Capes, Not Canes: Disability in Comics

CAPES, NOT CANES: DISABILITY IN COMICS

>> HELLO EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE’RE READY TO GET STARTED. I’M JOHN O’NEAL AND I’M A MEMBER OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY PROJECT, PROGRAM PLANNING COMMITTEE. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING TODAY’S EVENT. I’M EXCITED TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION. AT THE END OF THE TALK, WILL YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS. BEFORE I FORMALLY INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER, I’D LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CHAIRS. YOU’VE GOT THE CAMPUS BOOK PROJECT BROCHURE WITH ALL THE EVENTS FOR THE REST OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR. IN PARTICULAR, I WANT TO POINT OUT WE’VE GOT A SCREENING OF THE HBO TEMPLE GRANDIN MOVIE FROM NOON TO 2 IN THE HAMILTON ROOM AT THE STAFF LEARNING CENTER. YOU CAN ALSO FIND ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE BOOK PROJECT EVENTS ON THE PROJECT WEBSITE. THE URL IS ALSO IN THE BROCHURE. ALSO, PLEASE BE REMINDED, THE TEMPLE GRANDIN AUTHOR PRESENTATION, SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE FEATURED BOOK FOR THIS YEAR’S PROJECT, SHE WILL BE SPEAKING AT THE MONDAVI ON FEBRUARY 10TH. AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE INFORMATION AND HOW TO SECURE TICKETS. MAKE SURE TO TAKE THE BROCHURE WITH YOU, SHARE. AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT OTHER EVENTS. THERE IS AN EVALUATION FORM ON THE CHAIR. AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, IF YOU COULD COMPLETE IT AND LEAVE IT ON THE CHAIR. I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER. DR. KARMA WALTONEN, WHO IS A LECTURER IN THE UNIVERSITY WRITING PROGRAM AND ALSO A PROFESSIONAL GEEK. WHEN SHE GOES TO COMICON, SHE IS SPEAKING THERE. SHE TEACHES COURSES ON SCIENCE LITERATURE, SIMPSONS, AND WRITING AND STAND UP COMEDY. YOU CAN SEE THE TITLE OF TODAY’S FEATURE. HELP ME WELCOME DR. KARMA WALTONEN. APPLAUSE KARMA WALTONEN: WHEN WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER THE PROGRAM FOR THIS YEAR’S EVENT, I’M ON THE COMMITTEE THAT BOTH SELECTS OUR CAMPUS BOOKS AND THEN ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE WHERE WE PUT STUFF TOGETHER AND I LIKE TO GIVE LECTURES WHEN I CAN AND WHEN I ACTUALLY KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT OUR TOPIC. AND OUR TOPIC WAS DISABILITY AND WE CHOSE TEMPLE GRANDIN’S BOOK AS THE TOPIC. WE WERE SITTING IN A MEETING AND I SAID, “YOU KNOW, THERE IS THIS THING I AM GEEKY ABOUT, DISABILITY IN COMICS.” WHEN I TALKED ABOUT GIVING THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT SOME ATTENTION, I DIDN’T KNOW THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO HAVE A DISABLED PERSON ENTER RIVERDALE. ARCHIE COMICS HAS INTRODUCED ITS FIRST DISABLED CHARACTER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THAT, ALL OF THE NEW STORIES ARE FINALLY HAVING THIS INCLUSIVENESS WITH THIS DISABLED CHARACTER. AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW FAR WE’VE COME AND NONE OF THOSE HAPPENED TO MENTION THAT SHE ALSO SEEMS TO BE BIRACIAL OR BLACK. WE DON’T NEED TO MARK THAT ANYMORE, BUT WE STILL ARE MARKING DISABILITY AS SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL. IT JUST SHOWS THE WAVES OF CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING AND ACCEPTANCE WHEN WE ARE GOING TO MARK THE ONE, BUT NOT THE OTHER. I’M GOING TO QUOTE FOR A SECOND, STEVEN P WHO DID GREAT WRITING ON THIS SUBJECT. (READING QUOTE) “IN A SENSE, THERE HAVE BEEN DISABLED HEROES SINCE THE GOLDEN AGE. BUT THEY TEND TO BE DRAMATICALLY DISABLED…. AND THEY TEND TO HAVE A SUPER POWER ALL TO THEMSELVES.” WE’VE HAD DISABLED CHARACTERS, BUT AS HE IS SAYING, WHEN THEY ARE HEROES, THE DISABILITY ISN’T THE DISABILITY THAT YOU OR I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE AS WE ARE NOT DISABLED BY GIANT ROBOTS, USUALLY, OR ANY OF THESE THINGS. AND THAT THE COPING STRATEGY IS THEN, THE COMPENSATORY SUPER POWER. ONE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT YOU CAN GET TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS DAREDEVILS. HE WAS BLINDED WILE SAVING A BLIND MAN. THEY MADE THAT IS IRONIC, ON PURPOSE, I THINK. AND THE SAME RADIOACTIVITY THAT BLINDED HIM ALSO ENHANCED HIS OTHER SENSES AND THAT IS HIS POWER. WHAT THEY ENDED UP DOING WAS MAKING HIM DISABLED, BUT MAKING THAT NOT BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE HE IS SUPER POWERED. WE MIGHT MAKE A SIMILAR ARGUMENT WITH A NEW SUPER HERO, KICK-ASS. FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, TRIES TO INTERVENE IN A CRIME AND GETS HIS ASS KICKED, RENDERING HIS – THAT GIVES HIM NERVE DAMAGE, SO HE CAN’T FEEL PAIN LATER, WHICH MEANS HE CAN TAKE MORE ASS KICKINGS BECAUSE HE IS MORE IMPERVIOUS TO PAIN. BUT AGAIN, THAT DISABILITY DOESN’T ACTUALLY CRIPPLE HIM IN HIS DAILY ACTIVITIES AND IT SERVES TO MAKE HIM A BETTER CRIME FIGHTER RATHER THAN BEING SOMETHING THAT MOST OF US WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STEVEN P WHEN HE IS REFERENCING TURNING INTO A NORSE GOD, HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE ORIGINAL THOR COMICS. THAT IS THOR WHEN HE IS NOT THOR, WHICH IS SURPRISING. YOU SEE HIM SAYING THIS COMMENT. AND THEN THIS, WHATEVER IT IS