Ignite presentations - learner response

Significance  4/5
Structure 4/5
Simplicity 4/5
Rehearsal 4/5
16/20

WWW:
Positive and enthusiastic presentation showed passion for my critical investigation and also the love of comics.

Historical context used in my presentation like Martin Luther King and World war 1 and 2.

Gender equality used and it represented empowered and good example used by the comics for example She Hulk and Hawkgirl.

Significance used a lot which was good as the lines used 'What I learnt'

Range of examples used in the presentation. Leading to a good delivery and very good knowledge for comics.

EBI:

Link to wider context and why this is imporant, and link to specific text like Watchmen.

Self assessment

To be honest I believed I didn't deserve the 16 out of 20 as I missed out section of the effect on media and how it works with newspapers or news. In my critical investigation I do need a lot of wider context and I want to do this as my critical investigation as I like this top of how Sexuality of Superheroes don't matter in Comic books so they should do this in Movies and it is a impact on fans and society on a whole. They're many good parts of presentation as to my knowledge and what society believe. How ever i need more of a media terminology use and also use media debates and it would have been better.

Ignite presentation

How has Marvel and DC pushed LGBT

 Critical Investigation: Representation of LGBT in Marvel and DC comics in modern society

Summer Research 

 http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/JoshWildingNewsAndReviews/news/?a=124885
In this article actor Andrew Garfield is campaigning that it doesn't matter what sexuality Spiderman is and will enjoy that one day we don't have to have a problem with sexuality of superheroes or in real life. He gave the example that he would like to see a version of Spiderman which is pansexual and nothing being wrong with it. The interview was about how Spiderman or anyone can be any sexuality its also about how we shouldn't be scared of people who want to change and let men or woman like what ever they want as it doesnt change them in society as they are still the same skin colour, gender and sexual orientation  meaning any one can be a hero in their own lives.



 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_themes_in_comics
This is just showing the meaning of how in comics the new concept of LGBT themes. It talks about how comics had censorship and not allowed to do this because society wasn't ready. It describes that LGBT started in the 1970s as they had grown mostly at that time of 1990s though making it mainstream it grew.

http://www.comicvine.com/profile/bumpyboo/lists/lgbt-characters/41243/
Has all the list of superheroes origins and what sexuality they are. it gives more information about the background and time they were issued. Talks about character evolution of why the writers made the character a different sexuality and when it was introduced. 
  Example of a superhero s Alan Scott as he is the first Green Lantern to be Gay and evolved in modern day society as being okay with it.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/iramadison/midnighter-is-the-gay-comic-book-youve-been-waiting-for#.xeXWe1XwP
 Article about Midnighter being launched as a comic book series in 2008. Its about how the writer thought it would be good as it goes with modern society and it reflects where we are okay with it. It describes that Midnighter is still a normal super hero like all the others. He was shown to be like Batman but just homosexual and people still love him as he is dark character.
 
 

http://mashable.com/2015/07/19/lgbt-comic-book-superheroes/
Its about superheroes you would need to know about as they're big in the comics books now. This is to show the sexuality of superheroes and explain to them how good they are. The website gives the secret identity, powers, first appearance and who published it. The fun facts is what tells use the sexuality and what is good and what's actually interesting about them.

Comments

'The comic character you've been waiting for...who was created almost 20 years ago, and has always been gay and murdery. And warren Ellis probably most famous for the Stormwatch run, the Authority, Planetary. Most people don't seem to know he had a hell blazer run. But I'm a nerd '
This is about how Midnighter started in the 90's and now is big as it took time and society wasn't okay with it. Its hard for people to make these comic books because of the money and also because of fans going against this but it does show that they're okay with and that they love this comic book series.

 'WTF?! Nonononono, Midnighter what are you doing, how DARE you split up with Apollo! Goddammit DC, the fuck are you doing?!'
It shows the drama and how a fan can be into this Comic books as it took around 20 years to become big. It shows that people are still interested by narrative and structure of comic books. Midnighter does this as he is a dark character and is very alternative stereotype of a Homosexual man making it still feel normal but it is not a problem as its just a superhero still.

