Michelle MacLaren will Direct Wonder Woman

MovieWonderWomanThe official announcement of Wonder Woman's solo movie was a horribly anticlimactic moment for fans around the world. Warner Bros. released a list of ten upcoming DC titles, and Wonder Woman just happened to be on that list. No press event. No formal announcement at NYCC, which was only a few days prior. The world's most well-known female comic book hero and universal symbol for female empowerment had her movie announced in a list that included Shazam and the Suicide Squad. No offense to them, but they don't really belong on the same billing as Wonder Woman. Needless to say, I was seriously concerned for the fate of the Amazon Princess on screen and so disappointed I couldn't even bring myself to blog about it.

Then the announcement came that Michelle MacLaren would be directing Wonder Woman, and I was suddenly filled with hope.

MichelleMIs it because Michelle is a woman? Absolutely not. I honestly don't think that gender can foretell how a writer or director will bring a character to life. There have been many male writers who have perfectly captured Diana on the page. George Perez is responsible for rebooting Wonder Woman and bringing her into the modern age of comics. Without his run, I don't think the Amazon Princess would have stayed relevant in the genre. Greg Rucka also springs to mind. I love his take on Diana and his graphic novel The Hiketeia is one of my favorite Wonder Woman titles. Most recently, Brian Azzarello rebooted Diana again for the New 52. Although his changes were controversial, his Wonder Woman was powerful, intelligent, and ground breaking. He brought Diana out of the shadows and made Wonder Woman one of the most successful titles in DC's new lineup. However, all good things must come to an end. The current FEMALE writer of Wonder Woman, Meredith Finch, is already drawing criticism for her rendition of Diana only one issue into her run. It's about respecting and understanding the character, not what reproductive organs the writer has.

MacLarendirectingMichelle is a very talented director with a knack for crafting impressive action sequences. She is best known for her directorial work on Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead. Very few directors can bring the graphic sword fights of Game of Thrones to life and also create well-done shoot outs for Breaking Bad. THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT! She has successfully navigated the fantasy/historical realm and the modern setting, both of which are necessary to bring Diana to life on the big screen.  I think this makes Michelle uniquely qualified to take on the Amazon Princess, who must straddle the ancient traditions of Themyscria and the mean streets of man's world in the same film.

Considering that DC's movie universe is being overseen by the ass-hat who considered Sucker Punch a story of female empowerment, many Wonder Woman fans have been concerned about her film adaptation. Wonder Woman has been a symbol for female womenGOTempowerment for decades, and it is vital that she is depicted as such in the movies. This is another area where Michelle shines. She has directed the female characters on Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and X-files, all of which are unique individuals with complex motivations. Any director who can capture the spirit of Arya Stark, the noble warrior nature of Brienne of Tarth, and the intelligence of Dana Scully has the potential to hit Wonder Woman out of the park.

Only time will tell, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.
UPDATE: 4/13/15 - Michelle MacLaren has dropped out of directing Wonder Woman due to what the parties involved are calling creative differences. It is unclear whether MacLaren's departure will affect the movie's scheduled release — it has been slotted for 2017.  


Do-it-Yourself: New52 Wonder Woman Corset

Wonder Woman ChiangWonder Woman's corset in the New52 is stunning. The complex chevron pattern combined with stars is intricate and eye-catching. As difficult as it is to draw, it's even more difficult to sew. Chevrons are quite a challenge and are also very time consuming.

Now there are two ways to make this corset, the easier way (still not super easy) and the hard way. The easy way would be to buy/make a corset, then make the straight lined chevrons out of a stretch fabric to cover that corset. I was hesitant to use this method because it can result in the chevrons looking warped as the fabric stretches to match the curves of the body, and because I wanted my corset to look like it was made out of leather.

Thus, the hard way.

Please Note: This is a difficult project that requires pretty advanced sewing skills. You will need to be familiar with making corsets and have a corset pattern that works for you as a base for this tutorial. You will also need a walking foot for your sewing machine if you are using leather.

WW Corset 1
These lines follow the line of the body. They appear straight, but are not.

Step 1: Use your corset pattern to make a mock-up. Make sure you use the same type of fabric that you will eventually use for the base of your final corset, I recommend something heavy like duck cloth.

Step 2: Put this mock-up on a dress form, a volunteer, or yourself if you have a friend to help. Then draw chevrons on half of the mock-up. Measure equidistant meeting points on the center front of the corset as a base, then draw out from there. The trick is that these cannot be straight lines drawn with a ruler. You will get a tube shape if you tried to make a corset out of straight lines that would not form to the contours of your body correctly. You have to draw chevrons that form to the body's curves and appear to make straight chevrons. YOU WILL GET LOTS OF FREAKY SHAPED STRIPS. THAT IS OK!WW Corset 2

Step 3: Mark the lines on your mock-up with notches and numbers so you can keep track of which order the pieces go in, and where they meet. Cut the mock-up along the lines you drew to create the pattern for your final corset cover. DON'T FREAK OUT AT THE STRANGE SHAPES YOU GET!