DOWN HERE, HE WOULD BE A REAL DREAM IF HE IS A LITTLE HUSKIER… IN THE ORIGINAL COMICS WHEN THOR GOT CAST OUT BY HIS FATHER AND SENT TO EARTH, IT WAS WITH A KIND OF AMNESIA HE COMES TO EARTH IN THE BODY OF A CRIPPLED MEDICAL STUDENT. WHEN HE IS NOT THOR, THIS IS THE BODY THAT HE INHABITS. THIS THOR IN OUR MOVIE SERIES, WHEN HE COMES DOWN TO EARTH, HE CAN’T WIELD HIS HAMMER ANYMORE, BUT HE IS NOT WEAK OR DISABLED. AND THE ONLY REFERENCE TO THAT BODY, THAT OTHER BODY, IS WHEN HE, LIKE PUTS ON A COAT THAT BELONGED TO THIS MEDICAL STUDENT THAT THE GIRLFRIEND HAD BEEN DATING. THAT IS THE ONLY REFERENCE TO THE OTHER FORM BECAUSE WE’VE DONE AWAY WITH THAT. WE’VE DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH HAWKEYE. IF YOU ONLY KNOW HIM IN THE AVENGERS SERIES, YOU DON’T KNOW THAT HE IS HEARING IMPAIRED. HE HAS LOST 80% OF HIS HEARING IN THE COMICS. AND HE HAS WONDERFUL VISION, RIGHT? BUT WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THAT AT ALL IN THESE FILMS. WE DON’T TALK ABOUT HIS HEARING OR THE FACT THAT HIS EYESIGHT IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPENSATORY FOR THAT HEARING LOSS. ONE OF THE OTHER THEATRICALLY DISABLED AVENGERS IS TONY STARK. AND HE OFTEN GETS PUT ON LISTS OF DISABLED CHARACTERS BECAUSE OF HIS “HEART” CONDITION. THERE IS TECHNICALLY NOT ANYTHING WRONG WITH HIS HEART, IS JUST IN DANGER AND HE HAS TO WEAR THIS THING TO KEEP PROTECTED. WE SEE THAT THING OVER HIS HEART AND THAT IS WHY LOKI CAN’T ACTUALLY CAST A SPELL ON HIM. SO THIS THING PROTECTING HIS HEART MAKES HIM INVULNERABLE TO LOKI’S POWERS. WHEN WE GET TO THE MOVIES, WE TEND TO FORGET ABOUT THE DISABILITY PART OF THINGS. THIS CHARACTER IS BARBARA GORDON AND SHE USED TO BE BAT GIRL. BUT IN THE COMIC SERIES SHE WAS VIOLENTLY ASSAULTED AND LEFT IN A WHEELCHAIR, BUT BECOMES THIS SUPER HERO. SHE IS OFTEN HELD UP AS ONE OF THE BETTER MODELS OF DISABILITY IN THAT SHE IS ABLE TO KEEP FIGHTING, EVEN THOUGH SHE CAN’T FIGHT CRIME PHYSICALLY AS WELL ANYMORE, SHE IS STILL USING THOSE RESOURCES. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT X MEN. SO WE HAVE MANY CHARACTERS WHO YOU COULD ARGUABLY LABEL AS DISABLED. BUT THEY ALL HAVE COMPENSATING GIFTS. SO IF ROGUE’S DISABILITY IS THAT SHE CAN’T TOUCH OTHER PEOPLE, SHE HAS THAT GIFT OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE POWER AND STRENGTH WHEN SHE NEEDS IT. OR IF YOU HAVE CYCLOPS THAT IS BLIND WITHOUT THE VISOR AND HE HAS THE SUPER POWER, HE CAN DO WHAT HE HAS TO DO BECAUSE HE HAS THE VISOR. PROFESSOR X, OF COURSE, IS IN A WHEELCHAIR. AND I HAVE TO SAY, X MEN HAS BEEN GOING ON FOREVER. AND THERE ARE TIMES THE COMIC SERIES WHERE HE IS NOT ACTUALLY IN THE CHAIR AND HE CAN FIND A WAY TO GET OUT OF IT AND WALK AROUND. MOST OF THE TIME HE IS IN THE CHAIR. BECAUSE HE CAN MOVE THINGS WITH HIS MIND, WE TEND NOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT DISABILITY WOULD ACTUALLY MEAN IN HIS LIFE. WE’RE NOT STOPPING TO THINK ABOUT, OH, HOW DOES PROFESSOR X HANDLE GETTING HIMSELF IN AND OUT OF BED. WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, EARLIER, HE CAN JUST MOVE HIMSELF AND THE BED. MOVE THINGS WITH HIS MIND. PICK YOURSELF UP, PUT YOURSELF IN BED. I GUESS THIS IS HOW WE FIX THE GOING TO THE BATHROOM PROBLEM. WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE REALITIES HERE, LIKE WHAT IT DOES TO INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND WHAT EFFECT THIS HAS ON HIS SEX LIFE. INSTEAD, WE’RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT AN AWESOME MIND HE HAS. ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING ASPECTS OF X MEN IS HOW THIS THREAD GETS CHANGED OVER TIME. IN THE 60S, THE X MEN UNIVERSE WAS SEEN AS AN ANALOGY TO HUMAN RIGHTS. THE FIGHT OF THE X MEN TO BE SEEN AS LEGITIMATE PEOPLE WAS READ AS AN ANALOGY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS. IN THE FILM SERIES WE’VE HAD, MANY PEOPLE NOTED THAT WHAT YOU HAVE IS AN ANALOGY FOR GAY RIGHTS. PEOPLE ARE BORN THIS WAY AND OTHER PEOPLE GO NO. AND PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO BE FIXED, THEY ARE JUST DIFFERENT. IF YOU ARE WATCHING THE FILMS, THERE ARE SEVERAL MOMENTS WHERE YOU GET THESE ANGUISHED GENES GOING, THIS IS JUST HOW I AM. WHAT WE HAVEN’T HAD YET IS X MEN READ AS AN ANALOGOUS OF DISABILITY RIGHTS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISABILITY RIGHTS AND THERE ARE DEBATES ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN DO WE INTERVENE WITH A CHILD WITH AUTISM? IS IT OUR JOB TO TRY TO MAKE THEM MORE LIKE NEURO TYPICAL PEOPLE OR SHOULD WE SEE IT INSTEAD OF AS A DISABILITY, SEE IT AS A DIFFERENCE AND LEAVE THAT CHILD ALONE KIND OF THINGS? AND WE HAVE THESE DEBATES WHENEVER WE HAVE DISABILITIES. ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST LEARNED THIS YEAR ABOUT IMPLANTS FOR HEARING IS THAT THE REASON WHY SO MANY ADULTS WITH HEARING LOSS DON’T GO FOR THE TECHNOLOGY IS, A, IF YOUR BRAIN HASN’T LEARNED HOW TO PROCESS SOUND AND YOU GET THE IMPLANTS, YOU HEAR EVERY SOUND AT ONCE AS THIS DEAFENING ROAR AND THE BRAIN DOES NOT PROCESS WHAT YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO AND NOT TO THE OVERHEAD LIGHTS AND IT IS JUST HEARING EVERYTHING AT ONCE RATHER THAN BEING ABLE TO MAKE SENSE OF IT THE WAY WE DO. AND YOU GIVE UP THE ABILITY TO EVER GET YOUR HEAD WET WITH THE IMPLANTS. IN SHOWERS, SWIMMING, FOREVER. