Enough is Enough
Some of you may infer that I'm getting a little bit fed up with Valerie D'Orazio lately. She's been using her blog at Occasional Superheroine as a bully pulpit, excoriating DC and praising Marvel to the skies. This is, of course, her right and priviledge. I may find it tiresome, but she does have the right to write "DC SUCKS" in capital letters, over and over ad infinitum, if that is what she wants to do.
What she doesn't have the right to do, is to question the feminism or intelligence or simply different tastes of people who may disagree with her loudly-stated beliefs. On her latest attack against Final Crises #6, she mentions that she doesn't particularly care for the book. That's ok, a lot of people didn't care for it. I happen to like it, but that's also neither here nor there. When I have an opinion about something I usually blog about it myself, as opposed to going on someone else's blog and yelling at them.
However, Najika made a very cogent and polite entry on Val's blog, stating that she was a long-time reader, and had enjoyed Val's opinions in the past.
"...I can see why an unpleasant experience with a company would make you be hard on them. After all,you have insight in them we don't. But I'm stilll disappointed with the new direction you've taken. It seems to me like you've started to ignore the rest of the industry and focus on DC's mess-ups exclusively."
Najika goes on to state that she rather likes some of the stuff put out by DC and was hoping for a more balanced approach. She remains polite and respectful and even a little humble.
Well, Valerie isn't having any of THAT sort of talk! She comes right back and rips poor Najika a new one.
"Najika if you support DC comics then I really can't consider you a feminist..."
What the fuck? Oops. Pardon my French and all, but seriously...WHAT THE FUCK? I suppose that I can understand getting a bit snarky if someone comes in and starts being a troll on your blog, but Najika was as nice as she could be.
Kalinara, over at Pretty Fizzy Paradise, with her usual knack for hitting the nail on the head, calls her out on it.
"...No one says feminists have to agree on everything. No one says that feminists have to like one another. But we don't have the right to weigh and measure one another's feminism like that."
Johanna Draper points out that Valerie ALSO wants you to support female characters and female writers and artists, and that you...as a Feminist...should support Wonder Woman. Which is published by DC.
If Valerie thinks that Marvel is a bastion of love and support to women, then more power to her. I think she's delusional, but what the heck do I know. I do know that it was Marvel that published the famous "Heroes for Hentai" cover, and thought that the tawdry little statue of Mary Jane was just wonderful, not to mention the latest charming and tasteful depiction of the Wasp being eaten by the Blob. But it's MARVEL, so it is therefore, GOOD! Everything that DC does is BAD! Because they were mean to her.
Valerie is going to be the new writer for Cloak and Dagger, so I can understand that she's excited about the work,and being associated with Marvel. I also wonder what she's going to do when she experiences any bias or anti-feminist behavior at Marvel, because there is no way on earth, that I believe that Marvel isn't just as sexist as DC.
Ok, rant over. Valerie can write any bloody crap that she wants. But she'd better stop telling us what to do, what to think, and who to support. Because she's starting to make me sympathetic to the powers-that-be at DC and their treatment of her. Which is probably NOT the reaction that she wants.
And finally,
Here's a picture of Hal, so that you'll all know that it really is me. Except that he's not being hit in the head or anything, and he's facing forward, and is all pretty and heroic and everything.
posted by SallyP @ 8:05 AM
20 Comments:
This post by my friend David, as well as the attending comments, sums up several of the problems I have with Ms. D'Orazio.
I used to like her place too. But it's too negative. But that's only my opinion.
I'm glad there are still places like this one that focus on what's GOOD and celebrate it and even talk about it in a very cool way.
Thanks for the latest post. It's awesome and you're right. NO ONE should tell you what to do, think or feel. But everyone should respect all of it.
XOXO
Pax
http://mujermaravilla.blogspirit.com
I honestly think that she sits at home and thinks of ways to offend people, at least lately. And if you don't agree with her on EVERYTHING, then you are bad. Bad like DC is bad.
Bad, bad, bad.
Ok, now's she's crying that we are all being mean to her again,and that she can say whatever she wants because it's her blog,and if we don't like it, she'll pick up her toys and...and go home! That'll show us!
She does have the right to say whatever she wishes to on her own blog. I just wish that she'd stop telling OTHER people how to think, or what to read or define themselves.
Sheesh. I stopped reading Val's blog sometime last year, and only look at it now when someone posts a link to some new nonsense over there.
It's her blog. She can post whatever she wants. She can make rules for commenting. She can insult people who comment on her oh-so-brilliant rants. And anyone offended can do what I did, stop reading.
I have no problem with reading contrary views to mine. I enjoy the give and take of a debate, but she just likes to rant. She can do that without my participation.
Thank you so much! Seeing your and Kalinara's posts have just made my day. I was seriously upset last night by what Val said. I also couldn't reply thanks to my stupid Google account.