WW Corset 3Step 5: Trace your pattern pieces onto your final fabric and add a 1/2 inch seam allowance around each piece. Make sure you have two complete sides for your corset and the pieces for each side should be a reflection of each other. Make sure you copy over the notches and identifying marks onto the BACK side of these pieces. I used leather but other pleathers will work as well. Stretch fabrics will not work and will warp the final product, try the previous method listed above if you want to use a stretch fabric.

WW Corset 4Step 6: Carefully, starting from the top center piece, sew one side of the corset together. Make sure to line up the notches, they are your guide! Now sew the refection side of it together. You should now have two complete halves of a corset cover that are reflections of one another.WW Corset 6

Step 7: Using rubber cement, glue all of your seam allowances flat against the back of your corset cover. Make them all as flat as possible. Flat seam allowances will make your life easier later and make your final product look better! Make sure the glue is dry before moving on to step #8.

WW corset 7Step 8: Now it's time to make the chevrons happen! Meeting the right sides of the corset center fronts (those are two edges) use pins or tape if you are using a leather-like material to insure that the seams of your chevrons meet up. You might have to do a little manipulating and stretching to make the pieces line up perfectly in the front, but this is a VERY important step. You don't want your chevrons to not line up. Sew them together on the wrong side down what now is the center front of your corset cover.

WW corset 10Step 9: The hardest part of your project is over!! Congrats!! Now cut out the stars from the same material as your chevrons, making sure they have the correct proportions to your chevrons. Put a small amount of rubber cement on the back of each star and place it where you'd like it on the corset. The glue will help hold the star in place while you top-stitch it down.

Step 10: Using your corset pattern, make the base corset with metal boning.

Step 11: Again using your dress form, a volunteer, or yourself if you have a friend to help you, put your WW corset 11base corset in place. Then, finding the exact center, use bardge cement to glue the center seam of your chevroned corset cover to your base corset. This will keep the center front from moving around. You can also glue around the cups of the corset and along the sides and center back once the front has dried.

Step 12: Hand stitch the edges of your corset cover down on the inside of your base corset. This takes a while and you will definitely need a thimble if you are using leather. Make sure you stitch down all the edges!

Step 13: Grommet the corset.

CONGRATS!! YOU ARE DONE!! Hopefully you have an amazing piece of cosplay art to enjoy!

WW Corset 13        WW Corset 12


Dawn of Justice: Wonder Woman Rumors

Rumors about the Batman vs. Superman movie, now called Dawn of Justice, have been flying around the internet for months. I was thrilled that Wonder Woman was rumored to be in the film, then had a mixed reaction with the official casting, but I've always known it would be the outfit that would really make or break my hope for this film. Now, thanks to JoBlo.com, we may actually have some hints at the direction they are taking Diana in the DC movies.

Wonder Woman’s costume:

Rainfall Wonder Woman
Costume design from the Rainfall Films Wonder Woman Short

The reports of Wonder Woman wearing the pre-new52 jacket and leggings outfit are inaccurate. Completely. The description of the outfit from our source uses the term “badass” on multiple occasions. This Wonder Woman is ripped right from the comics and has a “traditional, yet sleeker” costume that’s “battle ready.” She’ll have a blue leather skirt, silver-armored cuffs that reach to her elbows, golden tiara (with a design of some sort in the center, possibly the red star) and a variation of the traditional-looking red top (no word on additional armor on it). Her overall appearance is described as “Amazon warrior princess” and definitely not an urban reimagining. She’s there to kick ass and that’s readily apparent. Word is that WB is getting a VERY positive response on her appearance to those they’ve shown it to.

HALLELUJAH!!!! THIS MAKES ME SO HOPEFUL AND EXCITED!!! This sounds very similar to some of my favorite Wonder Woman designs, but it also may give us more hints about the movie. A "traditional" and "battle ready" design suggests that they may be keeping her back story intact, which is hugely important to fans. It also sounds like she is going to be a powerful fighter herself, rather than eye candy to hang on Superman's arm.

Wonder Woman’s weapons:

That’s right, not just a golden lasso here. Wonder Woman will have no less than FOUR weapons, including shield, sword, spear, and of course, the traditional lasso. It’s also noted that she will wear the shield on her back,surrender Captain America style, when not in use.

Did you read that?!? GOLDEN LASSO!! If these rumors are to be believed than this is another sign that they are staying true to comic book Wonder Woman! It is also a great sign that they are arming her with the most common weapons that she is portrayed with in the comics. Now to wait and see if the lasso retains the magical properties it traditionally has.

