Story highlights
Lewis Beale: The new Wonder Woman movie is out featuring hot looking, kick-butt heroine. This is what feminism looks like in 2017?
He says Jessica Chastain and others are right: Hollywood virtually ignores characterizations of strong, realistic women. That has to change
Editor’s Note: Lewis Beale writes about culture and film for the Los Angeles Times, Newsday and other publications. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) —
Oh, goody. Now that “Wonder Woman” has attained a 93% positive score on rottentomatoes.com and looks like it will become a massive hit, we can look forward to an avalanche of overblown, CGI-driven comic-book movies featuring hot-looking, kick-butt heroines.
This, supposedly, is what feminism looks like in 2017?
Yep, Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman, has long been touted as some sort of feminist icon, but in reality she’s just a bodacious fantasy figure created by a man named William Moulton Marston. And whether in her comic book incarnation or her ‘70s TV persona – played by the extremely curvy Lynda Carter – WW has always been able to take care of herself- but also has been a major sex object.
What’s wrong with this picture? Just this. At the recent Cannes Film Festival, Jessica Chastain, a juror, decried the sexism she saw in so many of the nominated movies. And Nicole Kidman pointed out that last year women directed a vanishing few of the year’s top-grossing films. According to a recent study from the Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film at San Diego State University, just 7% of 2016’s top-grossing films were directed by women, down 2% from the previous year.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
Courtesy dc comics
Princess Diana of Themyscira, better known as DC's Wonder Woman, made her first appearance in 1941.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
cameron stewart/dc comics
DC's Batgirl, a.k.a. Barbara Gordon, made her first appearance in 1967 and got a new look in 2014.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
jae lee/dc comics
She's been more of an antihero than a villain in recent years, and Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman) made headlines by coming out as bisexual in February.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
marvel
Marvel Comics announced it will replace all Avengers teams with a new one, composed entirely of women like She-Hulk, Medusa and Dazzler. "The A-Force" comic book hits stores in May.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
Kris Anka and Javier Rodriguez/Marvel
Spider-Woman, a.k.a. Jessica Drew, was introduced in 1977. Marvel Comics announced a makeover for 2015.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
Here's the original Spider-Woman costume.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
Courtesy Marvel
It's a new day for the god of thunder: Thor will now be a woman, Marvel announced July 15. "This is not She-Thor," writer Jason Aaron said in a news release. "This is not Lady Thor. This is not Thorita. This is THOR. This is the THOR of the Marvel Universe. But it's unlike any Thor we've ever seen before."
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
Marvel comics/ap
Before Thor, Marvel introduced a Muslim-American teen superhero: Kamala Khan, a New Jersey teenager who transforms into Ms. Marvel.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
Courtesy marvel comics
Mindy McCready, known as Marvel's Hit-Girl, made her first appearance in 2008.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy dark horse comics
Dark Horse comics' Buffy the Vampire Slayer made her first appearance in 1998.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
May Parker, Marvel's Spider-Girl, made her first appearance in 1998.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
Courtesy marvel comics
Marvel's Elizabeth Braddock, also known as the X-Man Psylocke, made her first appearance in 1989.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy dc comics
DC's Helena Bertinelli, Huntress, made her first appearance in 1989.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
Courtesy dc comics
Amy Winston, DC's Amethyst, made her first appearance in 1983.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
Jean Grey-Summers, Phoenix. First appearance in 1981. Marvel Universe.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
The X-Men's Rogue, whose name was later revealed to be Anna Marie, made her first appearance in 1981.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
Marvel's Elektra Natchios made her first appearance in 1981.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
Angelica Jones, Marvel's Firestar, made her first appearance in 1981.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
Jennifer Walters, Marvel's She-Hulk, made her first appearance in 1980.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy dc comics
Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, better known as DC's Starfire, made her first appearance in 1980.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy dc comics
DC's Rachel Roth, a.k.a. Raven, made her first appearance in 1980.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, made her first appearance in Marvel comics in 1979.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy marvel comics
Ororo Munroe, the X-Men's Storm, made her first appearance in 1976.
Photos: Most awesome female superheroes
PHOTO:
courtesy dc comics
Dinah Lance, the Black Canary of DC Comics, made her first appearance in 1969.