Marvel Women: Femininity, Representation and Postfeminism in Films Based on Marvel Comics Miriam Kent Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Film Studies (Research) School of Art, Media and American Studies University of East Anglia September 2016 This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that use of any information derived there from must be in accordance with current UK Copyright Law. In addition, any quotation or extract must include full attribution. Contents List of Images ........................................................................................................................ 5 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 9 Abstract .......................................................................................................................................10 Introducing... The Mighty Women of Marvel! ............................. 11 Why Comics, Why Film? Adaptation and Beyond......................... 18 The Role of Feminist Film Theory ................................................ 27 We’re in This Together Now: Mediating “Womanhood” Through Postfeminist Culture ............................................................... 34 The Structure of the Thesis ............................................................ 40 Final Remarks ............................................................................... 43 1. ‘You have a knack for saving my life!’ Girlfriend Subjectivities in Marvel Films ........................................................ 46 Damsels in Distress and Women in Refrigerators .......................... 48 Women in Refrigerators in Movies ................................................ 55 Iron (Wo)Man ............................................................................... 69 The Amazing Gwen Stacy ............................................................. 83 Recuperating the Superhero Girlfriend .......................................... 94 2. ‘Who’s hiding? Dickhead!’ Configurations of Feminine Strength and Hero(ine)ism in Marvel Films .............................................................................................................. 97 Superheroines and the Comic Book “Tradition” ............................ 98 Postfeminist Culture and Female Heroism in Marvel Films ......... 102 1) Narrative Frustration ................................................ 109 2) Visual Frustration ..................................................... 121 3) Comedic Frustration ................................................. 128 Teen Girl Heroism in Marvel Films ............................................. 131 1) Interconnected Womanhood in Elektra...................... 132 2 2) Kitty Pryde: Sassy/Strong ......................................... 137 Superheroic (Postfeminist) Masquerade ...................................... 140 Jean Grey: Transcendental Heroine? ........................................... 148 Contextualizing Marvel’s Superheroines ..................................... 150 3. Mad With Power: Female Villainy in Marvel Films ............................................................................................................ 153 Evil Women and the Media ......................................................... 156 Wicked Witches and Poisonous Women ...................................... 162 1) Jean Grey as Witch in X-Men: The Last Stand .......... 163 2) Discourses of Disease, Toxicity and Poison in Marvel’s Evil Women ............................................................ 170 Marvel Villainesses: Traditional/Contemporary/Postfeminist ...... 178 4. Superqueer? Gender Rigidity and Heterosexual Femininity in Marvel Films .................................................................. 182 Navigating Gender, Sexuality and Heteronormativity .................. 184 Gender Rigidity and the Maintenance of Sexual Difference in Marvel Films ........................................................................ 189 Disrupting the Rainbow Bridge: Dysfunctional Heterosexuality .. 195 Femininity Unfixed: Gender Fluidity and Mystique as (Un)Queer ........................................................................ 208 The Strangest Superheroes of All: Negotiating Queerness in the Marvel Universe ................................................................... 223 5. Black Skin, Blue Skin: Race and Femininity in Marvel Films ......................................................................................................... 226 Postfeminism: Racial Dimensions ............................................... 230 The Politics of “Diversity” in Marvel Properties .......................... 233 Representations of Black Women in Marvel Films ...................... 238 Representations of Japanese Women in Marvel Films ................. 249 Developing Race Representation in Marvel Movies .................... 257 3 The Final Chapter! Some Concluding Remarks on Marvel’s Superheroines… Thus Far! .................................. 261 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................ 271 Filmography ....................................................................................................................... 308 4 List of Images Figure 1 Cover of Ms. Marvel #1 .............................................................. 12 Figure 2 Green Lantern discovers his girlfriend, Green Lantern #54 ........ 49 Figure 3 Gwen’s death, The Amazing Spider-Man #121 ........................... 51 Figure 4 Frank Castle discovers his family, Marvel Preview #2 ............... 56 Figure 5 Frank’s fist, screenshot from The Punisher (2005) ..................... 58 Figure 6 Frank’s skull t-shirt, screenshot from The Punisher (2005) ........ 58 Figure 7 Mary Jane’s first appearance, The Amazing Spider-Man #42 ...... 59 Figure 8 Mary Jane and the Green Goblin, screenshot from Spider-Man. 61 Figure 9 Mary Jane and Doctor Octopus, screenshot from Spider-Man 2 . 63 Figure 10 Peter’s clenched fist, screenshot from Spider-Man 2 ................. 64 Figure 11 MJ falls, screenshot from Spider-Man. ....................................... 66 Figure 12 Gwen falls,Spider-Man 3. ......................................................... 66 Figure 13 Pepper’s introduction, Tales of Suspense #45 ........................... 71 Figure 14 Pepper and the Iron Monger, screenshot from Iron Man ........... 73 Figure 15 Pepper as CEO, screenshot from Iron Man 3. ............................ 77 Figure 16 Pepper falls, screenshot from Iron Man 3 .................................. 79 Figure 17 Iron Man’s landing stance, screenshot from Iron Man 2 ............ 80 Figure 18 Pepper’s landing stance, screenshor from Iron Man 3. .............. 80 Figure 19 James Stewart’s character, screenshot from Rear Window. ........ 85 Figure 20 Mary Jane poses for Peter’s, screenshot from Spider-Man. ...... 85 Figure 21 Gwen Stacy is photographed, screenshor from Spider-Man 3. ... 85 Figure 22 Peter photographs Gwen, screenshot from The Amazing Spider-Man ...................................................................................... 86 5 Figure 23 Gwen’s rescue by Spider-Man, screenshot from The Amazing Spider-Man ...................................................................................... 87 Figure 24 Gwen falls to her death, screenshot from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ................................................................................... 91 Figure 25 Gwen dies, The Amazing Spider-Man #121 .............................. 92 Figure 26 Gwen’s death, screenshot from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. .... 92 Figure 27 Cover of X-Men #1 .................................................................. 99 Figure 28 Cover of Wolverine #13 ......................................................... 101 Figure 29 Cover of Spider-Woman #26 ................................................. 101 Figure 30 Cover of Avengelyne Armegeddon #2 .................................... 101 Figure 31 Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, screenshot from Aliens ..... 103 Figure 32 Elektra talks to Abby, screenshot from Elektra ...................... 113 Figure 33 Logan explains himself to Kayla, screenshot from X-Men Origins: Wolverine ........................................................................ 113 Figure 34 Cover of Elektra: Assassin #1 ................................................ 114 Figure 35 Susan Storm’s powers, The Fantastic Four #3 ....................... 118 Figure 36 Sue Storm’s nose bleeds, screenshot from Fantastic Four ..... 119 Figure 37 Elektra in the shadows, screenshot from Elektra .................... 122 Figure 38 Natasha Romanoff’s fighting, screenshot from Iron Man 2 .... 123 Figure 39 Abby’s use of Apple products, screenshot from Blade: Trinity ............................................................................................................... 125 Figure 40 Elektra and Abby Miller, screenshot from Elektra ................. 136 Figure 41 Kitty stands above the Juggernaut, screenshot from X-Men: The Last Stand ............................................................................... 139 Figure 42 The Iron Monger above Pepper, screenshot from Iron Man .. 139 6 Figure 43 The Silver Samurai above Mariko, screenshot from The Wolverine ..............................................................................