Wonder Woman’s screen time in the film:

Her character will be introduced as “Diana” in the film initially before we ever see her as Wonder Woman. She will have a fair amount of screen time and will team up with Batman and Superman for the final battle against an un-named villain who may be working or controlled by Lex Luther. Her origin will be intentionally vague, but she is brought into the fold to show that there are other superheroes in the universe other than Superman.

This part I am taking with a grain of salt. I've worked on enough movie projects to know that things change drastically between the script and the cutting room floor. It's nice to hear the whispers that she will be more then a small cameo, and it's GREAT to hear that she will be fighting in the big final battle. Hopefully, they don't have her end up being Lois Lane 2.0 and just a new pretty face for Superman to save over and over.

JusticeLeagueLeaving her origins vague may mean that they are planning on giving her a solo movie later to explain things, but I'm guessing it's due more to pacing and trying to keep the movie shorter than Gone with the Wind. They are introducing A LOT of heroes in this movie. It initially focused on Superman and Batman, but now the confirmed cast includes Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, Cyborg, Aquaman, and possibly even Nightwing. That's a lot of explaining to do if they are even going to briefly touch on everyone's origin stories, and introducing that many characters in a film will cut drastically into the screen time of any individual character. This makes me nervous, because I want Diana to get the screen time she deserves as part of DC's trinity.

Dawn of Justice has to do well for Wonder Woman to get her own film. These rumors give me hope, but we have a long way to go before we see the final product.

Wonder-Woman-Comci-Book-2


Magic in Marvel Movies

Doctor_Strange_6534The internet is buzzing with rumors about the casting of Marvel's Doctor Strange. While some really great names have been linked with the role of earth's Sorcerer Supreme, there is another reason that I am thrilled to hear that Stephen Vincent Strange will be appearing on the silver screen.

It means REAL magic will be appearing in a modern comic book movie universe for the first time.

Yes, I know that Loki has been using his hologram-like tricks since his first appearance, but Marvel has been very careful to explain away magic. Asgardians aren't gods, they are super advanced aliens who occasionally come to earth to pretend to be gods. It's not a Soul Forge, it's a Quantum Field Generator. Jane Foster lays it out for us when she explains, "Magic is just science we don't understand yet." While they have been pushing the envelope with each new film, there still hasn't been anything that has been expressly described as magic. Doctor Strange's power is completely based on magic and I don't think that they will risk the wrath of fans to try to explain it away with some advanced science. The technology-ruled Marvel movie universe is officially going to cross the line that they've been so careful to tiptoe with Thor.

wonder womanThis is a huge deal when many people claim that some characters, like Wonder Woman, can never appear on screen with their magic-based powers and backstories intact. These people argue that the modern audience won't accept magic in comic book movies, and so these iconic characters must be altered to fit neatly into the expected norm. It's refreshing that Marvel doesn't agree.

This adds a huge number of amazing possibilities for upcoming DC and Marvel movies! Scarlet Witch, Wonder Woman, Zatanna, John Constantine (for real this time), Enchantress, and so many others now have hope of appearing on screen intact. While adding a few technological advances to the Amazons might smooth the transition (maybe a cloaking device hides Paradise Island instead of magic?), I believe that the magical foundation to Wonder Woman's powers and her magical items can succeed on the big screen. DC's movies have had a very different tone than the Marvel movies, but I believe that they can build upon the foundations laid by the successful Marvel franchises. The average moviegoer isn't going to separate the DC and Marvel movies into exclusive categories. If they accept Loki and Doctor Strange in an Avengers movie, they will accept Wonder Woman or John Constantine in a DC movie.


Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman

GalGadotIt has finally happened. Wonder Woman is going to appear in a major motion picture. Gal Gadot wasn't on my short list for the part. She wasn't even on my long list for the part. To be honest, she hadn't crossed my mind at all. I was hoping for Lynn Collins, who screamed Wonder Woman with her performance in John Carter. Lynn has the look and the acting chops to bring Diana to life, despite the fact that she'd need an apple box and some movie magic to make her appear taller. In contrast, I really don't know anything about Gal except how she looks physically, because she's never been in anything that required much acting.

The movie I have been dreaming of has arrived, and I am filled with a mixture of joy and fear that only comes with being a fanatic... er... fan.

JOY: DC movies are really well cast.
I may not like all the choices or stories, but I have almost always liked the casting in DC movies. Every time I nerd-rage out about someone being cast, I have (almost) always been proven wrong. I ate my words with both Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker, and Ann Hathaway's spot-on Catwoman. Man of Steel and Green Lantern were both well cast, and their actors did their best despite terrible scripts. The casting people at Warner's B&Jobviously have a good eye for this, so maybe Gal will knock it out of the park.