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, NO, THAT IS OKAY. DEAFENING ROAR OF SOUND PLUS NEVER SWIMMING AGAIN, NO THANKS. THAT IS PART OF THE MOMENTS AND PART OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISABILITY. SPEAKING OF IMPLANTS, THIS IS ONE OF OUR NEWEST HEROES. THIS IS THE BLUE EAR. AND THIS COMIC WAS CREATED BY MARVEL FOR A PARTICULAR LITTLE BOY. SO THIS BOY’S MOTHER, THIS 4-YEAR-OLD BOY, HE WOULD NOT WEAR HIS HEARING AID. SO HIS MOTHER WROTE TO MARVEL BECAUSE THE LITTLE BOY WAS A BIG COMICS FAN. SHE SAID WOULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME GET MY SON TO WEAR HIS HEARING AID? AND MARVEL CREATED THE BLUE EAR. WE TALKED ABOUT SOME REPRESENTATIONS IN MOVIES AND IN TRADITIONAL COMICS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN THINKING ABOUT DISABILITY. BUT, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE WORLD OF COMICS IS MORE THAN JUST THE SUPER HERO STORIES. WE HAVE NARRATIVES AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES AND THINGS THAT WE CALL GRAPHIC NOVELS. AND THEY DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF DEALING WITH THE ISSUES. THIS IS A PAGE FROM DAVID B’S EPILEPTIC. HE IS WRITING AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY ABOUT HIS BROTHER’S EPILEPSY AND THE WAY THAT AFFECTS HIS BROTHER AND THE FAMILY. AND HE DRAWS THE EPILEPSY AS THIS CREATURE, AS THE MOTIF OF THE BOOK. WHEN YOU SEE THE SEIZURE, YOU SEE THE CREATURE ENVELOPING THE BODY AND YOU SEE IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SUPER HERO STORY, BECAUSE THIS IS A TRUE STORY, THERE IS THE MONSTER AND NO COMPENSATING. BUT NOW, YOU CAN MOVE THINGS WITH YOUR MIND. THIS IS A PAGE FROM JEFFREY BROWN’S FUNNY MISSHAPEN BODY. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE EVER SEEN THE COMIC BOOKS OF DARTH VADER, THAT IS THIS GUY. AND YOU SEE HIM THERE RACKED WITH PAIN IN THE INTESTINES. AND THE SHADING IS HELPING US TO SEE THE PAIN. WHEN HE IS A CHILD, ACTUALLY SEEING THE INFLAMED PARTS OF THE INTESTINES BECAUSE HE IS DIAGNOSED WITH CROHN’S DISEASE, WHICH IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE INTESTINES THAT YOU USUALLY HAVE TO HAVE MANY SURGERIES FOR. ONE OF MY FAVORITE, THOUGH, GUYS WHO DOES COMICS IS, WAS, JOHN CALLAHAN. THIS IS ONE OF HIS NEWSPAPER COMICS. THIS SAYS, PLEASE HELP ME, I’M BLIND AND BLACK, BUT NOT MUSICAL. AND THEN, DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT. PART OF THE REASON WHY THE DRAWINGS ARE CRUDE IS BECAUSE JOHN CALLAHAN WAS PARAPLEGIC. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO HOLD A PEN ON TO PAPER BECAUSE HE WAS PARALYZED IN MOST OF HIS BODY. HE WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THE PEN WITH BOTH HANDS AND MOVE IT. HE LIVED IN PORTLAND AND HE WAS CRIPPLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN HIS EARLY 20S, INVOLVING ALCOHOL. AND HE STARTED DOING COMICS AND THEY PUT THEM IN THE PAPER AND THEY WOULD GET PEOPLE COMPLAINING. THIS IS OFFENSIVE AND I’M GOING TO CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION, HOW DARE HE? AND THE NEWSPAPER WOULD SAY, BUT HE IS CRIPPLED AND THE PEOPLE WOULD SAY, “OKAY THEN.” AND JOHN CALLAHAN’S RESPONSE BY PEOPLE WHO CRITICIZED HIS WORK, “MY ONLY COMPASS FOR WHETHER I’VE GONE TOO FAR IS THE REACTIONS I GET FROM PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS OR HOOKS FOR HANDS. ALL THE PATRONIZING, THAT IS TRULY DETESTABLE.” HE IS SAYING, THAT IS GREAT THAT YOU ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE OPEN THE NEWSPAPER AND SAY THAT IS OFFENSIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE. YOU ARE JUST ASSUMING, YOU HAVE NOT CHECKED. HE IS SAYING, I ONLY CARE ABOUT WHAT THE DISABLED PEOPLE SAY ABOUT MY COMICS, AND P.S., THEY LOVE THEM. HIS WORK IS PRETTY FANTASTIC. ONE OF HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHIES IS CALLED, “DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT.” WE ALSO SEE REPRESENTATIONS OF MENTAL DISABILITY IN A LOT OF THESE NOVELS. THIS IS FROM THE HYPERBOLE IN A HAT. THESE WAYS TO IMAGINE AND TO USE HUMOR TO COPE WITH THE THINGS THAT SO MANY OF US SUFFER FROM. THIS IS A PAGE FROM WHERE SHE IS DEALING WITH DEPRESSION AND SHE GOES TO A THERAPIST. AND THIS IS SO MUCH HEALTHIER THAN HOW WE’RE USUALLY SEEING ILLNESS DEALT WITH IN REGULAR COMICS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO NEED TO SEE A PSYCHIATRIST IN THE SUPER HERO STORIES, BUT THEY ARE NOT DOING IT, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES. DOESN’T THAT MAN NEED A LITTLE THERAPY? AND SO FAR, WHEN WE’VE TALKED ABOUT DISABILITY WITH THOSE COMICS, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE HEROES, BUT I’D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT OFTEN WHEN YOU HAVE DISABILITY AND PEOPLE IN THOSE OTHER COMICS, YOU HAVE THE VILLAIN, RIGHT? JOKER IS MENTALLY UNSTABLE AND ALSO PHYSICALLY DEFORMED. AS ARE SO MANY OF THOSE HEROES. THERE IS SOME KIND OF ACCIDENT, THEY BECOME CRIPPLED, THUS BECOME EVIL. AND THAT IS A HORRIBLE STIGMA. THIS ONE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T READ THE OLD SUPERMAN STUFF. SO THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT LEX LUTHOR’S PROBLEM IS. ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THE UNDERLYING MOTIVATION FOR HIM BEING EVIL IS? >> HE IS WORRIED THAT HUMANITY WILL STAND ON ITS OWN? KARMA WALTONEN: HE IS, BUT THAT IS NOT THE REASON THAT A LOT OF THE EARLIER COMICS GAVE. AND THE REASON THAT I READ IT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS YOUNG LUTHOR BEFORE THE EXPLOSION, FRIEND OF HUMANITY. AFTER EXPLOSION, ENEMY OF HUMANITY. WHAT SUPERMAN SAYS, “MY ENEMY LUTHOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE WORLD’S GREATEST BENEFACTOR, BUT HE LOST HIS HAIR AND BLAMED ME FOR HIS BALDNESS. IN HIS BITTERNESS, HE BECAME EARTH’S MOST EVIL ENEMY.” LEX LUTHOR’S HAIR FELL OUT, EVIL! (LAUGHTER) AND IF WE JUST UNPACK THAT FOR A SECOND, RIGHT, HIS HAIR FALLING OUT IS SUCH A CRIPPLING DISABILITY THAT IT WOULD CHANGE HIM FROM A GOOD GUY TO A BAD GUY, RIGHT? AND THE PERSON HE WOULD BLAME FOR THE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT GONE WRONG IS SUPERMAN. THUS, NO MATTER HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE REST OF YOU, I HAVE TO BE AGAINST SUPERMAN BECAUSE MY HAIR FELL OUT. IT IS KIND OF AMAZING. HIS INSANITY COMES FROM NOT EVEN A DISABILITY. HE COULD GO GET A WIG. BUT NO, HE IS JUST GOING TO BE EVIL FOREVER. AND I THINK WHEN WE REALIZE WHAT WE’RE DOING WITH THE VILLAINS, WE ALSO REALIZE WHERE WE GET A REALLY INTERESTING SORT OF CULTURAL RESPONSE TO MANY MEMBERS OF OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY. SO I’VE HEARD MANY PEOPLE SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE DISABLED, “IT IS SO AMAZING HOW YOU STAY POSITIVE. IT IS SO BRAVE.” AREN’T THEY JUST SAYING, OBVIOUSLY YOU WOULD KILL US ALL. IF YOU COULD GO BALD AND KILL US ALL OR HAVE HALF YOUR FACE MELT OFF. THEN THAT LEADS US TO THINK THAT IF YOU’RE JUST STAYING A NORMAL PERSON, WHILE BEING DISABLED, THERE IS SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THAT, HEROIC ABOUT THAT BECAUSE COMICS ARE TEACHING US THAT DISABILITY LEADS TO VILLAINY WHERE WE ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR HEROES EITHER. THERE ARE SOME ANGER MANAGEMENT ISSUES. I HAVE NOT SEE HIM SEEK TREATMENT FOR THIS. WE SEE THIS IMAGE WITH BATMAN OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS HE WITNESSES THE DEATH OF HIS PARENTS. WE COULD CERTAINLY DIAGNOSIS HIM WITH PTSD SINCE EVERY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE IS FORMED BY THIS TRAUMATIC MOMENT. MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO WORK IN COMIC STUDIES HAVE ARGUED AT GREAT LENGTH, IF YOU EVER WANT TO WASTE TIME THINKING WAY TOO HARD THINKING ABOUT BATMAN, NOT THAT IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME, ARGUING, IS BATMAN A PSYCHOPATH? DOES HE FIT THE CRITERIA? AND MANY OF THE SCHOLARS ARE ABLE TO COME TO A CONCLUSIVE, YES. A PSYCHOPATH WHO IS NOT OUT TO KILL US ALL, AND COULD BE DIAGNOSED WITH A NARCISSISM COMPLEX. “I’M GOING TO SAVE EVERYONE. I’M THE ONLY PERSON. THE WORLD DEPENDS ON ME. I MUST HIDE MY IDENTITY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SO FOCUSED ON ME.” WE SEE THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT THESE HEROES, UNLIKE OUR ACTUAL WRITERS WHO ARE WRITING MEMOIRS ARE NOT SEEKING HELP. SO THIS IS AN IRONIC LOOK. OUR SUPERMAN PUTS ON A SUIT AND GLASSES AND EVERYONE GOES, WAIT, WHO IS THAT? WHICH IS FANTASTIC. YEARS AGO, ANTHONY LANE IN THE NEW YORKER SAID HE WAS NOT SURE WHY SUPERMAN WAS TRYING TO SAVE HUMANITY WHEN HUMANITY IS SO STUPID THAT THEY DON’T RECOGNIZE HIM WHEN HE PUTS ON A PAIR OF GLASSES. WHY WOULD YOU SAVE THESE PEOPLE? THEY ARE NOT THAT BRIGHT. BUT WE HAVE THIS AS OUR BACKGROUND. I’M GOING TO LEAVE US WITH THE WORDS OF STEVEN P BEFORE WE GO INTO OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER AND DISCUSSION SECTION. THE WRITER WHO I WAS TALKING ABOUT. HE SAID, AND I AGREE WITH HIM, “WHAT I’D LIKE ARE MORE HEROES WITH ORDINARY DISABILITIES. AND ORDINARY MEANS OF OVERCOMING THEIR DISABILITIES, SEPARATE AND APART FROM WHAT MAKES THEM SUPER HEROES. FOR THOSE LIKE ME WHO ARE NEARSIGHTED, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE A SUPER HERO WHO WEARS GLASSES NOT TO HIDE IDENTITY, OR SHORTHAND FOR BEING SMART, BUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO READ ROAD SIGNS.” I THINK THAT WILL BE THE STEP THAT WE ACTUALLY TAKE THAT IS GOING TO MEAN SOMETHING. WHERE IF WE ARE INTRODUCING A DISABLED CHARACTER, IT IS NOT A NEW STORY. THERE IS JUST A DISABLED CHARACTER BECAUSE THERE ARE DISABLED CHARACTERS BECAUSE THERE ARE DISABLED PEOPLE. OR WHEN WE HAVE THAT SUPER HERO, WHO RATHER THAN HAVING THE SIGN OF DISABILITY BE HIS POWERLESS SELF, JUST BE PART OF HOW HE OR SHE HAS TO LIVE THEIR DAY. RATHER THAN HAVING THEIR SUPER POWER ALWAYS HAVE TO COME TO THEIR RESCUE. LET’S TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS. I THREW OUT A LOT OF IDEAS. YES? >> THERE WAS A SERIES OF PAINTINGS THAT WERE ON THE INTERNET IN THE PAST WEEK OR SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN OF A VERY OLD SUPER HERO. AND LIKE HOW A PERSON LOOKS WHEN THEY ARE VERY OLD AND SAGGY AND WRINKLED, BUT STILL WEARING SPANDEX. AND THE PROBLEMS THAT AN AGING BODY ENCOUNTERS. BUT STILL IN THIS SUPER CONTEXT. THAT IS A PRETTY – I FELT LIKE YOU SEE THAT A LOT. SUPER HEROES ENCOUNTERING EVERYDAY PROBLEMS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE USE FOR HUMOR TO ADD SOME COMPLEXITY TO THIS GENRE. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT FITS IN WITH THE NOTION OF DISABILITY IN THE SUPER HERO? KARMA WALTONEN: I FEEL LIKE WATCHING SUPER HEROES DEAL WITH THE EVERY DAY WOULD BE GREAT. STEVEN COLBERT MAKE A JOKE WHEN SOMEONE WAS ON TALKING ABOUT WONDER WOMAN AND HOW IT CAME OUT MANY YEARS AGO. HE SAID, “SHOULD A WOMAN THAT AGE STILL BE WEARING SPANDEX?” OF COURSE, SHE IS NOT DRAWN TO BE THAT AGE. BUT THAT IS THE JOKE, THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO WEAR THE COSTUMES BECAUSE THEY ARE IN FIT AWESOME BODIES. I CAN’T CARRY THAT LOOK, NO WAY MOST OF US CAN. BUT WHEN WE DO HAVE THE MOMENTS WHERE WE’RE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING GO DEEPER AND WE’RE ABLE TO SEE A HERO CONTEMPLATE HIS OWN MORTALITY AND CONTEMPLATE WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN TO HAVE TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP. AND USUALLY WE’RE A STEP OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM COMICS, UNFORTUNATELY. I THINK THOSE ARE INTERESTING MOMENTS THAT OPEN THIS UP. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, SUPERMAN GETS TO LIVE LONGER THAN WE DO AND WE DON’T HAVE TO CONFRONT SO MUCH. AND MARK M’S RED SUN, HE LIVES FOR GENERATIONS AND GENERATIONS AND WE HEAR HIS NARRATION AS HE IS GETTING OLDER AND WEAKER AND REALIZE IT IS BECAUSE THE SUN IS CHANGING FROM A YELLOW SUN TO A RED SUN. BUT THEN YOU GET THE SUPERMAN WHO IS OLDER AND FORGETFUL, AND DOES NOT HAVE THE POWERS, BUT HE HAS LONG STEPPED OUT OF HIS SUPER HERO ROLE. I’D LIKE TO SEE MORE, THOUGH. MOVE OF THAT PLAY. WHAT ELSE CAN WE TALK ABOUT? >> A LOT OF THE SUPER HEROES YOU TALKED ABOUT, EVEN THE VILLAINS, SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEM VERSUS BEING BORN DISABLED. DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES? KARMA WALTONEN: NOT USUALLY, NO. I HAVEN’T READ THE BLUE EAR SO I DON’T KNOW IF THEY’VE MADE THAT CHARACTER BORN NEEDING THE HEARING AID OR NOT. I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT COMIC IN DOING RESEARCH. SO I’M NOT SURE HOW THEY SET THAT UP. BUT IT IS EXTREMELY RARE. I CAN’T – MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME OUT. CAN WE THINK OF ANYBODY WHO IS BORN DISABLED OR WHO BECOMES DISABLED IN A NON-JOB RELATED WAY? THIS IS REALLY FASCINATING THAT YOU END UP ALWAYS HAVING IT ASSOCIATED WITH BEING EITHER THE IMPETUS TO BECOME SUPER OR VILLAIN OR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ON THE JOB. LIKE SUPER WOMAN. THAT IS DISTRESSING BECAUSE THAT IS NOT GREAT REPRESENTATIONS, THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. AND WHETHER YOU ARE A HERO, IF YOU STAY POSITIVE. I’M TRYING TO THINK IF I’VE EVER SEEN A HERO IN PHYSICAL THERAPY. IN THE LAST X MEN MOVIE, WE SAW PROFESSOR X ON A LOT OF PAIN KILLERS SO HE COULD WALK AROUND, BUT THAT DULLED HIS SUPER POWER AND HE HAD TO TRADE ONE FOR THE OTHER. THAT IS THE CLOSEST WE SEEM TO BE GETTING. >> HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THE BRAVEST WARRIORS? I’M GOING SPOIL IT FOR YOU A TINY BIT. THERE IS, IN BRAVE AS WARRIORS, ONE OF THE CHARACTERS HAS A PET HORSE THAT SOMEHOW CAME TO BE ABLE TO SEE ALL OF ETERNITY. THE HORSE CAN. AND YOU SEE HIM ALL THE TIME, COMPLETELY PARALYZED, LAID OUT ON HIS SIDE. UNTIL THEY GO TO THIS OTHER DIMENSION, WHICH SOMEHOW GIVES HIM TELEKINESIS AND HE CAN WALK AGAIN BECAUSE HE CAN MOVE HIS BODY PARTS. KARMA WALTONEN: I HAVE NOT THOUGHT OF DISABLED PETS. THAT SOUNDS GREAT. I LIKE THAT IDEA. >> AND HE BECOMES THIS SUPER HERO WHO DEFENDS HIS HOME WORLD FROM THE EVILS OF THIS DIMENSION. AT THE END OF SEASON 2, HE IS THE ONLY REASON THAT HUMANITY SURVIVES. HE WENT TO THIS NEW DIMENSION AND INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO WALK AGAIN, HE GETS TELEKINESIS AND THAT ENABLES HIM TO MOVE HIS LIMBS. KARMA WALTONEN: SOMETIMES OUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THESE KINDS OF HEROES AND ABILITIES DISABILITIES, THEY ARE MOST PRODUCTIVE WHEN WE ACTUALLY STEP OUT OF THE COMIC WORLD WHERE YOU HAVE TO SUSPEND DISBELIEF AND START EITHER SOMETIMES IN COMEDY, MAKING JOKES ABOUT IT. FOR EXAMPLE, AND PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, IF YOU ACTUALLY IMAGINE SUPERMAN TOGETHER WITH LOIS LANE AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE PARENTS INHERENT IN A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WHEN YOU ARE SUPERMAN, A LOT OF COMICS TALKED ABOUT THIS. HE JUST WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME NOT HURTING HER. AND THAT RELATIONSHIP WERE IT TO COME TO FULL FRUITION, WOULD BE VERY FRAUGHT, RIGHT? AND SO THERE IS A NEED. AND WE OFTEN HAVE OUR SUPER HEROES PULL AWAY FROM RELATIONSHIPS BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT THAT FEMALE CHARACTER TO BECOME A TARGET FOR THE BAD GUY, EVEN THOUGH THEY ALWAYS DO. BUT WE’RE NOT THINKING ABOUT HOW THESE POWERS ARE IMPACTING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. AND THEY CERTAINLY ARE. WE HAVE IN THE X MEN, A LOT OF JEALOUSY AND I WANT TO BE WITH YOU, NO, I WANT TO BE WITH YOU. PROFESSOR X, WE JUST DON’T TALK ABOUT THAT WITH HIM. I DON’T KNOW IF WE DON’T TALK ABOUT WITH HIM BECAUSE HE IS OLDER OR BECAUSE WE JUST ASSUME PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS DON’T HAVE A SEX LIFE? LIKE THEY DON’T WANT TO DATE OR THEY ARE NOT CAPABLE WHEN WE KNOW FOR A FACT IN REAL LIFE THAT IS NOT TRUE. BUT WE JUST DECIDE, NO, HE IS JUST GOING TO HAVE AWESOME, IT IS GOING TO MAKE UP FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS. ALTHOUGH, TO BE A LITTLE CRUDE, DO WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE SOMEBODY WHO CAN MAKE YOU FEEL THINGS AND MANIPULATE THINGS WITH HIS MIND AND IS MASTER FULL, DO WE WANT TO TAKE HIM OUT OF THE DATING POOL? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I WOULD TOTALLY GO OUT ON A DATE WITH THE PROFESSOR X. >> WASN’T HE MARRIED? KARMA WALTONEN: THERE WAS HINTS OF THAT, BUT WE DON’T EVER TALK ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS. IN MOST OF OUR POPULAR – THE CULTURE THAT MORE PEOPLE SEE OF HIM, HE IS JUST SORT OF TAKEN OUT OF THAT REALM. YOU DON’T SEE HIM HAVING A GOOD TIME. WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE. MAGNITO IT IS HINTED IN THE FILM SERIES, DOES HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AT SOME POINT. THEY ARE NOT SHOWING THAT, BUT THERE IS THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP GOING ON BETWEEN THEM AS WELL AS A FRIENDSHIP. AND YOU TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS MUCH CLOSER. I HEAR THE THINGS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH AND IT IS LIKE, OH, SO GEEKY I LOVE IT. ANYTHING ELSE WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT? >> DO YOU THINK THAT BECAUSE COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS RELY SO MUCH ON THE VISUAL, THAT IT IS GOING TO BE LIMITED WITH REGARD TO REPRESENTING DISABILITY? IT SEEMS TO BE CALLED DISABILITY BECAUSE THAT IS THE MOST EASILY UNDERSTOOD. BUT THE ABSENCE OF COGNITIVE DISABILITY? KARMA WALTONEN: WE DO HAVE IT IN MEMOIR, AT LEAST. THERE IS A REALLY GREAT BOOK THAT IS A MEMOIR CALLED “THE RIDE TOGETHER” WRITTEN BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. ONE IS AUTISM AND THE OTHER IS NOT. AND THE AUTISTIC SIBLING DOES THE DRAWINGS. IT IS A MELDING OF THE TWO. BUT YOU GET BOTH VOICES AT THE SAME TIME TALKING ABOUT THEIR CHILDHOOD AND HOW THEY GREW UP TOGETHER NEGOTIATE AND RELATIONSHIP. THAT, IT IS THIS GREAT SPACE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A VISUAL THINKER WHO IS GIVING YOU THE IMAGE OF THE CHILDHOOD AND YOU HAVE THIS OTHER VERSION AS WELL. THE CHILDHOOD CAN OPEN UP IN A WAY THAT, TEMPLE GRANDIN SAYS IN HER BOOK THAT WORDS ARE HER SECOND LANGUAGE. SHE IS TRYING TO EXPLAIN HOW SHE THINKS, BUT TRYING TO DO IT IN HER SECOND LANGUAGE BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT IS OUR FIRST LANGUAGE. IF YOU TAKE HER METAPHOR LITERALLY, THAT MEANS WE ARE LOSING THINGS IN TRANSLATION. WE ARE HAVING HER USE HER WORDS, WHICH IS NOT HER STRENGTH. THAT IS PART OF THE REASON WHY THE MOVIE IS SO ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE, THEY ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE VISUALIZATIONS OF HOW SHE IS THINKING. AND TEMPLE GRANDIN HAS SEEN THAT MOVIE AND I HEARD AN INTERVIEW WHERE SHE SAID IT IS ACCURATE. AND SO, SOMETIMES GETTING THE VISUAL CAN REALLY HELP US TO SEE THAT IN WAYS THAT WE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SEE IT BEFORE. AND ALSO, IF YOU HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO BACK TO JEFFREY BROWN’S PIECE, CROHN’S DISEASE, WHICH WE TEND NOT TO TALK ABOUT THAT MUCH BECAUSE SOCIETY DOESN’T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SEVERE DISEASES OF THE INTESTINES BECAUSE IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE SYMPTOMS AND THE TREATMENT, YOU END UP HAVING TO TALK ABOUT IMPOLITE THINGS BECAUSE YOU ARE DEALING WITH HOW YOUR BODY PROCESSES FOODS AND MATERIALS AND THAT MAKES PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE. WHEN HE IS WRITING ABOUT THIS, HE CAN SHOW YOU A BODY IN PAIN AND SHOW YOU THE COLON IN A DRAWING, RATHER THAN AN ACTUAL PICTURE THAT MIGHT GROSS YOU OUT. AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN THIS WAY THAT IS NOT SO OFF PUTTING. I KNOW PEOPLE WITH CROHN’S DISEASE AND THEY DON’T TEND TO SHARE THAT THEY HAVE THAT UNLESS THEY HAVE TO. AND THEY DON’T SHARE HOW THEY HAVE TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT DISABILITY BECAUSE IT IS SO PERSONAL AND SO MUCH TIED TO THE PARTS OF THE BODY THAT WE JUST DON’T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. BEING ABLE TO OPEN IT UP IN THIS OTHER SPACE, TO REPRESENT MAYBE AS THE MONSTER RATHER THAN AS THE LITERAL COLON OR WHATEVER YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, CAN, I THINK, HELP. >> IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, I THINK IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EXAMPLES OF THIS TALK, PERHAPS, THERE IS A CERTAIN DANGER OF CONFLATING THE SUPER HERO GENRE WITH THE COMICS MEDIUM. IF YOU – I READ A LOT OF COMICS BECAUSE I AM A CHEAPSKATE AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY THOSE. