A representação feminina em Mulher Pantera e Mulher Maravilha

Abstract

Since around 1940s it has been debated about the impact of comic books in society. However, it was from no earlier than the 1970s, with the growing interest of scholars, they have come to be regarded as an artistic expression that can inform, criticize, maintain and/or subvert the norm. In an attempt to contribute to this discussion, this master dissertation investigates in a comparative perspective to what extent the comic books Miss Fury by Tarpé Mills and Wonder Woman by William Moultan Marston, both superheroine debuted in 1941, subvert the representation of the models of femininity in the 1940s. Tarpé Mills (1912-1988), throughout the Miss Fury, outlines an independent character, within the text, and an illustration that is coherent with the style of art that aligns the woman stereotypes of beauty and sensuality widespread at the time; she creates a super heroine and secondary characters marked by ruptures and continuity with the patriarchal discourses. In turn, William Moultan Marston (1893-1947) created within the text, a feminist superhero who would work as a new model of women, but like Miss Fury the illustration of Wonder Woman followed in affinity with the idea of promoting visual pleasure of the female body to the characters and readers, especially heterosexual readers. Thus, specifically, this dissertation analyzes the female representations and the ruptures with patriarchal discourse within the contradictory narratives. In order to accomplish my research goals, I have used the theories used in Women’s Studies (BEAUVOIR, 1949; WOLF, 2002) and in Comics Studies (MCCLOUD, 1995, 2006; WOLK, 2007).