The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1950: Calibrations #1, June 1996

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Today's featured creator, Marc Andreyko, takes on in today's comic a fascinating character in queer literary history: Peter Pan. Since its earliest appearances on stage, the character has been played by a woman, including the very first stage performance in 1904. I'm not 100% certain what to make of a character who refuses to grow up who is always played on stage by a woman (though not in film?) - I can see the choice being a logistical one, in that a woman has the maturity to play the role and the voice to carry off a pre-pubescent boy. But there's also something to be said for a character that has been so significant in English literature, and in English Children's Literature, a specifically-male character, having such strong ties to women. Optimistically, I think it offers a way of parsing, in a century vehemently opposed to any kind of  questioning of the gender binary, the breakdown of traditional gender roles. Even the fact of the character being a "role" that a woman inhabits offers a place to start an interesting conversation about gender roles.

All that said, the Peter Pan that we encounter in today's story, a sneak peek at a longer series, does not seem particularly happy with the actress playing him on stage. Indeed, he becomes quite murderous about it, it's hinted in the final few panels, even screaming out his fury over girls playing him on stage. Is this Peter the toxically masculine, come to take what he thinks is revenge for his emasculation? Sadly, I've no idea. I may well see about tracking the series down, especially if Jill Thompson, who illustrates today's short story, continues to be involved.

More to follow.

Caliber is such an interesting publisher. Generally pretty high quality stuff.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1333: Supergirl (2016) #23, December 2018

Read this today. Have some thoughts, but it's too late to express them now.

But that cover is something else.

I know what it is that's been bugging me about the Rogol Zaar story in Superman. It's too soon. We've literally just spent 6 weeks with Superman, Supergirl, Bendis, and co. ramming themselves into Rogol Zaar. I don't need another 6 months of basically the same thing. I feel like this should have been, at least, a kind of mid-season mega-battle. But instead it's simply round two of Man of Steel.

I am, however, enjoying Kara's part in the Rogol Zaar story - she's investigating, getting answers. This is definitely the superior route to be following with regard to this particular villain. I think Supergirl actually supplants Superman in my rankings of these titles right now.

And that cover really is something else.

More to come... 

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1330: Supergirl (2016) #22, November 2018

I wish the comic within were even remotely so carefree, though there are some very good moments of Krypto "dogging" hard, and that's always nice to see.

I think Krypto may be swaying me over to the idea of dogs. I haven't been a fan for a long time, but they just seem so friendly, you know?

There's been a lot of playing with Kara's Kryptonian side of late, some acknowledgment that she would have to present qualities that came from the culture within which she was raised. It's inevitable, and happens to all of us. I teach in my Communications class the idea that we are prone to fall into the idea that the culture within which we're raised is the "correct" one, and all others are somehow less than. It's not the case, of course, but it's also sometimes hard to overcome. Kara has this problem, I think. She's still sweet, but she assumes that her status as Supergirl will grant her special privilege with the Green Lanterns. Instead they treat her like any other alien with a giant axe invading their central archive. Which is what she is. I wonder if this is some of the vaunted Kryptonian arrogance that Rogol Zaar yelled about in Man of Steel? And just how problematic is it?

The other cool thing this issue did is it seemed like we're going to get answers about Rogol Zaar, and the Circle, much sooner than I anticipated. That's kind of great. If the threat is of a truly great magnitude, it can really increase the drama of the subsequent issues. If the threat is of magnitude. Let's wait and see...

More to come...

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1327: Supergirl (2016) #21, October 2018

We'll take a slight departure from Mr. Bendis's Metropolis to follow the other Kryptonian into outer space. Kara does a nice job of articulating survivor's guilt here to Clark, in a way that he simply can't understand. I wonder if the Martian Manhunter has had a similar conversation with Kara as the one he has with Clark a few days ago. In fact, Kara and J'onn would have much more in common than Clark and J'onn, given that they both retain memories of the civilizations that were lost, unlike the infant Kal-El. Not to diminish Superman's trauma, but it seems that these two characters would have more in common. Perhaps that's why they're being paired to such excellent effect on the Supergirl television show.

More of the mystery of the Circle is being revealed. Information redacted from the Green Lantern files? Just who is Rogol Zaar?

More to come...