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PUBLISHING ON LINE WHO TALK ABOUT THEIR STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL DISORDERS. ALI B HAS WRITTEN SEVERAL COMICS ABOUT DEALING WITH DEPRESSION. AND ALMOST EVERY WRITER I KNOW WHO DEALS WITH AUTOBIOGRAPHY STUFF TALKS ANXIETY AND OTHER MENTAL DISORDERS A THEY HAVE IN A VERY MEANINGFUL WAY. KARMA WALTONEN: I THINK THAT IS PART AND PARCEL, TOO, WITH SOCIETY GETTING MORE COMFORTABLE WITH TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS. IT IS HARD TO SAY THAT ONE THING IS CAUSING THE OTHER ONE. I ACTUALLY THINK IT IS THE FEEDBACK LOOP THAT SOCIETY IS GETTING MORE COMFORTABLE AND WE HAVE MORE REPRESENTATION IN ART AND WE GET MORE COMFORTABLE. IT IS YOU KNOW, YOU CAN’T REALLY PINPOINT WHICH STARTED THE ONE. WHATEVER STARTS THE CYCLE STARTS THE CYCLE AND YOU ACTUALLY GET BETTER THINGS. IT IS EASIER FOR A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE READING THOSE COMICS, TO THEN SEE MENTAL DISABILITY OR MENTAL ILLNESS AS SOMETHING THAT IS WAY MORE COMMON THAN WE USED TO THINK IT WAS. AND HOPEFULLY ARE MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT GETTING HELP FOR THAT. WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT ABOUT DEPRESSION AND OTHER THINGS, SAYING, YES, I SUFFERED FROM THAT, BUT YOU ARE STILL A FUNCTIONING PERSON AND SOCIETY HAS NOT SCORNED YOU, I CAN GO GET HELP. THAT IS A HUGELY POSITIVE THING. WE STILL HAVE SUCH A STIGMA ABOUT DISORDERS. I’VE HAD PERIODS OF DEPRESSION IN MY LIFE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH MY THERAPIST ABOUT, WHEN YOU LIVE IN DAVIS, IT IS SMALL. WHEN WE ARE EVER AT SOMETHING, HOW DO WE DO THIS? HE SAID HE WAS MOST COMFORTABLE WITH SAYING, THIS IS MY FRIEND. I KNOW HER. I SAID, YEAH, BUT THERE IS ALSO THIS PROBLEM THOUGH BECAUSE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH STIGMATIZING GETTING HELP. I HAVE FOUND AS AN INSTRUCTOR WHEN STUDENTS COME TO ME AND THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS, I SAY, I’VE HAD DEPRESSION BEFORE AND I FOUND IT – THEY GO, OH, OKAY. THIS PERSON WHO SEEMS RELATIVELY SANE IS SAYING THAT IT IS OKAY TO GO GET HELP AND IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU CRAZY. AND THE DEPRESSION IS COMMON, SUPER COMMON, ACTUALLY. BUT IF WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OR IF – AND YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE MY THERAPIST IS COMING FROM. IF WE SEE EACH OTHER AT SAFEWAY, DON’T WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH WHOEVER HE IS WITH. AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THE STIGMATIZATION IS SO IMPORTANT. AND THESE ARE COMMON COPING STRATEGIES FOR PROBLEMS. AND THE MORE THAT WE DENY THAT WE’RE PHYSICALLY ILL OR THAT WE’RE DEALING WITH MENTAL STRESS OR WHATEVER IT IS, I THINK IT IS SO GREAT THERE ARE THOSE WEB COMICS WRITERS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG WRITERS SAYING I’M COPING WITH THIS. JENNY L WHO IS AN AMAZING BLOGGER, IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BLOG S, READ THE BLOG S. HER WORK IS TREMENDOUSLY FUNNY. BUT SHE ALSO WRITES ABOUT DEALING WITH ANXIETY DISORDER AND DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, WHILE MANAGING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BLOGGERS IN THE COUNTRY FOR HER HUMOR. GO READ THE BLOG BY HER PICKING HER BATTLES. WHICH IS ABOUT A FIGHT SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAD WHEN HER HUSBAND TOLD HER NOT TO BUY ANYMORE TOWELS SHE WENT SHOPPING. BUT INSTEAD, BOUGHT A GIANT METAL CHICKEN. IT WAS NOT A TOWEL. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY, WHEN YOU READ THAT, YOU WILL WANT ONE OF YOUR OWN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE’S REALLY DONE FOR HER READERS, AND THIS IS PART OF WHY THE BLOG IS POPULAR, SHE IS VERY UP FRONT. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE WILL GO A FEW DAYS WITHOUT POSTING A BLOG AND WILL GO BACK ON AND SAY I HAVE NOT WRITTEN, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO. THIS WEEK IS ONE OF THE WEEKS THAT DEPRESSION IS LYING TO ME TELLING ME I CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT. AND SHE MAKES PRODUCTS, T SHIRTS AND MUGS THAT SAYS, “DEPRESSION LIES” BECAUSE IT DOES. IT TELLS YOU, YOU WILL NEVER FEEL GOOD OR LAUGH AGAIN AND ALL OF THESE THINGS. WHEN WE HAVE THOSE WRITERS THAT PEOPLE CAN READ AND RELATE TO, IT OPENS THINGS UP. THAT IS WHY LOOKING FOR HOPE IN THESE MEDIUMS THAT PEOPLE DO READ. I DON’T KNOW THAT THIS NEW DISABLES CHARACTER IN ARCHIE LAND IS GOING TO DO ANYTHING, NECESSARILY. I THINK IT IS NICE THAT SHE’S THERE, THOUGH. IT SEEMS LIKE ARCHIE IS GOING TO HIT ON HER LIKE HE DOES EVERY ATTRACTIVE FEMALE IN THAT TOWN. >> YOU CAN ARGUE ABOUT THE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY? KARMA WALTONEN: I DON’T KNOW IF HE HAS AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY OR IF IS HE JUST WHAT WE CALL SLOW. I’M FROM THE SOUTH AND WE ARE SLOW. I DON’T KNOW. >> I REMEMBER BEING A KID READING THAT, THINKING HE WAS THE SPECIAL ONE OF THE GROUP. THAT WAS EVIDENT TO ME, BUT HE HAD A GIRLFRIEND AND WAS A VERY GOOD ATHLETE. PART OF A GANG. KARMA WALTONEN: I WAS NEVER QUITE SURE IF THEY WERE JUST DOING THE DUMB JOCK TYPE OF THING WITH HIM. THAT KIND OF STEREOTYPE. THEY MAKE HIM A NICE ENOUGH GUY AT LEAST. HE MIGHT WELL NEED SOME TESTING OR INTERVENTION. (LAUGHTER) ANYTHING ELSE WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT? >> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE RECENT TRANSITIONS FROM MOVIES TO LIKE THE TV SERIES, GOTHAM, FLASH AND THE TRAIL OF SUPER HEROES TRANSITION FROM COMIC BOOKS TO TV SERIES AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT PRODUCERS PORTRAYING THEIR DISABILITY. RECENTLY WATCHING FLASH, KARMA WALTONEN: I HAVEN’T WATCHED YET. >> IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE PROFESSOR WHO HELPS IS IN A WHEELCHAIR, BUT DURING THE POST EPISODE PLOT, IT IS REVEALED THAT HE CAN WALK SO WHY DO YOU THINK