Is innocence important in a superheroine?

[emile]

How important is being innocent for a superheroine? The fact that she is powerful and naive, unsuspecting of danger, always putting herself at risk of defeat..

[villainofsooperhero]

It's a personal preference I guess but for me, it's absolutely imperative. I have really shied away from using models with tattoos over the years for this reason. I have no problem with tats and since everyone and their grandmother has them, I'd be a lonely person if I did, but how many superheroines in comics have tattoos? It doesn't fit the purity and virtue element that is so important in the character's development - then when the peril sets in, it's that much more powerful. If a heavily pierced, inked up model / performer in a wonder woman costume experiences peril, it just doesn't hit home for me as much. Just my opinion and personal preference. At the same time, if you have a model with ink and have her play a rogue vigilante type superheroine and that's built into the story, that could work too. When I started, the worst I had to deal with was tramp stamps. It got harder and harder as the ink got more and more prevalent.

Villain
https://www.deviantart.com/darkshadevillain

[Dazzle1]

How important is being innocent for a superheroine? The fact that she is powerful and naive, unsuspecting of danger, always putting herself at risk of defeat..

Only if it fits.

A young Supergirl, say from Superman TAS yes.

Batgirl, Black Widow or Wonder Woman no, and not needed

[Mr. X]

All heroes need to be virtuous. Without that they aren't heroes.

[argento]

Sociopaths are manipulative and often exploit people's trust. In my opinion, a superheroine should be cautious of potential threats from villains. However, this does not imply that the superheroine is innocent . For instance, Wonder Woman was too trusting of Dr. Psycho (Earth One) and Batman was too lenient with Catwoman.

[Eagle]

I have really shied away from using models with tattoos over the years for this reason.

Right on. Super important!

[bushwackerbob]

For me, a heroine having that innocence is part of that heroine persona, if you use a superheroine persona scale where the best, most morally upright and upstanding heroine is at 10. Anything that takes away from that superheroine persona scale makes the heroine less wholesome and a less morally upstanding citizen role model compromises the heroine, it also undermines the superheroine story or film. I think a heroine not being innocent, having tattoos, cussing, etc., takes away from that superheroine persona, you start from that scale at a 4,5, 6, or 7 instead of a 10.

[sneakly]

All heroes need to be virtuous. Without that they aren't heroes.

I think virtuous is more important. I think the bargirl I write is an adrenaline junkie. She knows what she is doing is high risk and the price of failure is a sexually explicit demise. I don’t pretend that she is unaware of the sexuality involved with fighting Gotham’s worst or that they don’t find it sexually gratifying to leave an attract young heroine to a cruel and perverse fate.

Even Penelope Pitstop isn’t so naive to think there isn't going to be a sexual component to what the Hooded Claw plans to do to her. In my writing Universe, fighting crime has a sexual dynamic. I would feel bad for a heroine that dons a clingy catsuit and goes looking trouble not realizing rape is a consequence of failure.

[DonShip]

I agree. I think virtue and a sense of Justice, a need for justice, is more important than innocence. A true innocent would not put on a costume and mask to fight crime. She might confront a criminal, thinking a scolding will rehabilitate him, but that's all I can see her doing.

[luther]

Absolutely! While it doesn't have to be the number one component, it really helps. Lynda Carter as WW played it to a tee. Luther

[tamonicus]

I also concur. If she's putting herself on the line to defend justice and what's right, she must be those herself.