When I read Val's reply, I started worrying that maybe I hadn't been clear in my post. But apparently everyone else understood what I was trying to say. Thank goodness! Thanks again!
She's digging her own grave, actually. Unless she gets REALLY lucky in her career and manages to produce something that really takes off with the public -- like Dark Knight Returns or Watchmen did -- no publisher will want to work with her if she keeps up her current public behavior. Trust me, unless problem writers or authors really makes it worth their while monetarily, publishers ultimately drop 'em hot potatoes. I've seen it happen again and again and again. Doesn't matter if the authors are male or female. Those who engage often in public and persistent defamation of former or current employers tend to become unemployable in the long run. What company wants to run the risk of hiring someone who might publicly bite them in the ass later?
Check out some of Val's responses. Jesus, I've seen CORNFIELDS with fewer strawmen.
Najika, you didn't do anything wrong except disagree with her...albeit in a very polite and nonconfrontational way. Apparently that's enough.
Sea, I think that you are right, she may be singing Marvel's praises now, but just wait until she doesn't get her own way on something, and it turns ugly.
you...as a Feminist...should support Wonder Woman.
Just to play Devil's Advocate here, but my good friend Scipio expertly pointed out on his blog that Wonder Woman is not, and never has been, a feminist idol. Raised on an island of one gender, the question of gender equality never came up...until the first man washed ashore. She immediately fell head-over-heels for the first man she ever saw, so much so that she abandoned her home, family, and entire way of life, and hid her identity and talents and posed as a demure, sensible little secretary, just to be close to him. Sarah Palin is more of a feminist than that.
It's a shame to see one of the few female comic pros out there burning her bridges so carelessly. If there's one thing feminism doesn't need, it's a woman in an overwhelmingly male profession (and, whether she likes it or not, in the position of role model to young girls who might aspire to be the same) limiting her future options in the industry.
Every so often I still browse her blog, but it makes me angry too often now. I come here instead for reminders of why I like comics. Why do I like comics? Green Lantern butts and Green Lantern head trauma.
Seriously, how can you NOT like butts and head trauma?
Hey, it brings ME to the yard.
Hey! I'm one of those people who's been following your blog without ever really commenting, but I have a question about your header at the top. Who drew that delightful picture of Hal picking his bum on the left? I've always wanted to know.
Derek put together the banner for me back in 2007, and I've had it ever since, because I love it. I don't know where he found it, or how he did it, but to me, it's just perfect.
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Wonder Woman is not, and never has been, a feminist idol.
This is a joke, right? The description is a silly twist of the story... she became Wonder Woman in an effort to help save lives and provide an example for women everywhere. She did this consistently throughout her Golden Age career at the very least. Bringing girls and women to the island to better themselves. She also visited the island quite regularly for someone who had 'abandoned her family'. Does everyone who moves away for a job or somesuch thing abandon their family? And she fell in love with Steve, sure, and that was a motivator for getting out into Man's World, but I guess I keep forgetting feminists aren't allowed to love men.
That Gloria Steinem sure does need to learn a thing or two about feminist icons...
Um, was that an overreaction to devil's advocacy?
Sorry...
Also, Sally, I hate to blow your mind, but that is *not* Hal. The picture is of a waiter dressed as Hal from the Planet Krypton theme restaurant in Kingdom Come.
she fell in love with Steve, sure, and that was a motivator for getting out into Man's World, but I guess I keep forgetting feminists aren't allowed to love men.
What utter garbage. She fell in lust with him is what happened; he wasn't even conscious when she got a look at him and decided "Whoa! How long has this been going on? You say there are more of these things outside of this island? Sign me up!"
What utter garbage. She fell in lust with him is what happened; he wasn't even conscious when she got a look at him and decided "Whoa! How long has this been going on? You say there are more of these things outside of this island? Sign me up!"
Okay, that does sound fun, but I still don't think that was what was intended...
If you wouldn't believe in a love-at-first-sight (I'm certain that it happens all the time), which I think is what was intended in a mythological Selene (Diana) and Endymion kind of way, I still wouldn't call it "lust". If that was it I think some sort of sexual advance on her part toward Steve or any other man would have been shown somewhere over those first years. If love is unrealistic, then I would think the logical explanation would be simple curiosity over this beautiful creature like something she's never seen (though back then they did have the Magic Sphere). Whether it was intellectual, romantic, or sexual curiosity, none of those things exclude one from being a feminist icon.
Anyway I doubt if he'd been unattractive she wouldv'e just dumped the body in the ocean and called it a day, and I doubt his appearance was the only deciding factor in her becoming a superhero (with a very pro-woman agenda, I'm not sure how one could argue with that unless they haven't read the stories).
If you wouldn't believe in a love-at-first-sight (I'm certain that it happens all the time)
Much as I appreciate the Beatles reference, "love at first sight" is a convenient excuse not to think. True, lasting love develops between two people over time. I can't define it any better than anyone else who's ever tried; but Jiffy Pop, it ain't.
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