Tuesday, July 04, 2006

"Stop taunting me, Eivol!"

I was so busy fomenting wicked sexism and receiving death threats yesterday, I forgot the original point that inspired it...

With Catwoman no longer a villain -- and it seems, not likely to become one again soon -- Batman could really use some new female villains or, at least, the ramping up of some underused ones. I mean, gosh, don't you think Poison Ivy is exhausted from all the overtime?

I have some nominees and I hope you do, too.

The Manikin, seen most recently at, well, Blockade Boy's place. Loved her; nice old-fashioned villain origin. You know, workplace accident or injustice leads to bitterness at industry and world, as well as themed costume and gimmick. I swear, if only the DCU had better OSHA regs and Worker's Comp laws, there'd be a lot fewer crazed villains running around.

As one of the commenters pointed out, her schtick was echoed later on Batman The Animated Series in the character Calendar Girl (who also was a riff, of course, on Calendar Man). Either one would do!

Also seen most recently at Chez Blockade were Dragon Fly, Silken Spider, and Tiger Moth. Hmm. They look more like they're part of the Bugs of All Nations show at Minky's. If someone (hi, Gail; hi, Geoff) were to bring these gals back it should probably start off as a criminal trio. You know: The Bugs of Prey. Then they could triple date with the Terrible Trio.

Yikes; we're not doing too well. At this rate, we'll never reach a ratio of even, say, one female villain to every six male villains. Harley Quin's a bit overworked, but BTAS's Red Claw could make a comeback. But, well-- ugh; she seemed like a better foe for Bullwinkle than Batman.

The Sparrow gave the Joker a rough time once; I'm certainly be amused to see her go up against Robin!

Mindboggler was lots of fun, and I've been sorry she hasn't returned. From the dead. Yet.

And not that long ago, there was a great female version of "the Tattooed Man"; she was gangbusters and she needs a rematch.

Okay, some of you help me out of here, because I'm teetering close to the precipice beyond which lies Olga the Cossack Queen, Ma Parker, Marsha Queen of Diamonds, Madame Minerva, the Black Widow, Nora Clavicle, Lady Peasoup, Zelda the Great, and Senora Lola Lasagna. And we certainly don't want to go there!

Actually .... Zelda and Lola would be FABULOUS, wouldn't they?

"I am Senora Lola Lasagna!" GODS, how I love saying that. Loudly. In public.

Try it; you'll be amazed at how good it feels.

28 comments:

Hate Filled Poster said...

Jane Doe, in Arkham Asylum could return. Or bring back Magpie and Orca. Maybe a new Spoiler as a villain? Oh, and don't forget Dr. Leslie Thompson. Heh heh. Then there's Talia. They could bring The Phantasm into the real series. Then there's Olga, Queen of the Cossacks, Eggheads girlfriend. They could bring back the Joker’s Daughter. I'll be back with more potential villains in a sec.

Hate Filled Poster said...

A new Black Spider? Body Doubles could work with Two-Face. Oooo or they could team up with Double Dare. Echo IV is still alive and in Gotham isn't she? If not there's always Echo VI.Gorgeous Gilly looks like a Batman villain. Shiva is always a good one. You can steal Nightwing's Lady Vic or Leather who has ties to the Joker.

Scipio said...

"Maybe a new Spoiler as a villain?"

Yowtch; aren't the angry Batgirl fans bad enough?

"The Phantasm"

OOoooo; fun!

"Body Doubles could work with Two-Face. Oooo or they could team up with Double Dare."

Couldn't agree more!

"Leather who has ties to the Joker"

Wait, wait; didn't she date Fonzie? I'm confused.

Hate Filled Poster said...

Don't forget Nocturna either. Or Spellbinder III. Syonide could return from her death in The Outsiders. Wow, that's it for the DC Encyclopedia. I tried to find people who weren't already extablished somewhere else. There really aren't that many female villains in the book.

Hate Filled Poster said...

Or you could add two more villains to our diabolical double themed detachment and add the Trigger Twins to a team with Double Dare and The Body Doubles. I want to read that comic now.

Thanks for giving me something fun to do this late at night Scipio.

That sounded kinda sad didn't it? :)

Scipio said...

"Don't forget Nocturna either."

And OH how I've tried! I really did not enjoy that period in Batman's history.

"There really aren't that many female villains in the book."

That's why I've been sorry to "lose" Catwoman to the Good Side.

"add the Trigger Twins to a team with Double Dare and The Body Doubles."

Didn't I write something about that once? In one of the Rungs of Villainy? In any case, I agree that's just what needs to be done with people like that; hitch their wagons to bigger villains like Two-Face.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for being a pedant, but it was the Neron-powered Spellbinder III who went up against Batman, instead of Mindboggler. Same schtick, though.

(And MB did come back from the dead...kinda. Her personality was "digitized," and she became the techno-assassin Ifrit in the service of the Jihad. Later, she encountered the Jewish AI Dybbuk, and they settled down in Cyberspace to raise little Orthodox nanites. It was nice to see a dead villain get a happy ending.)

