Tag Archives: Zoe Zimmer

Mar 24 2014

Ms. Marvel 2

ms marvel 2Today, (guest writer) Suzanne and Spencer are discussing Ms. Marvel 2, originally released March 19th, 2014. 

slim-banner“If everyone were cast in the same mold, there would be no such thing as beauty.”

Charles Darwin

Suzanne: For all of the rhetoric about body image and positivity, it’s easy to forget how confusing and filled with insecurity the teenage years can be. I can remember those years of acne breakouts, bad haircuts and trying to fit in with the “cool kids” at school. Being a teenager is hard enough when you look, talk and dress exactly like everyone else. Did you wear the same North Face jacket or UGG shoes as five of your friends? Did you want to be ten pounds thinner because all of your friends were slim and “beautiful”? Now imagine being from a different ethnicity, culture or religion than most of your peers and struggling with your identity. It’s easy to see how insecurity can morph into internalized racism or self-hate. Skin-lightening creams are a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide and sold over 200 tons in India alone last year. So how does the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, respond to the pressure of society’s expectations? Continue reading →

Feb 11 2014

Ms. Marvel 1

ms marvel 1

Today, Drew and Spencer are discussing Ms. Marvel 1, originally released February 5th, 2014. 

slim-banner

But what did he see in the clear stream below? His own image; no longer a dark, gray bird, ugly and disagreeable to look at, but a graceful and beautiful swan.

Hans Christian Andersen, The Ugly Duckling

Drew: We all know the story, but have you ever actually read Hans Christian Andersen’s original The Ugly Ducking? It’s beyond dark. Before he realizes he’s actually a swan, the ugly duckling has embraced suicide as his only escape from a life as an outcast. Even without that particular detail, the ending has always struck me as grim. The happy ending stems from the ugly duckling actually being classically beautiful, after all, not from any kind of acknowledgement that looks aren’t everything. This particular duckling happened to be a swan, but what of ducklings that are actually ugly? I guess those end up actually committing suicide. In spite of this straight-up “difference is awful (unless it happens to make you the same as someone else)” message, this story is treated as though it empowers different-looking children. Its contradiction is almost tragic. As I read through the letters column of Ms. Marvel 1, which praised the notion of a non-white heroine, I couldn’t help but feel that same tragic disconnect, as the heroine herself turns out to be, well, you can see for yourself after the jump. Continue reading →