The Green Avenger vs. The Ideal Superheroine

[Prettysenshi]

I have to say, there's been a lot of talk about how GA represents "real women" and such. I have to say, yes she does. But not necessarily because she isn't 120 lbs, people. I love GA's personality. She is not a static character, and to me, this is what makes her relatable. Wonder Woman, for example, can be seen as static. She doesn't really seem to be deep to me. I don't know why. GA is much more well rounded than Witchblade too. She's strong, but doesn't get all weak in the knees when her "man" shows up. I can't stand that. You can be strong and still be feminine and the Green Avenger does that. Which is why I really like the character and comic.

Heck, I like the comic so much, that it inspired me to make my own superhero webcomic. I'm working on it right now, in fact. I'm in the script stage.

So, thank you Abby, for making a superheroine we can truly look up to.

Who else has thoughts on GA compared to other superheroines?

[Wistful_Dreamer]

I think what I like best (aside from the occasional views of Hennipen Ave. and ads for 89.3 FM) is that she is failable. Not, mind you, the physically failable of some female heroines (along with young or non-white heroes) who end up being there mostly for the main characters to haul out of the fire. Nor the angsty, Buffy/Witchblade-esque "I'm physically unstoppable, but my personal life sucks, and I let it affect my work" failable. The Green Avenger crashes into kites. She misses her landings. She gets caught air guitaring in front of a plane of onlookers who, get this, laugh at our heroine. It's delightful.

It's even better that GA is sort of a self insertion (see first comic. was going to be an autobiograaphical comic, but Abby decided a superheroine would be more interesting). It's quite rare to find a self insertion comic that does such a good job of lampooning the main character ("A World Like My Own" doesn't count. I think it's some kind of depression mediating therapy on the artist's part).

Beyond that, it really is the right take on superheroe comics at the right time. DC comics are in the middle of the battle to define the universe right after a super angsty Identity Crisis. Marvel comics, at least the X-men, are in the middle of each of their bazillion sub-series being beaten up by alien shapechangers, losing their powers, or in some other way being taken down a notch. A lighthearted comic about just-post-teenage superheroes in flyover country battling equally minor villians and worrying about what mom will say about smashing the alarm clock is exactly what a disenfranchised comic fan needs.

Although it really could use a 20-something balding burned-out superhero who gets to watch GA's overenthusiasm and make snarky comments.

[AbbyL]

Wow, prettysenshi, I didn't know you were working on a superhero comic. That's pretty cool!

And Wistful: As far as that last bit, don't hold your breath.

[Neo Kusanagi]

First off I am a guy and I do enjoy reading this webcomic. For all the reasons stated previously above. Also, the peice on the Louis Lane topic was very good in my opinion. I bet it would be pretty interesting if a male superhero came into the comic (you know, the sterotypical male) and gave his opinion on it,

Not much else to say but, keep up the good work !

[AbbyL]

It is an interesting idea, to see what a sterotypical male superhero would think of the way The Green Avenger runs things. I am going to bring in the more stereotypical male point of view at some point in the future, but I don't think it would be fair to bring in the stereotypical male superhero if the female superhero I'm writing is not stereotypical. It would be kind of unbalanced.

Still, an interesting idea, and I'll give it thought. And thanks for the compliment!

[Dvandom]

Regarding the stasis issue, keep in mind that once you have a merchandising deal, you have to stay more or less recognizable. Any major changes have to be undone after a few months (Superman Red/Blue, for instance), or cleared with the licensing lawyers (the slow metamorphosis of Wonder Woman or Batman over the years).

BTW, if you want to see comicbook women who look a little more real, see if you can dig up Mitch Byrd's stuff (he did some Elementals and Guy Gardner in the 90s). I've met him at cons a few times, he's a good ol' boy who likes his women with a little meat on 'em, and he does a good job of drawing them that way without slipping into parody as so many comic artists do (i.e. for most, if they're not Wonder Woman-shaped, they're Big Bertha).

---Dave

[Wistful_Dreamer]

And Wistful: As far as that last bit, don't hold your breath.

But breath holding is my super power!

Seriously, anyone that gets to make snarky comments ought to be female (which is Kelly's job of course). I would, however, like to see what the Big City superheroes think of the crime fighters of flyover country in this world.

[Sky_paladin]

Hi, I'm new here. I just wanted to say that I am really enjoying the Green Avenger - I just started reading and BAM I was hooked. She is a very likeable character, which sure helps!

