daynah's Blog
Runaways #29
Okay, I’m writing this here out of shame for not reading this issue sooner.
In this arc, Dead-End Kids, does it seem like the Runaways suddenly grew up? I mean, there’s sexual child abuse, there’s BDSM,* and two people get shot down… can I use the expression “point blank” when they never had a chance?
Whedon’s Runaways are dealing with a lot more mature themes than Vaughan’s. But make no mistake: if the characters can suddenly take heavier material at the same time a new writer comes on board, that is not character development. That’s lazy writing.
Do we really need another comic book about sex and violence? I think Whedon doesn’t have the talent to write about the more subtle things in life, that Runaways used to touch on.
Runaways was a coming of age story that reminded us all of a time when, to us at least, our parents really were evil. It had kids of all ages to talk about themes of social awkwardness, and trying to be respected among adults (“A person’s a person no matter how small”).
Now, it’s just another comic book by the big two. You have your girl in the fridge, you have your two page fighting scene, and, to Whedon’s credit, you have all of this shit taking way too much time to be released and one favorite character (this time Molly) with all the good lines.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Give it up, Whedon and you’ll do everyone a favor.
*I DON’T automatically count people being tied up as BDSM, but when there’s an obvious erection reference… yes. Yes, it is. p. 6, frame 2 of issue #29, “Do you think that’s the worst you can feel? My staff isn’t even warm.”
If you’re gonna try to paint Joss Whedon with the “women in refrigerators” brush, you will be fighting a long, losing, uphill battle, friend. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a single creator in media who’s done more to advance the cause of feminism in popular culture.
Yes, he’s a noted feminist. But in THIS ARC he chose to put a sexually abused girl in it. Why? That plot hasn’t really done much for the story (usually fridge girls do) and (maybe due to poor writing) he hasn’t gotten across the point that “pedos are bad.” AND this is in a comic that previously was marketed for kids (small digest size).
Joss’ s howBUFFY has done a lot for women. Nothing else has expect in personal cases (though those do matter the most, I’ll admit).
I thought you weren’t going to go after Whedon anymore? :)
Oh, and I dig Molly. She’s pretty cool. She’s the only one I liked of the very few issues I’ve read.
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