FEAR: DC movies have really crappy scripts.
DC movies have a history of terrible scripts that are filled with cornball jokes or gaping plot holes. I think George Clooney could have been a Batman for the ages if he had been given the right script. Ditto for Jim Carrey as the Riddler. Can you imagine him playing a creepy, puzzle-crazed Riddler in a more realistic way like Heath Ledger's Joker? These problems have continued into more recent projects. Batman Begins started the new DC movies off strong, but both The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel suffered from bad pacing, lack of character development, and moments that simply didn't make sense! I am terrified they will completely miss the mark with Diana's appearance in Batman & Superman, which will be the death sentence for any Wonder Woman movie in the works.

JOY: Gal has actual military experience!
I love this! My sister joined the US Army a few years ago, and even her weeks of boot camp gave her an impressive amount of training. Israel is the only country in the world where service KidsandWWis compulsory for both women and men, and two years of military service in the Israeli Defense Force is nothing to sneeze at. Women can be assigned to infantry combat service and be directly in the line of fire. Even if Gal didn't experience that, Israel is far from a peaceful place and the training would have prepared her for all possibilities. She has been closer to real combat than most action stars in Hollywood.

FEAR: Gal isn't built like Wonder Woman.
Yes, I'll admit that this is a bit shallow, but Wonder Woman's physique is part of what drew me to her as a child. I was always one of the tallest kids in my class. Combine that with my athletic build from years of competitive swimming and the rude comments prepubescent boys made, I could often feel out of place. Wonder Woman helped young Kimi deal with that. She showed me that a woman could be physically imposing, while still being feminine! While there is certainly a lot of depth to Wonder Woman, her physical build shouldn't be ignored. I hope Gal hits the gym.

JOY: Zack Snyder's movies look cool.
There is no disputing that Zack Snyder has great style. Man of Steel and Watchmen were visually stunning interpretations of comic publications. Most importantly, 300 proved that a movie based Suckerpunchon ancient stories/myths (like Wonder Woman herself) could succeed and be accepted by the modern audience.

FEAR: Zack Snyder sucks at creating good female characters.
This is the director who HONESTLY thought Sucker Punch was a story of female empowerment. That's right, the movie about girl who is trapped in an insane asylum and repeatedly raped, but mentally escapes to a fantasy world where she is a sex slave, who mentally escapes to another fantasy world where she is a scantily clad fighter trying to find random objects, but in reality, she just gets lobotomized in the real world and stays a victim. Wow. Way to empower women Zack. Create a Russian nesting doll of victimization and assault for your female characters on all levels of their psyche. While I have no doubt that Mr. Snyder will make fight scenes that will be worthy of Wonder Woman (just look at Faora in Man of Steel), I believe he is utterly incapable of capturing her character and motivations.

When it comes right down to it, the actress is not my biggest worry with Wonder Woman appearing on film. I'm much more concerned about the writers, and the director. That being said, I'm trying not to judge too harshly until there is something to be judged. I can't wait to see the costume they come up with... or can I?

*worry*

wonder-woman-migraine

 


Letter from a DC Fangirl

Dear DC Comics,

I know this is harder on me than it is on you. I am just one woman among countless fans, and it's starting to be pretty apparent how much you care about your fans. So, after more than twenty years of loyalty and love, I'm going to be frank with you. Our relationship is in trouble.

1464_400x600 I was so young when my cousin introduced us, and I'd sneak looks at you until I was old enough to get an allowance and have you for myself. I loved your late 80s and early 90s style. I still have some copies of Wonder Woman, The New Teen Titans, Justice League (America, Europe, International, and New_Teen_Titans_Vol_1_28even Task Force), and Batman & the Outsiders to remember the good times. Through all the changes, I stood beside you. I was there when Eclipso attacked, when Gotham was declared No Man's Land, and I hung in there for every "crisis" you could come up with. I watched Superman die and Metropolis try to cope with his loss. I followed along as Dick finally took up the cowl, and then put it down again. So many stories. Some were good, some were bad, but through it all I still felt like part of something wonderful.

Then you had some work done. The new 52 hit, and you became a hot ticket item. Suddenly, my friends who had never read comics before had a lot to say about you! It was nice to feel like my passion was spreading to new people. Like always, some stories were great and some sucked, but there were a lot of our old friends who weren't happy. I went to bat for you. I defended you to my friends and family! I pointed out all your good qualities, and whitewashed the bad because I wanted you to do well. Sadly, it was soon obvious that you didn't care about my feelings.

Justice-LeagueGreat characters never reappeared, and fan favorites started acting completely counter to their normal behavior. Quality character arcs fell by the wayside in favor of shock value and company profit. It was clear that the bottom line and the big bosses' ideas were more important than treating your creators well. Lots of amazing creators disappeared for a variety of reasons which reflected very badly on your management. Your choices didn't make sense and started driving away the writers and artists who kept us reading! Fans read a comic when the character they love is well written and drawn. Your talented creators make your company, not the other way around.

