A World Turned Red: The Unbearable Burden of Superheroines

Well, I must admit Wonder Woman and the Black Widow top my list of all-time favorite female superheroines. But since Viki and Tina had the same thought, I had to dig deeper, think wider and come up with another  With some reflection, I decided to twist the topic just a touch–to look at a particularly difficult yoke all super heroes carry.

Isolation. The aloneness of an outstretched hand that never meets another.

While heroes feel it, in heroines it can take a very physical reality.

Two heroines in particular:  Rogue and Red Sonja–both redheads.

Rogue, of X-men fame, drew me from the start. Her inability to touch another human directly without draining their power and the emotional toll it took on her encapsulated the soul-wrenching loneliness of the powerful, the special, the supremely gifted. No other heroine or hero ever captured that reality as well as she did. When she fell in love with Gambit, never to touch… The sad irony, that to use her powers she must touch another, built into the character, a reminder that that which makes us strong can be our weakest link.  That cost has Rogue moving in and out of the dark side.

Red Sonja,  created by Robert Howard who is considered the father of the sword and sorcery genre, was stunning, sexy and indifferent to it. That woman was in full control of her blade and herself. A warrior for hire in the Conan the Barbarian men-are-men-and-women-are-chattel world, she cut her own way, exemplifying that women indeed could. The deity who gave her fighting skills did so with a cost–Sonja could only bed a man who could best her in battle. She too was given strict limitations on her ability to connect with a lover physically. For the most part, she walked alone and slept alone. Rarely to be held.

 

What do you see as the burdens super heroines (and/or heroes) carry?  Who’s your favorite?  Any other Rogue or Sonja fans out there?

Going to the Dark Side

This week we’re talking about what Superheroine we would like to be and why. My superhero knowledge is rather limited, so I decided to go with two kick-ass ladies I always enjoy watching.

First up: Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow

I love the way she kicks butt, her one-liners and the way she reduces men to gibberish with just one look.

Secondly: Xena the Warrior Princess

She was the first woman I saw who could kick butt, who saved herself AND her friends and did not require a man to protect her. I love her relationship with Gabrielle and seeing her with Hercules wasn’t half bad either;). And she looks amazing in the worst armour ever.

Who is your Superheroine, your Lady in Charge?

Tina Christopher

Writer of Sexy Steampunk and Sensuous Sci-Fi available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, B&N and Kobo.

Wonderful Wonder Woman

 

It’s difficult to decide what superhero I’d like to be…

Batwoman?

Supergirl?

Black Canary?

Wonder Woman?

Then there are the darker superheroes like Cat Woman.

I like the idea of being able to fly without having to take a airplane across the ocean. Wouldn’t that be super…flying to Europe on a whim – so my super powers would have to include flying.

Also, to see in the dark so I could easily vent out the bad guys hiding in some dark alley or cave or something.

And of course, I have to be extremely fit, fast and agile – so I can kick some ass.

Oh, and having telepathy and psychic powers would help – how else to know who is behind the evil lurking in the city?

It’s looking like Wonder Woman is my mentor. And she has the cool golden Lasso of Truth…so no one can lie to her without consequence. Utility bracelets that repel bullets and a magic tiara that she uses as a deadly boomerang. Her utility earrings allow her to breathe in outer space as well. What’s not to love about her powers?

Love and Peace,

Viki

Viki Lyn: Award winning author of paranormal and contemporary romances. You can find all of Viki’s books at the following sites: Amazon, All Romance Ebooks and GLBT Bookshelf.
 

Who’s Your Favorite #LOTR Sidekick?

Like so many of you out there, I love, love, love Lord of the the Rings. Its an ensemble story rich with sidekicks–all of which have a critical role to play in the story.  And its in LOTR, we see the essential qualities of sidekicks–they ground the hero or heroine, hold their hand as they walk a perilous journey, no matter how hard that journey or how dark the road.   My favorite, the one who sets the gold standard, is Samwise Gamgee.

