Comic books have lost their way. They used to be a great source of entertainment, now they aren't. We need to make comics great again, like Donald Trump is making America great again. We need to go back to the roots of what made them great. So this week I'll be looking at a classic factor, that just isn't around anymore. We need the damsel in distress.
The damsel in distress is a fantasy trope that has consistently appeared in literature from around the world for longer than anyone reading this has been alive. When it comes to fantasy tropes, they are simple, but always draw a reader in. Others are good vs evil, the hero, the dark lord, star crossed lovers and the unrequited love. These stories are timeless and lay the groundwork for endless possibilities in the world of literature, until comics killed it.
I mean, think about it. This has to be reason comics are so bad now. Jean Gray is boss now, taking out any one who gets in her way. Yet, when she first appeared she made comics great. That's because she was a damsel in distress. She almost died in every issue of X-Men. Each week she would face a near death experience only to be saved Wolverine, Cyclops or Professor X. The reason that the sales of X-Men have dipped isn't because Marvel systemically killing them off for nearly a decade. The problem is we've let women like Jean, Emma Frost and Storm take the lead, and it's clearly a story about the men, it's right in the title.
Marvel isn't the only company lacking it's damsels either. Look at Lois Lane. Her sole role was to be a reporter, do something stupid, because you know how women be, am I right am I right? Then be rescued by Superman. Now look at Lois. Post-Crisis Lois is a hard hitting journalist taking on Intergang with no backup, being involved in shootouts, car chases and hardcore parquor. Then there's Lois 52 who took time to be Superwoman until she died.
See, the problem with comics is they keep pushing these strong female leads when we just don't need them. Women don't read comics, neither do minorities for that matter. I'll tell you the only woman that knows her place in comics right now is Jessica Drew. Staying home to raise a baby just like a good woman should. She's not out there in the middle of battles like Carol Danvers or hopping dimensions like that America Chavez. Maybe she should hop to a dimension where women know their place. Am I right? Am I right? Don't bother telling me, I know I'm right.
We're going to keep making comics great again, we've gotten away from the basics. Back in the day we wouldn't see half the things that get put onto the pages these days. Donald Trump inspired millions with his slogan of make America great again. And that's what I'm going to do with comics. Make them great again.
You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet. You can also check out his playthrough of Sleeping Dogs.
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