Most upsetting is your overall attitude CTW_Cv0_PREVIEWStowards women readers and female characters. Comics have always been over-sexualized, but your unending trail of insults over the last few years has gone beyond what we've come to expect, even from this industry. Many great characters' personalities were tweaked and flattened so that they can fit into what you thought was a sexier mold. The fact that you assume that women need a Superman/Wonder Woman Twilight-inspired romance to become interested in comics is just one recent example of how your female stereotyping has reached ridiculous levels. Finally, when you asked thousands of amateur artists to draw one of your most prominent female characters about to commit suicide in a bathtub, it's flat out insulting. Can something like that harley-quinnbe part of a tasteful storyline? Sure, but asking non-professionals to take on such sensitive subject matter is inappropriate. I cringe just imagining some of the entries you must have received. AND THEN some of your big-wigs took to social networking to make excuses and play down the incident. Jim Lee (who I basically hate at this point) blamed US for not waiting around to see the rest of the story. I don't care how the panels fit into the (unexplained) context of the story, you could have easily gleaned their drawing abilities from a more appropriate panel. You picked a horrendously irresponsible topic for this contest. It's downright disgusting. Apologize like an adult, hire a PR department, and move on.

Grow up. Stop blaming your audience for not liking your choices, and start making choices your customers will like.

I don't really know where this leaves us. I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm still with you when I'm in public. I've always flirted with Marvel, Dark Horse, and others, but now I'm seriously considering ending my monthly commitment to you. It breaks my heart, but even the good memories from our early days aren't enough to make up for the choices you are making. Shape up, or it's over.

Sincerely,

Kimi
A DC Fangirl
www.goldenlasso.net


Batgirl's Doctor is In: Dr. Andrea Letamendi

swteeAndrea Letamendi is one of the most interesting figures on the convention scene. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and puts her knowledge to geeky use by speaking about the psychology of Superheroes, Science Fiction, and Cosplay. When she isn't speaking on panels, Andrea works as a researcher at UCLA, does work for Marvel and DC, and creates amazing cosplays of her own.

Kimi: You’re known as @ArkhamAsylumDoc on twitter, do you have a favorite Arkham inmate in the Bat-verse?

Andrea Letamendi: Oh yes, I have many favorite Arkham Baddies. I can’t deny the power that the Joker has psychologically–he is such a mesmerizing and puzzling character because his acts of villainy and destruction do not always seem rationale or explainable. My favorite villain from Gotham’s Rogue Gallery is the Penguin, because of his tragic story. He seems to frequently try to reach out and connect with others, perhaps just looking to be understood, and that is incredibly relatable.

latemendi_batgirlK: You were recently depicted in  Batgirl #16 as Barbara Gordon’s clinical psychologist. Why did Gail Simone immortalize you as part of DC cannon?

AL: Last year, before the Batgirl annual, Mrs. Simone reached out to me to ask some questions about trauma recovery. Essentially she was writing about an important time in Barbara’s life during which she was recovering–both physically and psychologically– from the severe injury from a gunshot wound when the Joker attacked her (See: The Killing Joke). As a Batgirl reader and DC fan, I was more than thrilled to answer anything she wanted to know. My background in treating soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with psychological and physical injuries best prepped me to give anecdotes and explain the relationship between the therapist and the healing client. Little did I know that Mrs. Simone would not only write some of my suggestions into her comic, but also include me as a character! It was truly a surprise– and I feel the honorary gesture was not just toward me but for the psychology community as a whole.

K: In addition to being an adviser for Marvel and DC, you are also well known as a cosplayer. What pushed you to start cosplaying?

AL: I have essentially been cosplaying since I was a teenager, if you count “dressing up as a Jedi character that you made up” cosplay. I’ve always felt drawn to dressing up as characters I love, but it truly wasn’t until I started attending conventions in 2006 that I initially became involved with cosplay and the cosplay community.

tumblr_m8l6lqxB8k1rslvxlo1_500K: Which costume is your favorite to wear to conventions?

AL: My favorite costume is probably my Steampunk Huntress costume, although I have  a Battlestar Galactica costume in the works and it may quickly become one of my favorites!

K: You’ve found a way to bridge the gap between your love of psychology and your love of comics, are you trying to do the same with psychology and cosplay?

AL: I’ve found that my love of cosplay has led me to ask questions like “what draws us to certain characters?” and “why do we feel fulfilled or content when we’re wearing someone else’s clothes?” I also believe there’s something empowering and psychologically inspiring when we dress up as a superhero that we look up to, even if they are fictional. In my mind, it was inevitable that these two universe’s collide, which is why me and my colleague created a Cosplay Survey and plan to continue exploring the motivations, expressions, and backgrounds of cosplayers. I also believe that we can use real-world data to debunk or disconfirm myths about cosplayers. I feel as though psychological science can tell a story that allows people to see how adaptive, healthy, resourceful, and social cosplayers really are.

K: What conflicts have you faced between your geeky hobbies and your career?