Well, enjoy your time in Japan, and I hope to see more of your work when you get a chance to post it up. I don't have a webcomic of my own (I did an old hand drawn one years ago that got sidetracked and I gave up), so I won't comment much as I don't have the experience. But I know what I like, and I like what you've done. Please carry on!

Edit: Aaaand I put this in the wrong subject. Great start. Sorry!

[Ideal Comics]

I'm also frightfully new, But I really love the comic. There isn't anything I can add that hasn't been said, but I love it and I hope that's enough

[Prettysenshi]

I just want to say that as much as I love Green Avenger, I'm starting to get annoyed with some of its reviews. Everywhere I go, they mention, "real woman's body" and "real proportions". I somewhat resent this. I am in my healthy weight range--115 lbs on avg---and I'm slender. Like a size 5. I don't like how people keep saying that b/c the Green Avenger isn't built like Wonder Woman, she's more "real". I disagree.

I think the point is that women can be several different sizes and body types and not just one.

Sorry for the rant, somewhat annoyed, that's all.

I just had to say it cuz I think that there's more to GA than her size, but people keep mentioning it as if it's one of the main factors of her appeal to people. I'm working on a superhero comic and she's gonna be shaped like me. Slender, short, flat chested, and so on, which is also a sizable demographic, but not the only one. I don't want people thinking superheroines should be soooo away from the stereotype cuz that's in right now.

GA is appealing, not just because of her size and how she reflects a growing demographic in America, but because she's very human and independent and normal. She's a normal person. In essence, I'm sure the only difference between Abby L. and GA is the fact that one flys around saving people, and the other doesn't.

That's why I like GA. I can relate to it on so many levels.

[DrawFour]

I think that the point is not that it's the only real shape but it's real in comparison to other heroines whose proportions simply could not exist in real life. The huge breasted, tiny waisted women who would snap in half if they were really built like that. I don't think it's meant as an affront to women like you who, clearly, are real and of healthy proportions.

[ShardZ]

I particularly like the whole "normal (alter-ego) life" aspect. So many superheroes and heroines seem to have something "going for them" behind the scenes.

Either they're independently wealthy, or have superhuman intelligence which is used to create their gadgetry and weapons, or are the head of a corporate empire (which provides financial support and/or access to the latest high-tech gadgets and weapons), or they have a powerful family or benefactor with similar connections.

The Green Avenger has to volunteer to clean the house before her mother will make her a new pair of boots. 'Nuf said?

P.S. No offense to anyone here whose superhero characters do have any of the abovementioned boons... I'm just making comparisons.

[Naraklak]

I found 'Green Avenger' just a few days ago, and I already fell in love with it. It has a good storyline, great characters, and a realistic touch to what is usually a very unreal situation (I mean, SUPER POWERS...).

I especially like Abby/Green Avenger because she is very much like typical women (and also very much like me); she's got her weaknesses and strengths in and out of uniform (or costume), she's outgoing, fun, smart (but not 'brilliant'), a loving, happy, supportive homelife instead of an angsty or horrible one, and a very real, down-to-earth kind of personality. As for her 'representing real women' physically, I think it's great to see a superheroine who ISN'T brimming with muscles, too-thin waists, and a bust to make Pamela Andersen envious.
(I mean, just look at the latest Marvel comics; my GOD, what is the artist thinking?! To me, they look really freaky; hardly 'beautiful' or 'graceful' as I know they are supposed to look. (It's a big reason I've been switching over to the Japanese Manga, simply because the characters are visibly more reasonable and believeable))
It's REALLY nice to see someone with actual proper proportions, be it thin, heavy, or inbetween. (I mean, with some of the chests I've seen in the newer Spider-Man comics, the proper body size would have to be like three times as wide to support it... ugh).

I think another great allure to 'Green Avenger' is the simple fact that it's a superhero(ine) comic that isn't brimming with old, overdone plots and villains (like the six or seven various versions of X-Men, Spider-Man, Batman, Superman... the list goes on and on). This comic began with a very original idea, even though there are many various versions of a super-hero comic. I've been very impressed by the comic, which has proved to be fun, witty, and yet still be able to carry a good-quality, serious plot, which you almost never get in a story (comic or novel) anymore.

On that note, I'd like to conclude my opinion of 'Green Avenger' with compliments to Abby for the creation of such a fun and interesting comic, and I wish you luck in the future. =D

- Naraklak

[AbbyL]

Thanks for your compliments. At this point I'm just struggling to keep updates going, but my courseload will be pretty light in the spring, so I will be able to make it up to you.