about

In this project I assess the hegemonic structure of black feminism and how this argument supports the need of refocusing black comic characters to include a feminine lens. With the rise of social media monikers like #BlackGirlMagic and #BlackGirlsRock there has been an evolving shift emphasizing a need for black female empowerment where visual representations in comics seek to mirror this demand. Through observing commentary from scholars such as bell hooks and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who posit that feminism--especially when labeled “black”—needs to shift thought to include a socio-political perspective with regards to racialized experience, in comparing comic studies which largely centers on male mythology and characterization therein, I argue that this focus needs to include a black female perspective.

Additionally, this project will focus on the evolving shift of the presence of African American women in comics which serves as a reflection of how the black female body is perceived within American society. The animation of black women in the comic platform has changed since its inception in 20^th century. In the 1960s, black female superheroes like The Butterfly and Super Bitch emerged in comic books however there remained an emphasis on hyper-sexuality where these women largely served as scantily clad dressed vigilantes in urban spaces that thwarted drug deals and prostitution rings.

With the evolution of the comic canon, the communities which these women serve has expanded to include whole cities, countries, and planets. While this expansion suggests that black women are more than capable of protecting and preserving humanity, they can only do so when they have also become associated with predominately white superhero groups like the Fantastic Four or the Avengers. This “alliance” eradicates the potentiality of individual capability to thwart evil, and aligns with black feminist arguments which stress that feminism does not include black women in larger conversations around gender equality.

Since 2000, there has been a flux of black female superheroes who emphasize individual agency. Series like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur favor intelligence and technological ingenuity as having inherent value. The idealized notion of the “superhero”—especially black—needs to be re-envisioned to include the potentiality of a female role model that is not confined to costume or physical weaknesses and rather celebrates the beauty, power, and resilience of the black woman.