AL: Actually, even though I initially felt distanced and a bit misunderstood in my field, I’ve recently discovered that people are generally interested–and even quite inspired–by some of the work I’m doing in the comics and cosplay community. I have to say that I was surprised by this and it reminds me that people just want to get to know you and that the field of Psychology can be particularly open and supportive of these other hobbies. I’d like to think that goes with other social sciences disciplines.

WCpsychLEFTIMG_5276K: Briefly, what have you learned about the Cosplay community through your surveys and your Psychology of Cosplay panels?

AL: We have learned that cosplayers represent a very diverse and social group. I think the single most important thing we have learned is that we simply do not have any evidence that cosplayers share any one feature or characteristic beyond their passion for costuming and performing. Stereotypes about cosplayers, therefore, are not currently supported by anything other than bullies on the internet.

You can visit Andrea's blog at Underthemaskonline.com or follow her on Twitter @ArkhamAsylumDoc.


Superheroine Costume Controversy

newpowergirl An adorable collection of illustrations have had the cosplay and comic community in a tizzy this week! They are by Michael Lee Lunsford and show female comic characters with redesigned outfits that are much more modest.  The skimpy clothes that female characters wear in comics have long been a controversial topic, especially among female fans. Some fans feel that the skimpy clothes are a way to pander to the young male demographic. Others feel that a woman should be free to wear whatever she likes and that there is nothing wrong with skimpy clothes. These pictures have rekindled the debate on how females are depicted in comics, and in turn, how cosplayers represent those characters in the real world. As an avid comic reader and cosplayer, I also had a very strong reaction to them.

 

catwoman52I agree that women have the right to wear whatever they want, but most comic book characters are being designed and drawn by men. There is no women's choice involved. The lithe female character poses and convenient camera angles of many panels only serve to further objectify the female characters in a way that simply doesn't happen with male characters. The impracticality of the designs is what annoys me the most. Yes, it's easier to do gymnastics in a leotard, but is it the most practical thing to wear when you are being shot at? It's really the last straw when you see a design as ridiculously exaggerated as Catwoman's unzipped suit.  Is it really that important that her breasts are exposed as she's trying to sneak through Gotham unseen? WHY THE HELL WOULDN'T SHE JUST ZIP IT UP? In an era where many male characters are moving from spandex to body armor, it's hard to continue to excuse the amounts of skin showing on many female characters.

newelecCosplayers are a completely different situation because they are REAL PEOPLE and who can make their own choices. If someone makes a woman wear a skimpy outfit without any choice, she becomes objectified and loses power. If a woman chooses to wear that same outfit because it makes her feel good, she has the power. The freedom of choice makes all the difference! The element of choice is why I have a problem with male artists designing skimpy female outfits, but do not have an issue with cosplayers creating and wearing those outfits. I often see cosplayers of both genders tweak character designs to be more flattering or comfortable for them to wear in public. Sometimes their self-expression means adding fabric to make it more modest, sometimes it involves showing more skin. Neither choice is "better" because it all depends on the individual cosplayer. Original designs are just as valid a form of cosplay as exact replicas of character outfits.

newWWThese pictures are a great artistic exercise, and I love the conversation they have started on this topic. That said, I'm not a huge fan of all the designs. I think Electra is amazing and easily my favorite, with Psylocke coming in a close second. Many of the designs are very interesting, but I'm not a fan of the baggy look that many of them are sporting. The khaki pants on Wonder Woman don't seem to match the rest of her design, but I really like how he altered the upper half of her outfit. Michael has a great artistic style that shows the unique personalities and beauty of each character, without focusing on their ass-ets.

Almost Got 'Im

The Music Behind Batman: The Animated Series

Batman:The Animated Series was a brilliant show that forever left its imprint on the Batman universe. With its film noir style, it was the gateway for a new generation to discover comics and the Caped Crusader. Each character was captured perfectly, from the  Mark Hamill's brilliant rendition of The Joker to the re-imagining of Mr. Freeze's history (which was eventually adopted by the comics and movies)! And, let's not forget that this was the series that brought Ms. Harley Quinn into being!

Stuart Balcomb is an accomplished movie score composer and was part of bringing Batman:The Animated Series series to life. He scored some of the most memorable episodes in the series, and I was lucky enough to interview him about his time working on the show.

Kimi: How did you join the Batman: The Animated Series team?

