Week Twelve

For the comics by women week, I read “This One Summer” by Jillian Tamaki. I found it to be very interesting because the character was so relatable. Because the artist was a woman, she drew issues that normal women faced. You don’t talk about menstruation and miscarriage in most comics by male artists.

Also, in most comics, particularly superhero comics, the women characters are very flat. They’re just accessories to look at. They’re obedient, comforting and yielding. If they are the villains, the female characters are hysterical and seductive. This is kind of what Anita Sarkeesian said in her video. Female villains use their sexuality to be evil. And that’s all they are.

However, in “This One Summer,” the characters are very real. The women are not flat and perfect. They have very real flaws. They make real mistakes. And they develop throughout the story.  

And I relate so much to the main character because I’ve done so many things that she did. I remember the confusion of going through puberty and dealing with crushes. The curiosity she has about the teenagers is so real. When I was around twelve, all I was interested in was growing up. Tamaki captured that feeling of not feeling right in that age so well.