Marvel's All-Female Villain Team Takes Aim at Toxic Masculinity

Comic Book Resources ^ | August 19, 2019 | Renaldo Matadeen

[EdnaMode]

Marvel's The Amazing Spider-Man is changing the dynamic of Peter Parker's social circle in a huge way as he's been forced to defend his roommate, Boomerang, from the new incarnation of the Syndicate, an all-female crew sent by Wilson Fisk to kidnap him.

But while the latest chapter sees the team pursuing Boomerang to undoubtedly score a major payday, we eventually discover a common ambition the members share: They want to bring down the patriarchy and, more so, take a shot against toxic masculinity in a New York that they believe should have more women in power.

When the women attack Boomerang at the F.E.A.S.T. Center, Peter hides Aunt May away and returns, costumed for a team-up he doesn't want. He knows Boomerang ran afoul of the Syndicate, but isn't sure why. Electro and Beetle have valid reasons, as Boomerang betrayed them to save his own hide, and the others -- apart from Trapster, who's only there for the violence -- bring to light a disturbing history with Boomerang from the Bar with No Name.

While he's now on the straight and narrow, flashbacks show Boomerang obnoxiously hitting on Lady Octopus (Carolyn Trainer, who was briefly Doctor Octopus in the 1990s), Scorpia (Elaine Coll, a new Scorpion given powers by the crime boss Silvermaine), and White Rabbit (Dr. Lorina Dodson, an Alice in Wonderland-themed villain). The women are rightfully annoyed, and as their vendetta comes to light, it turns out Boomerang might have crossed some lines with his forward behavior and frat-boy mentality. When he tries to mansplain how to conduct a heist at F.E.A.S.T., it only further angers the women.

We then find this new Syndicate views the New York City crime scene as biased: Alistair Smythe tried to belittle Lady Octopus over her own work; Rhino doesn't treat Scorpion equally; and White Rabbit admits Hawkeye makes passes at her in battle ,which she finds offensive.

Nonetheless, while they make their own #MeToo list after knocking out Spider-Man and snatching Boomerang, they still owe a major part of their business to Fisk. It remains to be seen how their partnership will evolve, but for now, he'll definitely be impressed by how they took out the wall-crawler and apprehended someone he's been hunting for a long time.

With technology at their disposal and Fisk controlling politicians and media arms, they could use his extensive resources to help get rid of others they view as oppressive, which would only strengthen the Kingpin's grip. Beetle already made it clear they're about ideas and improving the class of criminal running the city; with Fisk backing them, Spider-Man could be in for a front-row seat to a shocking makeover right in his backyard.

[Bon mots]

We have enough strong women superheroes now, but what about body positive obese women? Why are they so underrepresented? Is Hollywood implying that they are perhaps too heavy to fly?

[Tzimisce]

Are you wondering why all the Marvel Movies are retelling stories from 30 years ago?

[Secret Agent Man]

Glad i don’t go to movies anymore.

[PIF]

Shark Jumping is becoming a recognized sport - when will it hit the Olympics and will any one watch?

[jmacusa]

“Women are irrational, that's all there is to that! They're heads are full of cotton, hay and rags! They're nothing but irritating, vacillating, calculating , exasperating ,maddening , and infuriating hags!’’. Rex Harrison, aka "Professor Henry Higgins, "My Fair Lady''.

[YogicCowboy]

At a guess, 1967? or 1968?

It looks like post-Batman/1966 camp, and it’s still 12 cents.

[YogicCowboy]

Even when populaar, it was still superior literature: Gone with the Wind, Rebecca.

[Dr. Sivana]

The team was introduced in 1966 in “Showcase”. Their book would have been no more than a bi-monthly, so 1968 sounds about right. I caught them in reprints in 1972. The Dumb Bunny is “as strong as an ox . . . and almost as smart.”