HE KEEPS IT A SECRET? KARMA WALTONEN: THAT IS JUST SNEAKY. I WOULD HAVE TO WATCH IT TO SEE THAT. THE OLD – I CAN’T WALK TRICK, YOU DO SEE THAT. WHERE IT IS THE SMOKE SCREEN OF WEAKNESS. SO THAT YOU UNDERESTIMATE SOMEONE’S POWER. YOU UNDERESTIMATE SOMEONE’S STRENGTH, THAT IS SUPER AWFUL IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD UNDERESTIMATE, NATURALLY SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR, SHOULD MAKE US ALL GO, OH, THAT IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC. THEY WERE PLAYING ON THE STEREOTYPES OF WEAKNESS AND THAT YOU WOULD USE A WHEELCHAIR TO SIGNAL. THAT IS SO OFFENSIVE. >> TO RESPOND TO THAT AND AGREE WITH YOU, YOU SEE IN THE EPISODE THAT HE CAN SEE INTO THE FUTURE WITH HIS MACHINE. SO HE IS USING HIS DISABILITY AS A SMOKE SCREEN TO MAKE FLASH BELIEVE IN HIM AND STUFF. KARMA WALTONEN: RIGHT. I MEAN THIS IS NOT A SUPER HERO MOVIE, BUT IF YOU HAVE SEEN THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. THERE IS A CHARACTER WHO DOES SOMETHING SIMILAR, ONE OF THE GUYS WOULD IS TRYING TO GET WITH MARY PRETENDS TO BE CRIPPLED. SHE OFFERED TO HELP HIM AND HE SAYS, NO, I CAN DO IT MYSELF KIND OF THING. BUT HE IS JUST DOING THAT TO GET HER SYMPATHY TO TRY AND GET HER IN BED AND THAT IS HUGELY UNETHICAL THAT WE HAVE THAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION. OR THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE SKEEZY ENOUGH TO DO THAT. THAT IS EXCEPTIONALLY BAD. ONE OF MY FAVORITE REPRESENTATIONS OF SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR WAS ON MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE. YOU REMEMBER STEVIE? THEY ARE BEST FRIENDS AND STEVIE AT FIRST, MALCOLM DOES NOT WANT TO HANG OUT WITH HIM. AND STEVIE IS HIGHLY ASTHMATIC AND HE HAS TO TAKE A PAUSE BETWEEN BREATHS. AND THAT MEANS YOUR ASTHMA IS NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY. WHAT MAKES THEM FRIENDS, HE IS OVER AT HIS HOUSE BECAUSE HE IS PRESSURED TO PLAY WITH HIM AND HE OPENS THE CLOSET AND STEVIE HAS ALL OF THESE COMICS AND THEY BOND OVER THE COMICS AND BECOME FRIENDS. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS THIS FRIENDSHIP THAT TRANSCENDS THE ABLE-BODIED, DISABLED-BODY DYNAMICS. AND STEVIE AT SOME POINT IS ABLE TO USE HIS KNOWLEDGE OF HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT HIS DISABILITY TO HIS ADVANTAGES AND TO MALCOLM’S. THERE IS A BULLY AT SCHOOL WHO IS ABOUT TO HIT MALCOLM AND STEVIE GETS IN THE WAY. HE DOES NOT GET HIT BUT PRETENDS. EVERYBODY TURNS ON THE BULLY BECAUSE HE HIT THE DISABLED KID. OF COURSE, IT IS NOT OKAY TO BULLY EVERYBODY ELSE EITHER, BUT ABLE TO USE THAT ENERGY WE HAVE THAT YOU ESPECIALLY SHOULDN’T EVER DO THIS AND MAKE SOMEONE AMAZING THINGS. STEVIE’S DISABILITY DOES NOT MAKE HIM ANY LESS OF A CHARACTER AND HE IS FABULOUSLY FUNNY AND DOES NOT USE SUPER POWER. WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD REPRESENTATIONS OUT THERE. THEY ARE THERE. TOTALLY THERE. IT WOULD JUST BE NICE FOR US TO HAVE MORE. BUT I THINK WE ARE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AS A SOCIETY. WE DO HAVE THE ADA, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EVER GONE OVER SEAS, THEY DON’T HAVE THE ADA, BUT IF YOU HAVE GONE TO OTHER PLACES. I’VE BEEN IN LONDON AND THEY DON’T HAVE THAT AND I HAVE GONE TO MANY BUILDINGS, AND THERE WOULD BE NO ACCESS IF YOU ARE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR ON CRUTCHES. THERE ARE FOUR TUBE STOPS IN LONDON THAT YOU CAN GET ON IF YOU ARE IN A CHAIR AND THAT’S IT. AND YOU CAN’T GET INTO ANY OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS BECAUSE THERE IS NO ADA, YOU ARE NOT PROMISED WHAT WE HAVE HERE. YOU CAN STILL GO TO SCHOOL AND YOU CAN GET THE EDUCATION AND WE WILL MAKE THE ACCOMMODATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. WHEN I’M IN LONDON, I SEE SO FEWER DISABLED PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND THAT CITY. IT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT. YOU DON’T NOTICE IT RIGHT AT FIRST. SOMETHING’S MISSING. OH, I KNOW. WE’RE VERY LUCKY TO ACTUALLY HAVE HAD GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT SO MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT JUST LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT USED TO HAPPEN. THERE WEREN’T GOING TO BE ACCOMMODATIONS AND YOU DIDN’T GET TO GO TO SCHOOL. YOU LOST THE LOTTERY OF LIFE KIND OF THING. AND WE HAVE COME FAR IN TERMS OF DEALING BOTH WITH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DISABILITY. AND I THINK THE MORE THAT WE OPEN UP OUR MEDIA IN POSITIVE WAYS, THE BETTER. WHAT I’M HOPING, TOO, IS THAT WE DON’T HAVE TOO MANY OF THE INTERMEDIARY STEPS WHERE WE FEEL THE NEED TO MAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY DISABLED – IT IS PROBLEMATIC TO MAKE ALL OF THE VILLAINS DISABLED IN SOME WAY. BUT I WOULD NOT WANT US TO DO THE OPPOSITE, YOU ARE DISABLED AND YOU ARE PERFECT AND WONDERFUL, AND NOT ACTUALLY HUMAN. OF COURSE, THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM OR JEALOUS BONE IN YOUR BODY. THE MORE RICH, ROUND CHARACTERS WE CAN HAVE TO ALSO HAPPEN TO BE DISABLED, THE BETTER THIS IS GOING TO BE. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU. (APPLAUSE)

>> THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING, AS A REMINDER, FILL OUT THE EVALUATION FORM AND WE’LL COLLECT IT. THANK YOU.