrastinating...
I am glad that she came to Holly's rescue. If she didn't and let her languish in jail, then that would have been a near complete abandonment of her values. She's new at being a mother. Nearly her entire adult life has been as Catwoman so there's a familiarity with that for her that is assuredly so easy to slip into.
She's new at being a true blue mother, but not at being a mother figure. I find Selina terribly maternal throughout the series. She mothers the East End, after all. Those are *her* girls and *her* people and Batman forgets them, sometimes, along with the cops. She needs to watch her kids, no?
Incidentally, Film Freak finally clicked as a villain for me this issue. I actually enjoyed him.
Eh, verdict's still out on me. But I like the idea of a specifically Cat Villain. There are too few...
As for Dinah, I understand the motivation and all, but her insta-mothering of Sin seems so forced. I hope it gets developed well (where? JLA?).
See, and the Dinah-Sin thing clicked for me, almost instantly. Dinah sees herself in Sin, but mainly, I think she sees Helena B. in Sin. Someone she can nurture and love *before* the moral ambiguity truly sets in.
I agree that her and Babs are the heart and soul of the Birds of Prey. I do appreciate that Huntress has come around and made some ethical decisions that work well within the confines of the book. Less of a tortured character and more of fighter for justice.
Is it true they're doing a Huntress Year One? I *adore* this idea, as I *adore* Huntress. Pretty much my DC ranking goes Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Catwoman, and Huntress.
Also? I think Huntress would be one of the most interesting characters to write. I think I would do *marvelous* on a Huntress book....
Oh, right. I don't have a job at DC. *smacks head*
;)
I really am curious as to who will move in to fill the void. Scuttlebutt on the web has pointed at both Big Barda and Manhunter. Although I like the later as a choice, the former would probably change the tone of the book more than I would like.
I don't know this Manhunter, but everyone talks about her! I need to read her book, no? And as much as I love Barda, I don't want her in the Birds. I really want Bulleteer. Or Gypsy full-time.
As for Sue Storm, considering the situation, I think the choice was better than if she had had taken the kids on the lam with her. The Baxter Bldg is pretty secure, although still something of a target so perhaps she should have taken them to a neutral locale like Wakanda or something for safekeeping.
I *am* a bit of the same mind, although I do think Reed needs to spend more time with his children. But... Hm. But. I guess that's all I can say.
Although as a man, I agree that there is no direct corallary with the career/children dilemma that women have, just the decision to have children radically changes everything in life for so many that I still haven't decided if I want to have children.
See, and for me, it's sort of the "do I have time in my career to have children?" rather than "do I have time in my life to have a career?" I mean, Pup Reads changed our lifestyle dramatically so that we have to schedule vacations around the easiest way to transport her. Since we don't believe in kennels for our pup (she's a wee bit anxious and submissive--shelter puppy syndrome), we have to bring her to the Reads-In-Laws for when we go to UK. A child on top of a dog??? That's Quite The Change!
I think I would make a great dad, better than my own, but is that the right reason to have children? I hope not. Having children would force me to change my lifestyle (not necessarily a bad thing) and would impact my ability to be footloose and fancy free taking jobs far and wide at a whim - when others are involved it complicates things.
Exactly. See above re: dog :)
Again, for women the choice is starker. I do think it's something of a false dichotomy that women have to choose between career or family. They should have both and society should stop implying that one or the other is losing out. I know plenty of men that once they have children, back off on their careers big time. It's just no longer important to them.
But because they keep telling us that we must choose, we feel like we must choose, no? Very, very insane, all of it.
And I think Ragtime's p.o.v. and the death comment is spot on.
Ragtime is ever Spot-On, on everything Ragtime speaks about, and we should listen to him/her at all times. Even when I disagree with Ragtime, I agree with Ragtime. That make sense? :)
Ciao,
Amy
Ragtime is ever Spot-On, on everything Ragtime speaks about, and we should listen to him/her at all times. Even when I disagree with Ragtime, I agree with Ragtime. That make sense? :)
*Blush*
Hi Anon,
Well, if those darn pesky women hadn't changed everything, men wouldn't have to worry about having time in their careers for kids b/c they wouldn't have to worry about it anyway! The very fact that that concern creeps up indicates that something has happened for men. Likely just the knowledge that Mom might not hang up her proverbial tights, and without supermom, Dad might have to give up the martinis at the club once a week and come home so Mom can fight crime...
Which I would love to see happen, and which my Fellow Bloggers have assured me has happened a time or two in the comics. I do think we are approaching a new era--Mr. Reads is quite willing, in fact, to be a Stay-At-Home Dad, which suits me just fine (!).
:)
(Comic is not my idiom, but this post was great!)
Thanks! And thanks for reading!
Ciao,
Amy
Hi Skeets,
There was also Astro City: Family Album. Please tell me y'all have read Astro City...
*hangs head and shuffles feet* Um... if I lie, would you believe me?
It's on the To-Read List, if that counts. Does it?
Ciao,
Amy
Hi Ragtime,
*Blush*
:)
Ciao,
Amy
Personally, I would jump at the chance to be a stay-at-home dad if all the stars were aligned to make that happen.
I think "something" happened a while ago vis a vis men and women in the home. But perhaps I am projecting here since I was pretty much raised by a single mom. Neither my dad nor my stepdad, once he entered into my life, went and had maritinis after work or otherwise curled up on the recliner expecting mom to do their bidding. In fact, if one were to order her around she was just look at you like you were on crack. I don't think my experience was at all atypical.
I really do like the Manhunter book. I am not too familiar with the previous (male) incarnation of the character, but this ones fun to me. I am not familiar with Bulletteer at all. What can you tell me about her?
Hi Amy--Just wanted to say great post and congrats on such a successful blog. It has really taken off, huh?
Hi Sarah,
Thanks! And to think that all of this is completely your fault ;)
I'm having way too much fun with this. Although my life's getting in the way of my, well, life at the moment. Too much to do!
Ciao,
Amy
Hi Mr. Fanboy,
Personally, I would jump at the chance to be a stay-at-home dad if all the stars were aligned to make that happen.
Mr. Reads is quite pleased with the notion, more so than I am with the idea of stay-at-home mom. Plus, as a writer, he can pretty much write anywhere, you know?
I think "something" happened a while ago vis a vis men and women in the home. But perhaps I am projecting here since I was pretty much raised by a single mom. Neither my dad nor my stepdad, once he entered into my life, went and had maritinis after work or otherwise curled up on the recliner expecting mom to do their bidding. In fact, if one were to order her around she was just look at you like you were on crack. I don't think my experience was at all atypical.
No, I don't think so, either, although I was raised in a more "traditional" home. However, Dad Reads believed that at least one woman in the world could do anything--me. And he made darn sure I had every opportunity.
I really do like the Manhunter book. I am not too familiar with the previous (male) incarnation of the character, but this ones fun to me. I am not familiar with Bulletteer at all. What can you tell me about her?
Not much, actually! I don't know her all that well, but from what I've seen, I adore. I'll do some research and get back with you ;)
Ciao,
Amy
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