Stand In The Place Where You Are 2

Note:  This post is actually a continuation of a previous post examining women standing around waiting to be rescued.  That post included examples of movies with the captivating Caroline Munro.  I just thought I could use comic book examples for my comic book this time around!

I’ve stated my preference for a damsel-in-distress to be in an unaware and/or unmoving state if she is going to stand still and look pretty for the hero to rescue her.   At least it’s better than a hapless hottie consciously choosing to remain on the sidelines while the action rages around her – is someone like that worth saving if she wants the hero to do all the work?

I feel that’s the easiest gig for a working actress. All she has to do is not move and stare at something far away. It’s not that easy for a comic book artist. Depicting stillness with a static image is hard, but it’s been done over the years by many great artists.

A mad scientist develops a serum to freeze people in suspended animation to sell to German spies during World War II. So who does he test it on? A pretty socialite named Martha…

If you didn’t hate Nazis enough, not only does he force the serum down poor Martha’s throat, but he tests her rigidity by slapping her across the face! The only thing that redeems this sequence is the very detailed Lou Fine artwork. This Dollman story in Feature Comics #59 (Aug 1942) also has a very interesting title from 70 years ago, “The Human Manikins”!

The not-so-aptly-named Miracle Man claims he can do anything in Fantastic Four #2 (1962 -- fifty years ago!), so he kidnaps The Invisible Girl and hypnotizes her to signal the rest of FF to come so he can destroy them...

It doesn’t work out that way. Jack Kirby, the most acclaimed comic book artist in history, gives Sue something to do during her rescue, but it’s essentially helping the bad guy! Even with all the action, once the rest of the team stops Miracle Man, The Invisible Girl is shown basically standing still, unaware of what has just occurred.

And if you think this lady-in-distress thing is a little one sided, twenty-five years ago Green Lantern Corps #213 (1987) had a gender-bending dude-in-distress climax. The Green Lantern Hal Jordan has been mind-controlled by The Star Sapphire and placed in an unfortunate doggie position (LOL) as fellow female Green Lantern Arisia saves him from a fate worse than death…

This series of panels has close-ups, wide shots and light beams. It’s colorful and bombastic and masterfully drawn by the underrated Joe Staton!

So my challenge was basically this: could I deliver in my latest issue, Pretty Vacant: Final Repose Part II, a comic sequence where a oblivious woman in need of rescue could stand motionless, utilizing the meticulous rendering of Fine, the spectacle of Staton, and -- unlike Kirby -- have her somehow help her teammates rather oppose them?

What I truly like about this is how Mindy helps her teammates as a human shield from energy bolts despite her spellbound state. As I previously wrote, Mindy has a purpose, even if she is unaware of it!

So did I rise to the challenge? I like to think I did.