Stuart Balcomb: At the time, I was Supervising Copyist at the Universal Studios Music Library. My counterpart at Twentieth, Jo Ann Kane, recommended me to Shirley Walker, who at the time was assembling a team of composers for a new animated series. Shirley called and I went to her house for an interview. There were a LOT of people involved, and we all were given a few cues each to orchestrate for Shirley, who was already writing some shows. She had a very specific format we were to follow using very commonsensical procedures that I still use today. She liked my work, so I made the first cut. Next, she gave me a show (The Underdwellers) to split with Lars Clutterham. She evenly assigned cues to each of us to write. When I had written a few cues, I drove to her house and she'd play through them on the piano, making suggestions if needed. She was very hands-on in that manner. I'd go back, make the fixes and then send the score to Warners. Shirley conducted that session while Lars and I read the scores in the booth. She again liked my work to then give me a full show of my own (Appointment in Crime Alley). I Almost Got 'Imreally liked the Main Title I wrote, which consists of rising and falling sequences of sixths. If I remember correctly, she conducted the first half and I, the second. I scored one more episode, my favorite (Almost Got 'Im), which I conducted. That was a real treat because all Batman's enemies were in a nightclub, talking about how each almost got him, so each time the scene cut back to the club, they needed some jazz music playing. Being from a jazz background, I was in my element. At the session, we saved all those cues for last. Shirley had hired a real jazz bass player and we had a ball. One musician remarked, "Geez, we're getting PAID for this?"

K: Were there any musical themes that you had to include or stay away from in your compositions?

SB: I was given some established character themes to use if I wanted. When I did use a theme, I indicated on the score what percentage should be credited to that composer. I actually came up with my own Bat Mobile theme in "Crime Alley," which I really liked. I've since wanted to expand on it, but it's the property of Warner Bros., so what's the point?

K: What was it like working with Bruce Timm, who has been involved in nearly all the DC animated projects?

SB: Bruce was great. Very friendly, very astute, and right on the money when it came to where music should go, where music should not be. I don't remember whether it was Bruce or Shirley, but it was decided that we all should stay completely clear of explosions. Build the music right up to it and stop dead about a heartbeat or two before. Let that little silent vacuum suck you right into the massive sound effect. It worked brilliantly. Since then, I've been acutely aware of the error of so many scores that bludgeon us over the head with crash cymbals, massive bass drum, and the works, on top of all the mayhem that the sound department so skillfully crafted.

K: You conducted your own scoring sessions for Batman: The Animated Series. Was that your choice, and if so, why do you prefer to conduct your own compositions?

SB: I do love to conduct. It is an art, and I feel that a good conductor almost paints pictures with the hands. I conducted a church choir for ten years, and I really appreciate the ability to "shape" a sound with even an intimate gesture. Because of that, I would almost rather conduct an orchestra with no baton. I remember one famous Hollywood conductor who did a lot of A-list film sessions, and he was simply a human metronome—no expression, no entrance cues—he just mechanically waved the baton with the click track with his head buried in the score. That's not conducting!

K: How did you keep each episode fresh and still use the recognizable themes for each character?

SB: ... I have never found it a problem to come up with new ideas. Sure, we all recycle ourselves from time to time, but our musical language is who we are. Motifs evolve, are reborn, and emerge sometimes as cousins of previous material. Frank Zappa said that he only ever wrote one piece. He considered that his entire output over his lifetime, from beginning to end, was really just one continuous piece of music.

K: From start to finish, could you walk us through the process of creating the score for a single episode?

Every TV show and film starts with the spotting session. I met with Bruce and Shirley and the music editor, Tom Milano. We viewed the raw episode (sometimes there were placeholders because the animation wasn't finished), discussed where music should start and stop, and sometimes the musical nature of each scene. Tom took notes which he later mailed to me, listing each cue and its timings. It was up to me to translate all those into notes on a score that would support the scene ... I wrote out the score by hand. Yup, those days were still pencil on paper. I still really just compose in my head and write down what I hear, with an occasional reference to a keyboard.

As I would finish a few scores, I'd call Warners and tell them to send a courier to pick up what I had done. The music library could copy the parts and bind the scores for the session, then the next day I'd send more in.

I had worked for about a week on "Almost Got 'Im," and it was about midnight before the recording session. All the other scores had been delivered to Warner Bros., the parts copied and booked up for the players, and I had only one last cue to write. The problem was that I was completely drained. Exhausted and creatively spent, I could not go any further. I stared at the empty score pages that I had prepared and wondered what to do. I briefly entertained the idea of running away, booking a flight somewhere.

It then suddenly hit me that A.) the earth turns and tomorrow will come, and B.) at 10:00 tomorrow I will be standing on the podium in front of an orchestra with a baton in my hand, ready to give a downbeat, and all those pages will be filled in, black with notes. I visualized the future. It was tomorrow and the task was done. All I had to do was get from here to there. And at that moment all the ideas started to flow. That visualization made the process much easier, and I've used it ever since—I even once applied it to weeding the lawn...

