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DC Comics, Batgirl Cover:

There are many situations where there are sexual tensions in our environment and on the news, along with other displeasing news. People usually try to escape the world with fiction using comic books. Little do we expect such tensions that happen in the real world to happen in the fictional one as well.

In the last year,  the company DC Comics Universe released a new issue of Batgirl: New 52 Series. In (month), They released the cover as a teaser — but many people weren’t so pleased. The cover showed the main hero Batgirl with The Joker, the arch enemy of Batman. The Joker had his arms around Batgirl and his left hand has a pistol in it.. His right hand had its pointer finger covered in what appears to be blood and he had the finger across Batgirl’s face in the shape of a gun. There was also  blood around Batgirl’s lips in the shape of a smile which was the complete opposite face her lips formed. Simply put, she was  terrified while the Joker seemed to be enjoying it.

Many viewers saw this as picture of sexual assault, and found it inappropriate. The photo sent fans into a fury, and the variant was quick to receive criticism which ultimately led to DC pulling it all together.

Other readers said that the image does not point to sexual assault. They cited an alternate storyline from the comic, where the Joker beats Batgirl and sends her father bloody naked pictures of her after he paralyzed her.

The Batgirl cover brings up an important debate: when does violence go too far in comic books and movies? We already expect a character like the Joker to be violent–but is there a line that his creators can cross where it’s too much?

I decided to expand upon the issue and ask a fellow student, a sophomore Chloe Epstein. I interviewed Chloe and asked her her take on the cover.

“I understand why people were concerned about violence about women,” Epstein said. “However, he is a villain, that’s what he does. He is The Joker he is supposed to be an asshole. Just don’t make jokes about rape.”

“What he is doing is wrong, but it doesn’t specify that he was raping her. It’s just blood on someone’s face. He’s done it many times. If anything should be against him involving sexual tension it’s how he treats Harley Quinn. People should pick their battles because this isn’t the worst thing he done.”

I personally feel that the cover did not appear to be a sign of sexual assault. I felt that it showed the Joker’s natural state of putting fright into people’s eyes and I like for once, that the hero appears frightened and not have a usual stonhard courageous face.

Marvel Comics, Comments regarding the character Black Widow:

Many moviegoers and comic book fans were really excited for Marvel’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron and many reporters wanted thoughts from the actors about the movie and characters. One reporter was able to sit down with Chris Evans (Captain America) and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye). One question that came up was about the new sudden relationship between Scarlett Johansson’s character Black Widow and Mark Ruffalo’s character Bruce Banner, a.k.a.The Hulk. In the interview, the two actors responded with comments against the character Black Widow, calling her a “slut” and saying that she been around with every character.

In the interview, their tone was joking, but many viewers were still not happy. They did not find it funny at all.There were hate mails, sell drops, and some fans even came to the conclusion to no longer represent Marvel until an apology is made.

I wanted to know other’s view point on the debate and issue. I asked a student who was well aware of the topic as well as someone who has a issue with the topic of sexual labels in general. Michaela Peterson, sophomore had this to say:

“What they said wasn’t ok, no matter who or what. It’s demeaning and offensive to women everywhere. It’s partially females fault for using the language for themselves making it seem okay but it’s not. Fictional characters inspire real people. They may be fiction but it doesn’t make them less real. Just because they are fictional it doesn’t make the language less awful. The fact that they are publicly apologizing and acknowledging it was a step.”

My initial response to the issue wasn’t as strong  as the Joker and Batgirl cover . I felt that the two were in the wrong and it was a bad thing, however it’s just a fictional character.

 

After hearing from others and thinking it over,  I do see that my view point is not so open minded. It is true that many people connect with characters and some may have felt offended from the words said.
The fans of comic books should consider that writers are trying their best to make the stories more realistic with real world problems but the fans do however have the right to draw the line of what’s too far since they are the audience set to be pleased.

Staff Writer

Angelica Owens

According to the board of education that gives the tests in Pennsylvania, the Keystone exams are a way to judge how well a school is educating its students, and also whether students have learned the content.

    However, many students, teachers and families disagree with the practice of standardized testing for a variety of reasons.

Many of the objections include that standardized testing hasn’t improved students improvement, they are unreliable way to show students performing, and it causes stress for younger students.

   In Pennsylvania, students can opt out of standardized tests by writing a letter to the superintendent or principal explaining that they want to opt out of it.

The Philadelphia Student Union has made a website at www.morethanatest.wordpress.com that shows SLA students and even teachers having up signs to say why they are more than a test.

The site features numerous students and teachers holding signs saying why they are more than a test with the hashtag more than a test at the bottom.

I interviewed Senior, Nomi Martin- Brouillette, the creator of the website to learn more about the website and why she made the website and choices the way she did.

    What was the inspiration for the More Than A Test website?

We were inspired by the opt-out movement that is growing in Philly and across the nation and wanted to do something about the Keystones being a graduation requirement.

    Why did you choose to put Mrs. Menasion on the site?

We are welcoming submissions from parents, teachers, students, school administrators, school staff, and community members.

    What were the requirements you gave the people who wrote on the paper in order for them to be on the site?

People write why they are more than a test on a sign and email it to us.

   If you were to do this again, how would you do it differently?

It’s still going on! We want more submissions! We’re in a campaign and will be meeting with people who have deciding power on graduation requirements soon.

   Are students at SLA choosing to opt out of exams? Have you encouraged them to?

I don’t know if any SLA’ers opted out. I only know of 12 in the whole state that did because it’s a graduation requirement, it’s really hard to opt out of the keystones and the project based assessment.

   Are there projects like this at other schools? What actions are other students taking if they are frustrated with the exams?

Students from all over the city are involved in the More Than A Test Campaign. The other day some students students walked out of Kensington CAPA instead of taking the keystones!