LEA HERNANDEZ responds

Lea Hernandez is a published author, journalist, and creator of the Image graphic novels "Cathedral Child" and "Clockwork Angels." She gets big points from me for having invented a creative way to tell Martha Stewart to go to Hell (go to her web site, Atelier DivaLea, to see what I mean, and take a look at her gorgeous artwork while you're there). I don't actually know Lea that well, having just met her through two letters here--but I wouldn't mess with her. She sounds badass!

Some of these comments are from an interview with Lea from my new fave web page, Sequential Tart, and are used through her kind permission. (GS)

Gail:

Here is the closing to my interview in the February '99 Sequential Tart. It's long, but it sums up all my peeves and what can be done pretty well.

Before that, though, I have to say I was very disappointed that DC's Sensation Comics #1 had a really neat story by Robinson and Goyer and I almost didn't read it because the artists kept putting Wonder Woman's panties and Hawkgirl's butt in my face. I went back to read it again to count the times Wonder Woman bent over and found a story under her rear end.

.......

Ah, how I wish I'd taken that Madeline Albright Diplomacy correspondence course now. This is a more dangerous question than "Are women in comics treated differently?".

The short answer is that instead of giving one more minute of attention to the Victoria's Secret model with a backache-sized tit job being presented as a heroine for me, her goodness as a role model directly related to her breast size (which are literally hood ornaments), I'd rather point out there are more female characters and CREATORS to admire, enjoy and emulate than ever.

However, I reserve the right to refuse to like a comic just because there is a girl/woman in it, or someone's decided to take a limp stab at marketing it to girls/women.

There's really so many great female characters to read about. Besides my obvious bias for my own, there's Elin Winkler's Shazeri (from Tales of the Fehnniks), Chance Falconer (who I like, but would have LOVED as a kid), Sailor Moon (who really does kick ass), Batgirl in Gotham Adventures, Chassis McBride, pick a character from Colleen Doran's pantheon! Nevada! Lois Lane from Superman Adventures! Supergirl from Superman Adventures! Misty from Pokemon!

Sisters, there's no reason to go hungry! Push past those posters of giant titties and that one of the impossible pose where some gal is displaying her butt, crotch AND breasts, and that one where the girl looks like she's been oiled up and spanked. Push past all that, my sisters! Fling the retreads of 80's Marvel work aside! (I knew we were on that slippery slope to buttfloss when Janet Pym first wore a costume that her cheeks peeked out of...) There, my sisters, under all those eye lemons and tree-killers are comics you will like. Don't hold it against your retailer if he or she is keeping the store going with chromium multi-variant oops-my-tittie-fell-out 1-to-4 short-packed speculator specials — get in there and grab that Previews and you will find something for you, and by God order it and get all your girlfriends to do the same and your store will still be in business after the superhero readers turn 18 and start reading the Mangerotica books and the speculators have left to sell their Beanie Babies to pay the rent!

(wheeeeze)

Of course, always give your business to the store that makes it easy to get what you want, and doesn't offended your eyeballs with faux-core (as opposed to soft core) porn.

Thank you.