Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors:
Superwomen in Modern Mythology

Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology was honored by its inclusion in the Amelia Bloomer Project List of Recommended Titles for 2011.

The Amelia Bloomer Project is part of the Feminist Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association, and create an annual booklist of the best feminist books for young readers, ages birth through 18.

About the Book

From Wonder Woman to Buffy Summers, Emma Peel to Sydney Bristow, Charlie’s Angels to The Powerpuff Girls, Superwomen are more than just love interests or sidekicks who stand by their Supermen. Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology shows how the female hero in modern mythology has broken through the boy's club barrier of tradition and reveals the pivotal role of high-heeled crimefighters in popular culture. Featuring spies and sexuality, daddy's girls and super-mothers, this is a comprehensive, engaging and thought-provoking guide to female detectives, meta-humans and action heroines, as well as their creators, directors, performers, and consumers. The book also includes a glossary of modern mythic women, from Aeon to Zoë, as well as a foreword by acclaimed cultural commentator Roz Kaveney, author of Superheroes! Capes and Crusaders in Comics and Films (published by I.B.Tauris, 2008).

About the Author

Jennifer K. Stuller is a writer and journalist, specializing in gender and sexuality in popular culture. She has been researching and speaking internationally on superwomen for over a decade. Stuller maintains a blog at www.ink-stainedamazon.com.

Advance Praise

“Female heroes abound in literature, film and all walks of life, although most people don’t know that they do. Not surprising given how much they challenge the gender roles in which women and girls have historically been confined. This wonderful book shows female heroes breaking out of gender boxes left and right and illuminates new possibilities for the indomitable hero in all of us.”

Kathleen Noble, Ph.D., author of The Sound of the Silver Horn: Reclaiming the heroism in contemporary women’s lives.

"Once upon a time -- only a few years ago, actually -- women could turn on their TV sets and glory in the adventures of Buffy, Xena, Sydney Bristow, Dana Scully, and many more strong, ass-kicking women. Today there is not one show on the small screen that stars a female action hero. What happened? Comics are not much better. Aside from the occasional exception (for which we are grateful) like Birds of Prey, and women writers like Ivory Madison (The Huntress) and Gail Simone’s newly feminist interpretation of Wonder Woman, most comic book action heroines continue to be male-written and drawn creations whose breasts are bigger then their personalities.

Now along comes Jennifer Stuller, with her very entertaining book, Ink-Stained Amazons, to explore the whys and wherefores of pop culture super women, and perhaps jolt us all into demanding more and stronger women characters. Thank you, Jennifer. We need those role models!"

Trina Robbins author of From Girls to Grrrlz: A History of Women's Comics from Teens to Zines

Press

Jennifer Stuller: Pen-Wielding Scholar, by Katherine Keller for Sequential Tart

I first met Jennifer Stuller at a Buffy The Vampire Slayer conference a few years ago and since I've seen her present at several conventions and have always enjoyed picking her very shiny brain. She's been busy touring for her book, Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors and graciously took the time out to do an interview for us.

Kicking Ass and Taking Names: An Interview with Jennifer K. Stuller, by Sara Freeman for ChicagoNow

"From characters and actresses like Wonder Woman and Tura Satana to creators like Joss Whedon and William Moulton Marston, Stuller's book chronicles the fascinating journey superwomen have taken in modern mythology and pop culture since the '40s."

A Damn Scribbling Woman: An Interview with Jennifer K. Stuller about Ink-Stained Amazons, by Kjerstin Johnson for Bitch

"Blogging as Ink-Stained Amazon on the Bitch blogs, Jennifer Stuller took on Barbarella, Lois Lane, and Tura Satana with her blog Grrl on Film. With her new book, Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology, released a few days ago, you can find even more on kick-ass women in popular culture."

Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology (2010) by Jennifer K. Stuller, Review by Malgorzata Drewniok

"The general claim of the book is clear: we need female heroes in popular culture, not just heroines swept off their feet by male heroes. Although Stuller shows that there is still a lot to be done to give women proper representation in Superheroes-verse, the sheer amount of her examples – from films through sitcoms and TV series to comic books – proves that we already have many strong women to look up to. The author also calls for diversity, for all people to be represented – men, women, straight, gay (or anything in between), as well as racial minorities. Stuller believes everyone can be a hero and popular culture should inspire us to find this hero inside, no matter whether we are male or female. And she is right: we do not need a copy of the existing heroes, we need new ones."

Geek Mom: Ink-Stained Amazons Should Adorn Your Stocking This Holiday, Review by Cathé Post

"Wow, I don't even know where to begin. I am overwhelmed with quotable material from Jennifer K. Stuller's book Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology. Amazon already gave this book a 5 star review. I would like to go one step further and give the author 5 stars as well."

Sliver of Ice: Book Review: Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors by Jennifer K. Stuller. Book Review by Erica McGillivray

"The book is very accessible and easy to read, even if you aren't familiar with every movie, show, comic book, or novel which Stuller references. (There's an appendix filled with footnotes and notes on characters and the author's own recommended reading and viewing.) It's definitely a geeky book as Stuller is very excited to share with you, the reader, about the media and super-powered women she loves."

Fangirlblog: Review of Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology

"The message of the book comes through loud and clear: This is where we were, this is where we are, and here’s my knowledge-base and the brain-trust of a lot of other smart, strong women – now go use it to make things better for all of us. . . .[T]hroughout the course of the book she doesn’t judge women for their tastes or their preferences, or insist that anyone agree with her point by point. Stuller simply lays out her own experiences as a geek girl, ambassador, and historian, then has the bravery to let the reader decide things for herself."

Fangirlblog Reflection: Book Review: Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors

"What Ink-Stained Amazons provides is deep knowledge about past portrayals of women, effective (and not-so-effective) characterization, and the ruts that storytellers get stuck in.

Self-awareness grows as you read the book. Jennifer is very effective at demonstrating the ways that we truly do write what we know in terms of tropes, relationships with our family, and our own internal biases from a lifetime of experience. Once a writer recognizes his or her own bias – yet another form of rut that can trap our storytelling – that is the path to breaking new ground, making the stories better.

Finally, Jennifer’s book reminds everyone that writers must have empathy, for their characters and for their audience. This book should be a must-read for any writer working in genre storytelling. As a resource for women in fantasy and science fiction who are still searching for that sense of who they are, this book will be a big help as well."

Readings and Signings

 

University Book Store, Seattle, WA. Ms. Stuller will be doing a reading and signing at the University Book Store March 18th at 7:00 pm.University Book Store March 18th at 7:00 pm.

*This Author Event is recommended by Seattle's The Stranger!

Comics Art Conference at WonderCon, San Francisco, CA. Ms. Stuller will present at this year's Comic Arts Conference, part of WonderCon, on Friday, April 2nd. from 4-5 p.m. Q&A and signing to follow.

*Ms. Stuller has been referred to as a "Comic Arts Conference favorite!"

Slayage Conference on the Whedonverses June 3rd-6th, St. Augustine, FL. The Ink-Stained Amazon Presents: The Best, Worst, Known, and Not So Known Pop Culture Influences on the Whedonverse.

*Hot vampires, cheerleaders with machine guns, cute mutant teenagers, and fuzzy puppets- oh my!

** Ms. Stuller was interviewed regarding the conference for the Florida Times-Union.

San Diego ComicCon International More info coming soon!

Buy the Book!

Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology is published by I.B. Tauris, and distributed throughout North America by Palgrave Macmillan USA.

It is available for purchase through Amazon.com.