From Wonder Woman to Aeon Flux : women heroes, feminism and femininity in post-war New Zealand

Abstract

When a woman gains a foothold as a hero, as a warrior or tough woman in popular culture, the gender order is threatened. For the warrior woman's identity to be legitimated she must perform a coherent subjectivity that negotiates femininity and toughness without appearing to be a pseudo-male or a bimbo (sex object). This study investigates the influence of female heroes in popular culture in New Zealand from the emergence of Wonder Woman in comic book form since World War II up to and including warrior women in twenty- first century popular culture: Xena, Buffy, Aeon Flux and their heroic sisters.