Postmainstreamity: Postmodernism and Diversity in Mainstream Comics

We're entering era of postmodernity. Or rather, we have been for quite some time now; it's not really a new phenomenon. In the field of mainstream comics however, postmodern sensibilities are beginning to run rampant these days (creators such as Robert Crumb, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Art Spiegelman, as well as a plethora of others have been at it for years). It would help if you, of gracious reader, knew what I'm talking about when I use the term "postmodern."
   
     Postmodern sensibilities, in the most general sense, go beyond that of modern conventions. A modernist approach to storytelling, uses the classic 'hero's quest' plot structure, follows a singular protagonist (typically a noble, white male), sticks to a general three-act arc, adheres to traditional gender roles, is constructed based on realist logic. There are many other modernist conventions, but these ones are some of the more recycled and popularly used ones.
   
     Postmodern media tend to disrupt these modernist codes by way of crafting and telling stories in alternative and subversive ways. Some examples of postmodern sensibilities include (but are not limited to): speaking directly to the reader (or, alternatively, in which the creator speaks directly to the characters in the text; see Grant Morrison's run on Animal Man); creating characters (especially lead characters) that are non-white (in other words, exploring both racial inequalities and diversity); telling disjointed, fragmented stories (as opposed to most modern stories which are neat in their arrangement); exploring offbeat themes and discourses (including sexuality, psychology, philosophy, extreme violence, religion, etc.);  and utilizing elements of satire, parody, and/or allegory (besides telling stories in different manners, many postmodern stories have something political to say).
   
     Three on-going comics series that I find particularly intriguing in terms of their postmodern approaches include Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples' much beloved Saga, Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky's self-referential sex romp Sex Criminals, and G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona's inspiring Ms. Marvel.

In Saga, we are introduced to rather unconventional characters in an unconventional world. Posthuman protagonists Marko and Alana, parents of young baby Hazel, are both non-white characters, and are both of different ethnicity. Their marriage is an interracial one, which, prior to even getting into their character traits, already signals a postmodernist hybrid mentality. The inclusivity of Saga extends further than race - all different kinds of species are present in the story, from a cyclops to a plethora of anthropomorphized creatures to humanoids-with-computer-monitors-for-heads. The cast of Saga is high on the diversity scale.
   
     Saga is also interested in creating diverse, muiti-dimensional characters. I particularly find Alan to be the most interesting character. Alana is a sexy yet rugged no-nonsense mother who kicks ass and makes her voice heard. She does not take any bullshit and is rather forward with her thinking. She is an active participant in her surroundings and challenges the status quo of the passive, secondary female that we see in lots of mainstream culture and comics. Saga is a feminist text that blatantly markets itself as one with Alana breastfeeding baby Hazel, while simultaneously holding onto a gun and staring directly at the reader (see the covers to issue #1 and the hardcover Book One).
   

Speaking of feminism in comics, Sex Criminals is a prime example of a comic more solely focused on feminism and equality for women. While there are two protagonists in Sex Criminals, we are first introduced to Suzie. Most of the time, Suzie breaks the fourth wall and addresses the reader directly, both through her monologues and visually (she is looking directly out of the page in many panels). Sex Criminals is characteristic of the fragmented, disjointed storytelling, especially in volume one of the series. "Volume One: One Weird Trick" jumps around chronologically far more often than Chip Zdarsky posts on social media (which is a lot by the way... What? I do NOT keep track of Chip's internet postings...).
   
     The most obvious alternative subject matter of Sex Criminals really needs no mention, but for the sake of my essay, I must be blatant. Sexuality is the prime topic which Suzie discusses, which was otherwise unheard of in mainstream comics before Sex Criminals came onto the scene (pun intended). Openness is a prime feature of postmodernity, and Sex Criminals is not shy by any means. Sex Criminals has acted as a means of discussing sex in mainstream media in a more honest way. In the backmatter of the single issues, Fraction and Zdarsky have published fan submissions who described their own sexual encounters and stories, most of which are silly and humourous. But most importantly, sex is being discussed, and it's not weird at all (okay, some of the stuff that's mentioned is pretty weird, but you get my point).

Ms. Marvel, on the other hand, is not an adult-themed comic, but maintains other diverse postmodernist elements. Kamala Khan, the newest (and only version I'm familiar with of) Ms. Marvel, is a Pakistani American Muslim superheroin. She is also a teenager. In other words, she's the first of her kind. Like Marko and Alana of Saga, Kamala is a non-white protagonist (might I add she is not male either). Kamala is an "Inhuman," meaning that she has shapeshifting abilities and restorative powers (Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans within the Marvel Universe). I find it curious that Kamala, being the non-traditional makeup of a superhero, would be created as an "Inhuman." I'm sure that her creators (writer G. Willow Wilson, artist Adrian Alphona, and editor Sana Amanat) did this consciously and with a playful manner in hand (since there has been so much mistreatment of non-Western racial and religious peoples). Calling a Pakistani American Muslim an Inhuman sounds racist, however it seems to me that the decision to make Kamala an Inhuman was made to embrace her diverse non-white qualities rather than hinder them (similarly to how feminists embrace the term "slut" with the Slut Walk).

    Kamala is a new breed of superhero. Not only is she inspiring to both younger and racially diverse audiences, but she is a testament to progress being made in mainstream comics. Several other heroes have been retconned in recent continuity to make way for inclusion of postmodern identities (including LGBTQ identities, ethnic peoples, and other minorities). Green Lantern Alan Scott of Earth 2 is a recent example of this retconning activity. Rather than change continuity, creating a new character seems like the way to go with this decision (so as to not alienate old fans of Alan Scott as well as to relish in the newness of the postmodern identity in mainstream comics).

There are many more examples of postmodernity and diversity in Saga, Sex Criminals, and Ms. Marvel, but I will get to those another time. There are also many other diverse postmodern comics that I will explore in future posts. Thanks for reading issue #1 of Postmainstreamity! Stay tuned for the next installment where I will discuss these three comics in further detail (as well as a new one), and why diversity matters!