Women In Refrigerators

Title of this post kinda reads off like a David Lynch TV series by-line, eh? Not exactly. It was something of a unexpected commentary that I haven't recalled or mentioned for some time regarding female characters in the comicbook universe.

This was initially prompted when I read an essay regarding John Byrne's treatment of women in a number of titles he penned and pencilled through the years. I read that essay at Zan's Super Page. The Zan site is an excellent site to look up matters regarding Superhero Gaming. I read the essay in question under the title "Don't Do It To Me Again!".

Reading said article kinda struck me as to how there was an unspoken issue of maltreatment of female characters, superhero or not, in those past years or more so in the present time with the way over-the-top writers in the industry do it. The end of the article indicated to me another linked which was the aptly named "Women In Refrigerators". It piqued my curiosity until I saw the reference behind the title.

It was the last two pages in an issue of Green Lantern, of the Kyle Rayner bearer kind, who arrives back from somewhere and finds the remains of his girlfriend stuffed in a refrigerator. I recalled enough then it was Major Force (Of Captain Atom fame) who did the grisly deed. It was a shock when I read that issue. It was also startling to think that a female companion of a superhero would be killed and placed into a kitchen appliance. It would have been more shocking if it were orchestrated that hero arrives home, finds no one home and goes about his business, till he needs some ice and finds a severed head in the freezer. *Shudders and shivers.* How's that for shock value?

Such violent and brutal times we may be living with such depictions of inhumanity and cruelty that manifest in today's current media and info-accessible setting. Of course, conflict is inherent in man's nature in order to survive and stuff, yadda yadda but does it have to be that the powerful have to step on the weak? Where's the humanity and justice in that? Makes one also consider in light of the political climate currently happening in the Philippines.

Its about time I got to find some coherence to write something noteworthy in lieu of being a human being and a comic afiocionado myself. More stuff along the way. Next time.