The Ultimate Superheroines Forum

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..

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

emile wrote: ↑

2 months ago

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

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

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.

villainofsooperhero wrote: ↑

1 month ago

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

Right on. Super important!

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.

Mr. X wrote: ↑

1 month ago

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.

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.

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

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