As far as Bat-villainesses go, I wouldn't mind seeing Roxy Rocket added to the DCU proper. And there's always (-*- shudder -*-) Clayface IV and Element Woman, both from Strike Force Kobra.

Anonymous said...

"'Leather who has ties to the Joker'

Wait, wait; didn't she date Fonzie? I'm confused."


I thought Leather was with Chris Berman.

Ragnell said...

Leslie Thompkins doesn't count now? Well, it's rumroed they're retconned that out. How about Zombie Spoiler?

Why not that Doll lady from TAS? The one who couldn't age and was a former child star so she lost it?

And I like the idea of the Body Doubles and Double Dare backing up Two-Face..

Scipio said...

"Sorry for being a pedant, but it was the Neron-powered Spellbinder III who went up against Batman, instead of Mindboggler. "

No, don't be sorry, thank you! Is Spellbinder still alive?

"Why not that Doll lady from TAS?"

Oh, yes! That was one of the best episodes! Baby Doll is a favorite of mine.

"How about Zombie Spoiler?"

Isn't that a rock band?

joncormier said...

Couldn't they make the new Manhunter the new Catwoman? Um, if you follow me?

You know, two dark and brooding (but now with more sunshine!) vigilantes, patroling the streets of Gotham, cracking skulls and breaking hearts with a bit of time for a rooftop triste.

Or just make the Manbat a woman.

Marionette said...

Wouldn't you have to call her Womanbat, then?

I'm not sure that works. Sounds too much like Wombat.

J'onn J'onzz, Martian Manhunter said...

Mindboggler is dead. Not that that means anything in comics.

Hate Filled Poster said...

"Didn't I write something about that once? In one of the Rungs of Villainy?"

I think you did. I remember something similar. It's still a good idea.

No love for Jane Doe from anyone?

Scipio said...

"No love for Jane Doe from anyone?"

I found her too implausible.

And, yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds in a world filled with metamorphic Martians and human nuclear reactors.

Scipio said...

"Wouldn't you have to call her Womanbat, then?

I'm not sure that works. Sounds too much like Wombat."

Lady Man-Bat? Fem-Bat? Person-bat?

Yow, there's no real way out of that one, is there?

Hate Filled Poster said...

Batwoman?

Andrew Ironwood said...

Myself, I just like saying:

Zelda the Great! Even greater than Houdini!

(...but maybe that's just me...)

Anonymous said...

Actually, Man-Bat's wife, Francine, used to turn into She-Bat from time to time. I'm not sure, but I think she may have pre-dated She-Hulk on that score. Personally, I've wanted to see the bug-theme villainesses from Poison Ivy's first appearance actually DO something ever since that story came out--there must be something for Dragonfly, Tiger Moth, and Silken Spider to do somewhere!

-Mindbender

Scipio said...

Pfah, Andrew!

Without the marvelous escape devices which I, Eivol Ekdol, make for you each year --

you would be NOTHING.

Anonymous said...

there must be something for Dragonfly, Tiger Moth, and Silken Spider to do somewhere!

I already suggested on Blockade Boy's Blog </alliteration> that they bring in Tiger Moth as the comics version of Kitten, Killer Moth's daughter from the Teen Titans cartoon.

As for more Bat-villainesses, why do we need to rehash an old one? Surely we, the combined intellect of the comics blogosphere, can come up with a new concept. Can't we?

Why is everyone laughing?

Jon said...

"'Leather who has ties to the Joker'

Wait, wait; didn't she date Fonzie? I'm confused."

I thought Leather was with Chris Berman.


I have to figure that the Deadspin/Absorbacon reader overlap is incredibly small. I can't believe I still find that joke funny.

Anonymous said...

I have to figure that the Deadspin/Absorbacon reader overlap is incredibly small. I can't believe I still find that joke funny.

I know. It hasn't got old for me yet, either (obviously). Anyhow, I'm glad someone caught it.

Ragnell said...

"How about Zombie Spoiler?"

Isn't that a rock band?


Nah, I just figured since it worked for Jason Todd...

MarkAndrew said...

The way I hear it, there's an opening for a New Ventriloquist. I think the whole concept would be creepier if he were a she.

Shane Bailey - Good call on Talia. She's got awesome villain potential. Whatver happened to her?

Anonymous said...

I would love to see Killer Moth with his own "Kitten" in the comics. Maybe even give him the same look he had on TV. I mean, he was still a guy, but he had the powers of a moth, like flight and sticking to walls. It could work.

Hate Filled Poster said...

"Shane Bailey - Good call on Talia. She's got awesome villain potential. Whatver happened to her?"

She was in the Secret Society of Supervillains during IC and afterwards I believe. I think I heard that she'll be showing up in Grant Morrison's run on Batman too.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to see Bugs of Prey Vs Birds of Prey.