Although set up as the sidekick to Frodo, Sam to me is the hero of the story.  Frodo carries the ring, Aragorn sexily swings his swords and grows into the mantle of a king, Gandalf ascends to the White Wizard, Legolas is steady on his bow and beautiful to behold–heroes all. But its on Sam’s shoulders they all stand.  He’s loyalty and love, faith and fidelity, hard work and dogged dedication. Sam is the ever present reminder of what they all fight for–home and hearth, good food, a loving partner, a family, the taste of strawberries, the scent of grass, the touch of a rose.

But the line and scene that encapsulate this, is when Sam picks up Frodo and carries him to the top of Mt. Doom.

Mr. Frodo, I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.

That scene epitomizes love and the foundational role of the sidekick. The grandeur of love and friendship is not in its opulence, but on the ground, when things look impossible, when the moment is darkest, it is the hand that helps you up.

“Play it again, Sam.”

Who’s your favorite LOTR sidekick?

Big Bang Buddies

My favorite sidekick. Hmm. That’s a hard one.

I’m really into the Big Bang Theory. I’d say the friends of Sheldon are the sidekicks!

And, those wonderful friends soften Sheldon and make him a little more human.

I love this show. Maybe because I can relate to the characters. They seem to have so much fun doing those nerdy things that they do. I want to play games with them, go to the comic store and dress up for a Star Trek convention. Just hang out with the boys.

Thinking about my books, I’d say Angelo is a sidekick to Vincent in the Orbus Arcana series. In Formula For Love, Gayle is Rose’s sidekick. Friends that stick together, no matter what.

Love and Peace,

Viki Lyn

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Latest release:

Formula For Love

Kenneth believes everything—even love—can be solved logically, until he meets a flower child who challenges him at every turn

Kenneth Hailey, an uptight conservative mathematician, believes he’s in control. After all, every problem can be solved in a deliberate and logical manner. Even love. When his fiancée dumps him for his best friend, he leaves Manhattan for the West Coast. What better place to forget his past. It’s 1967, and San Francisco is the place to turn on, tune in, and drop out.

But is he ready for Rose Red?

Rose Red, a free-spirited flower child, challenges Kenneth, thrusting him into her world of love-ins, protest rallies, and rock concerts. Kenneth finds himself falling down a rabbit hole, hanging on for dear life.

Old habits die hard, and he retreats, but Rose Red has other plans for him.

Excerpt: Formula For Love, copyright 2014, Viki Lyn

Rose patted his hand. “Forget it. You already said too much. You think girls don’t have the brains for math. We’re too emotional for such discipline. So do you want to sleep with me?”

Kenneth choked, and a spray of coffee spurted across the table, barely missing Rose. He wiped up the mess with his napkin, while muttering an apology. “I might be behind the times, but I like to be the one to invite the girl to bed.”

“If I waited for you to make the first move we’d never get past first base.”

“There’s the unwritten teacher-student rule.”

“You said our paths would never cross, so why worry about it? Do you always follow the rules? We can bend them a little. I’m not talking about a relationship here.”

“You’re talking about loving the one you’re with.” He smiled at himself for using her phrase. The sunlight broke through the window and Rose’s hair shone a burnished copper. Luscious, silky hair he’d like to touch again. “What do you mean by bend?”

“We can sleep together, and since we’re not looking for love, and we’re not each other’s type, and don’t want to—”

“—form any attachments.”

Rose sat back and crossed her arms. “Are you going to let me finish my sentence?”

Kenneth sank in his chair, uncomfortable with the conversation, but riveted.

“Yes, since we don’t want any attachments,” she continued, “it would be ideal. What do you say?”

He scratched his chin. “So I’m going to love the one I’m with after all? I don’t know.”

Rose waved off Kenneth’s worried expression. “Sex can be fantastic, and I’m horny, been without it—”

“—for a day?”

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http://www.amazon.com/Formula-Love-Viki-Lyn-ebook/dp/B00JGCDV0O/

Viki Lyn: Award winning author of paranormal and contemporary romances. You can find all of Viki’s books at the following sites: Amazon, All Romance Ebooks and GLBT Bookshelf.