posted
In "Thunderbolts", the third (I think) Citizen V was Dallas Riordan who wore a padded suit to make her look like a man (though she ditched it for a more feminine look after she fought Captain America and he was able to tell she was really a woman from the way she moved).
In the Dick Tracy movie, the Madonna character dressed up as a man in an overcoat without a face.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
In the early 90s, Malibu Comics launched a super-hero line which included Mantra, about a sexist-male-pig type who died and was reincarnated in the body of a gorgeous woman.
OK, so he wasn't dressed like a woman, except in the birthday suit sense.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
There seem to be two approaches to the female/male switch - the disguise and the reincarnation as the opposite sex. When I asked the question, I hadn't considered the second approach, which really seems to be the more fascinating one from a story/character standpoint. In the latest H.E.R.O., one of the young guys playing with the dial worries that he will become a female superhero - Sonnie's mention reminded me of that - but it doesn't go any further.
The disguise is old as stories are themselves, and certainly accomplished in real life as well. Perhaps it's only our modern biotech - as well as heightened awareness or questioning of male/female roles in recent decades - that has brought the actual "sex change" story into our culture. (I suppose there is something like this going back to Greek myths or in the Hindu pantheon, but all I recall, vaguely, is someone who was male and female at once - Tiresias?).
posted
Before he became blind, Tiresias was changed into a woman and lived as one for seven years, after which he became a man again. It provided him with unique perspective to say the least. Among the Greek gods, Zeus was capable not only of fathering children but also giving birth to them himself (Venus sprouted from his head). Plus you have hermaphrodite divinities like Hermes and dual-persona brother-sister combos like Artemis/Apollo. Gender duality was a popular theme in ancient "superhero" stories.
From: Reimagined Trom | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
In Peter David's run of Supergirl Comet (one of the three Earth Angels) was Andy Jones, a lesbian comic, in her 'regular' ID and Comet, a male hero in her angel id. I geuss that makes her/him completely transgendered rather than dusguising herself as a man but it sort of counts. And then there's Lord Fanny from The Invisibles.
-------------------- Truth and Justice shall Prevail! (Unless Tamper Lad Screws it up...)
From: Manchester, UK | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Tromium Crystal: Among the Greek gods, Zeus was capable not only of fathering children but also giving birth to them himself (Venus sprouted from his head).
I think it was Athena, goddess of Wisdom who sprouted from Zeus' head. Her Roman counterpart was Minerva (aka Merciful Minerva ala Wonder Woman)
Aphrodite (Roman Counterpart Venus) was born in sea mist.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Tromium Crystal: Before he became blind, Tiresias was changed into a woman and lived as one for seven years, after which he became a man again. It provided him with unique perspective to say the least. Among the Greek gods, Zeus was capable not only of fathering children but also giving birth to them himself (Venus sprouted from his head). Plus you have hermaphrodite divinities like Hermes and dual-persona brother-sister combos like Artemis/Apollo. Gender duality was a popular theme in ancient "superhero" stories.
Must resist being pedantic...
ach, what the hell, it's Helenistic mythology and that gets me every time.
You're right about Tiresias. When he was a young man he killed a pair of mating snakes and was turned into a woman. Then seven years later he killed another pair and was turned back into a man. As such when Zeus and Hera were arguing about which sex got most pleasure out of sexual intercourse they asked Tiresias, since he'd experienced it as both sexes. He said that women did and so Hera blinded him because she thought it was the wrong answer (I always find it interesting that after the Greeks it was pretty much taken that women got no pleasure from sex at all). To compensate for being blinded Tiresias then got his prophetic ability, either from Zeus or Apollo.
Quislet is right about Athena springing from Zeus' skull as well rather than Aphrodite. But Hermes wasn't hermaphroditic, it was his son with Aphrodite who was, Hermaphroditus. He fell in love with a woman (a nymph I think) and asked his mother that they could be as one. Only she took him literally and joined them into one body made up of both sexes, hence hermaphrodite. Oddly in some versions of the myth the transgender son is actually Eros, although there are so many different versions of his parentage that it's hard to know which was the most widely accepted one.
There's also the story that Sophocles (I think) had as to why there were different sexulaities. Basically he said when the world was first created there were three sexes, one wholy male, one wholy female and one both male and female. Only they were a challenge to the gods so they were split in two. So throughout our lives we are literally searching for our other half. Only with some of us we were once male and so our other half is also male and so on. There's a song in Hedwig and the Angry Inch based on the same myth (Origin Of Love). Personally I think it makes a lot of sense.
Right, we can get back to the original topic again. I've done obsessing.
-------------------- Truth and Justice shall Prevail! (Unless Tamper Lad Screws it up...)
From: Manchester, UK | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Hey, what about Wonder Woman's Golden Age villainess? Like Hypnota, Blue Snowman? I am sure there are more, that I may missed.
I remember one deceased hero from Justice League Task Force - her name is Mystek and she dressed like a man, to conceal her identity. Also, I remember the story in Justice League Quarterly, the woman was transformed into a man and hmmm, can't recall the whole story. sheesh!
From: Hayward, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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