Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors

Superwomen in Modern Mythology

Jennifer K. Stuller; Foreword by Roz Kaveney

I.B. Tauris

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In this comprehensive history, inquiry, critique, and reference guide, Stuller argues that Superwomen, from Wonder Woman to Charlie’s Angels, are more than just love interests or sidekicks who stand by their supermen. She shows how the female hero in modern mythology has broken through the traditional boy's club barrier to reveal the pivotal role of high-heeled crimefighters in popular culture. Chapter topics include love and compassion, spies and sexuality, daddy’s girls, and the complicated roles of superwomen who are also mothers. The book also includes a glossary of modern mythic women, as well as a foreword by acclaimed cultural commentator Roz Kaveney, author of Superheroes! Capes and Crusaders in Comics and Films.

 

 

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Praise for Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors

“Blogging as Ink-Stained Amazon in the Bitch blogs, Jennifer Stuller took on Barbarella, Lois Lane, and Tura Satana with her blog Girl on Film. With her new book, Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors, you can find even more on kick-ass women in popular culture.”
--Kjerstin Johnson, Bitch Magazine (online)

“Female heroes abound in literature, film and all walks of life, although most people don’t know that they do. Not surprising given how much they challenge the gender roles in which women and girls have historically been confined. This wonderful book shows female heroes breaking out of gender boxes left and right and illuminates new possibilities for the indomitable hero in all of us.”
--Kathleen Noble, Ph.D., author of The Sound of the Silver Horn: Reclaiming the heroism in contemporary women’s lives.

“Once upon a time -- only a few years ago, actually -- women could turn on their TV sets and glory in the adventures of Buffy, Xena, Sydney Bristow, Dana Scully, and many more strong, ass-kicking women. Today there is not one show on the small screen that stars a female action hero. What happened? Comics are not much better. Aside from the occasional exception (for which we are grateful) like Birds of Prey, and women writers like Ivory Madison (The Huntress) and Gail Simone’s newly feminist interpretation of Wonder Woman, most comic book action heroines continue to be male-written and drawn creations whose breasts are bigger then their personalities. Now along comes Jennifer Stuller, with her very entertaining book, Ink-Stained Amazons, to explore the whys and wherefores of pop culture super women, and perhaps jolt us all into demanding more and stronger women characters. Thank you, Jennifer. We need those role models!”
--Trina Robbins author of From Girls to Grrrlz: A History of Women's Comics from Teens to Zines

Reviews from Goodreads

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Ruth  rated it  
Nov 12, 2011
This book is a survey and review of the female super-hero's development throughout pop culture (mainly TV, movies and comics), thought the 20th and 21st Century. It does a good just discussing a lot of the problematic aspects of a lot of female heroic characters (or lack there-of). It highlights cha ...more
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Trish  rated it  
Oct 22, 2011
Awesome!!!! Only disappointment so far is that they don't mention Erin Soong from "Farscape".
Finished today & wow. Can't say enough about how inspiring it was. Her analysis was deep w/o being so heady you couldn't follow. I found myself nostalgic for some of the shows and characters ...more
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Jayne  rated it  
Aug 5, 2011
Are you a feminist? Are you a genre-TV-and-movie geek? Do you ever ask yourself 'what would Buffy do'? Then you need to read this book. Stuller concentrates on TV and graphic novels for the most part, and it is /kind/ of depressing that almost every show in this book has been cancelled...and we're n ...more
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About the Author

Jennifer K. Stuller; Foreword by Roz Kaveney

Jennifer K. Stuller is a writer and journalist, specializing in gender and sexuality in popular culture. She has been researching and speaking internationally on superwomen for over a decade, and has contributed to such publications as Geek Monthly, Washington CEO and the Encyclopedia of Gender and Society. Stuller also teaches at the University of Washington, her alma mater, and maintains two blogs: Ink-Stained Traveler and Ink-Stained Amazon. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Jennifer K. Stuller

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Available Formats and Book Details

Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors
Superwomen in Modern Mythology
Jennifer K. Stuller; Foreword by Roz Kaveney

Trade Paperback

Trade Paperback
I. B. Tauris
I.B. Tauris
February 2010
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781845119652
ISBN10: 1845119657
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 272 pages, 30 b&w photos
$17.00
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