Decentering the sexual aggressor: sexual violence, trigger warnings and Bitch Planet. Issue 3 (4th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gray, Brenna Clarke; Wright, David N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of graphic novels & comics. Volume 8:Issue 3(2017)
• Page Start: 264
• Page End: 276
• Publication Date: 2017-05-04
• Subjects: Kelly Sue DeConnick -- Valentine De Landro -- Bitch Planet -- sexual assault -- trigger warnings -- exploitation; Graphic novels -- Periodicals; Comic books, strips, etc -- Periodicals; Popular culture -- Periodicals; Art, Modern -- 21st century -- Periodicals; Art, Modern; Comic books, strips, etc; Graphic novels; Popular culture; Comicroman; Comic; Periodicals; 741.5
• DOI: 10.1080/21504857.2017.1307240
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2150-4857

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Bitch Planet, a feminist satire of exploitation comics and films by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro, explicitly subverts this traditional comic book paradigm throughout its run, but nowhere more assertively than in issue #6, which begins with a trigger warning exhorting the reader to assess her comfort level with the upcoming flashback story that will address sexual violence. This page de-centres the aggressor, instead positioning the survivor of sexual violence at the centre of the comic reading experience. Using trauma theory and the existing body of work on 'fridged' women in comics, as well as reflecting on the history of the trigger warning as it has been used in comics to this point, we argue that issue #6 represents a significant shift in the way comics approach marginalized readers, even given the difficulties of presenting 'warnings' within the context of mainstream comics art.