Well, that was another digression, but very key to my experience with that particular episode. To continue, after a session, perhaps a week later, I'd get a call to attend the dubbing session in which dialog, sound effects, and music tracks are all mixed for the final output. It's very important for the composer, or someone who has the composer's interests at heart, to attend the session, because sometimes it's important to speak up for oneself and say that such-and-such music theme must remain on top of the mix at a certain moment where maybe the sound effects editor is keen on pumping a sound that someone had worked a week to create, thus burying an important musical moment. A fine balance must be maintained so that the maximum service is done to the film, be it music, a spoken phrase, a sound effect, or even silence. The music editor and mixer were very good, though, because only once did I have to chime in and say that the music was a bit too low at that point, to which everyone agreed.

K: I know that your son was a huge fan of Batman: The Animated Series, were you a Batman fan before you started composing for the show?

SB: No, I was not necessarily a Batman fan. [My son] Sam was a comic collector—in fact, we both bought the first Youngblood that came out ...We also collected the Spawn comics from the very beginning. After awhile, I think Sam stopped but I continued, and eventually stopped at #100. For Christmas one year I gave him all 100 issues. But I digress.... Tim Burton had put out two films by the time the Animated Series came around, so I had seen those. I wasn't thrilled with the over-the-top, almost slapstick violence, especially with the absurd fight between Batman and the Joker on the top of that bell tower. I did, however, like Danny's score.

I'd like to thank Stuart for taking the time to indulge my fangirl questions. I truly credit Batman: The Animated Series for introducing me to the world of comic books, and it was an honor to quiz him on a topic so near and dear to my heart.

Visit www.stuartbalcomb.com to hear samples of his work from Batman:The Animated Series and his other incredible projects.


Do-it-Yourself: Comic Book Purse

This is a great technique called decoupage, which has been around for a LONG time. I had seen it done, but it took the geek powers of @amy_geek, @ArkhamAsylumDoc, @TheStephThorpe, and all the other amazing girls in our crafting group to get me to try it. This was my first decoupage project!

Materials:

Purse
Think about what you want to do with your purse, and choose an appropriate style and color. For example, I wanted to make a Wonder Woman themed purse so I chose red leather to match Wonder Woman's outfit. Ideally, you want to decorate areas that bend and flex as little as possible. Purses with stiffer sides are better than bag- types. I found mine at the Goodwill store for $7.

Mod Podge & Paint Brush
This wonderful substance is similar to Elmer's Glue and is available at most craft stores, but I found mine at Walmart. It comes in multiple sizes and usually costs less than $10. I chose the gloss finish type, but there are other choices. While you're there, buy a cheap paintbrush to apply the Mod Podge. I prefer the finer bristle ones because it's easier to apply the Mod Podge smoothly and they are less likely to mess up the pictures. Don't spend a lot of money though because, if you forget to wash it quickly enough, the Mod Podge will ruin your brush.

Pictures
Actually, any paper product will do, but pictures are the most interesting and easy for other people to recognize. I bought some used Wonder Woman comics at my local shop. I suggest comic books from the last few years due to their higher printing quality and vibrant colors, but anything will work. If you don't want to cut up comics, you can make color Xerox copies of them to use for your project instead.

PRO TIP: If you are buying comics for this project, look through them before you buy them! It's amazing how little a character can show up in their own comic!

Process:
Step 1: Stuff the purse with a towel so that it doesn't give when you put pressure on it, then wipe off the purse with a damp paper towel and maybe some mild soap. I don't recommend cleaners because you never know how they will affect the Mod Podge or the purse. Once the purse is totally dry, move on to the next step.

Step 2: Decide what area of the purse you'd like to start working on and choose a picture that will fit there. Cut the picture out in a square-ish shape with lots of extra around it but be careful not to mess up other pictures you might use. It is easier to trim away extra when you start applying it to the purse than to try to fill in gaps in your collage. Hold the picture up to the DRY purse, then trim away the extra so that it fits the space. If you'd like, you can use a light pencil or your fingernail to mark the edges before you trim them.

Step 3: With your paint brush, apply a medium layer of Mod Podge to the area you intend to place your first picture. It shouldn't be dripping, but you should be able to see the white coloring. CAREFULLY place the picture on the Mod Podged area and smooth it out with your fingers. The now-wet paper will rip if you pull on it too much.

Step 4: Spread a thin layer of Mod Podge over your image with your paint brush. This layer should be pretty thin and clear when applied, and will dry completely clear. Be sure to add extra to the cut edges of your picture and flatten them with your paintbrush. You don't want any edges or seams sticking up. If wrinkles appear, smooth them with your brush or the tips of your fingers. This might be a sign that you didn't stuff your purse enough, so add more stuffing!

Step 5: Repeat steps 2 - 5 with other pictures until the purse is covered to your liking! You do not have to wait for the Mod Podge on one picture to dry before starting on the next. Don't be afraid to overlap them!

Step 6: After the bag is done being decorated, add more thin layers of Mod Podge on top of the decorated areas to keep them protected. Wait at least 48 hours before using your purse. You can always add another layer of Mod Podge if you see areas becoming worn!

 Congrats! You now have a custom piece of accessory artwork to enjoy!