Female comic book superheroes highlighted in art show by SPC professor

SEMINOLE

Battling evil is the easy part. Taking on sexist plot lines and uninterested readers is the far tougher task.

That's what female comic book superheroes have faced since the 1940s, and it's part of the reason Brandy Stark took on the topic as the subject of her graduate thesis.

Stark, a professor of religion and humanities at St. Petersburg College, is working on her second master's degree and wanted to make it as fun as possible. The result is "Faces of the Feminine: Superheroines and Popular Culture," an exhibition on some of the most underrepresented denizens of the comic book world.

The female counterparts of big-name heroes like Superman and Batman have made a lasting impression on American culture, she said.

"Superheroines are very much able to save themselves, they always look good and they have incredible powers," said Stark, a lifelong comic book fan.

Her exhibit, which runs through July 6 at Seminole Community Library, features works from local artists as well as pieces from around the country, ranging from abstract sculpture to stylized comic book images. All present a fresh look on what it means to be a female superhero: Gulfport photographer Jude Bagatti's photo of impassive American Indian women, for example, is just as powerful as a jaunty portrait of Supergirl or Wonder Woman, Stark says.

A painting in the exhibit by Safety Harbor artist Zoran Peshich depicts a rifle-wielding Sarah Palin, inviting viewers to consider whether the polarizing politician is on par with the virtuous heroines of comic book legend or their evil nemeses.

"I see a lot of validity in comic books because they reflect modern culture," Stark said. She contributed a piece to the exhibit as well — a wire sculpture of Catwoman scaling a building.

Carol Stabile, a communications professor at the University of Oregon who has written on the role of women in comic books and science fiction, said female superheroes like the ones depicted in Stark's exhibit still aren't portrayed in a positive light.

"There's a serious lack of women in comic books and science fiction, and the women who appear are certainly not as powerful in their own right. What are Wonder Woman's powers? Jewelry?" she said, referring to the character's indestructible bracelets. "It's certainly not like flying. They're always these kind of wonky superpowers."

But Stark says female comic book characters have come a long way since the 1940s, when they were introduced primarily as companions or wives to powerful heroes. They were dependent characters in need of constant rescuing, Stark said.

These days, Wonder Woman and her friends are considerably more powerful, thanks to an increased presence of female writers and a renewed attempt by the comic book industry to reach out to female readers, she said.

Library representatives said the exhibit has been popular so far.

"We've certainly seen people looking at different pieces. We've had some favorable comments," said Mike Bryan, the director of Seminole Community Library. "It's some very creative work in different media. The theme has been very broadly interpreted by the artists, and it's been a really creative exhibit."

The art is also for sale, from $25 to $2,500. One piece has sold for $50.

Stark couldn't be happier.

"I've never had this much fun doing this kind of research," she said, laughing.

Aubrey Whelan can be reached at awhelan@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8316.