' wtf is pansexual, is it one of these new modern hippy lingos the kids are saying these days'
 This comment was made as to someone not knowing what pansexual is, its also referenced to the article about Andrew Garfield wanting spider man to be a different sexuality and the world not questioning it. This comment is a way of people not knowing and not understanding what these words mean in today society and should be cleared and known about this.

Media terminology and Theories
Uses and gratification is one of the theories used in the LGBT comic books ass for example It gives personal Identity as to people who feel like these characters and are being judges by them. Another would be person relation as to you know someone like this and understand them or that you know you want to talk to someone about this.

Another theory would be with stereotypes as to being shown an alternative stereotype. This would be by the stereotype of Homosexual men shown as acting like women and very feminized as to do with fashion. However Midnighter is this alternative where is this big man who will kill and fight for justice even though  hes homosexual.

Psycho-graphics  I would say are the reformers as for example they would see it as a different and interesting text. It would be a way to show they are okay with this as its a different theme of comics books going for a different kind of audience, This would also go for main streamers as for the reason of comic books that they will still read it and that it will be important to them still. They will stick to comics books because of the narrative and story and as long as it gets them interested.  

Media Representations

• Who is being represented? In what way? By whom?
  All the superheroes that are being represented are the different and special that are actually being big that they wasn't before. For example heroes like Midnighter who is homosexual has his own series which he is like the character batman. This is suppose be represented as a evolution in society being okay with LGBT as this happened only this year. Another representation is the look of transgender in the New 52 which started this year as well in 2015 January giving audience their first transgender character making it a unique and first representation of a woman who use be a man. This also looks at bisexuals like Constantine who is a big major character in the DC universe having a movie and a TV series on its way.
   
• Why is the subject being represented in this way?
  The talk about LGBT in comic books and how they have evolved over the years because in the last 5 years they have been going up in sales and that's good because its representing society to be this evolving state as well and that its okay to have super heroes with different sexualities so to move on from it. This subject is being represented by print and film because they're comic books which actually show this and that its good.
  
• Is the representation fair and accurate?
  The representation are fair in my opinion as from the research i have done and the websites i have looked at and from the information they cant be false as the comic books are real also the information of what has been shown. this is to show the information i have gather on a hero who is LGBT and is doing good in a comic book new issue they have made where he is married.
   
• What opportunities exist for self-representation by the subject?
  The LGBT characters shown are quite alternative as they're not shown as what they are for example Midnighter is shown powerful and masculine and thats not what many people interpretate from a homosexual character. Its the same with Batwoman who is shown tough but can also be tough and you dont expect it so these characters play alternative LBGT making it a really big representation of them selves. 

Media Languages and Forms 

• What are the denotative and connotative levels of meaning?
  Connotation would be the fact in comic books they are shown tough, smart, masculine and dangerous. The denotation to this is that these characters are more than that they have lovers and they are homosexual, bisexual or transgender. Thye are more of a connotation if look at the fighting style they have but if you look deeper in the comic you see that they're not like all superheroes that it gives denotation of LGBT proud fighters.
• What is the significance of the text’s connotations?
  Strong, ruthless, brave and willing to save lives. Blood thirsty and fighters to save the earth. They all look like characters that cant find love.
• What are the non-verbal structures of meaning in the text (e.g. gesture, facial expression, positional communication, clothing, props etc)?
  From gestures they look mad and love to hit people in the comics, they're moment with love ones they smile. They're shown dark and will actually kill people if have to by there gesture of how bad they work to keep a city safe. There superhero identity is kept secret so Midnighter costume is hard to tell with eyes but his lips show when hes mad such as teeth grinding and also when hes rellay mad. Same with constantine but doesnt have a costume is shown always depressed.
• What is the significance of mise-en-scene/sets/settings (CLAMPS)?
  They all mostly have a different style to what they wear for example Midnighter wears all black like batwoman  to give that effect of darkness. Costantine wears a costume which is just a suit but all messy to show that hes a dark character but you also have light characters like green lantern, apollo and north star who are all about the light and helping people.
• What work is being done by the sound track/commentary/language of the text?
  There is no sound track or commentary but there is narrating of the story as in some comics the narrator is the main superhero it is shown that in text the work done is that they have already lived this making this a flashback story. This also goes into work because its like actually talking to the audience by the effect of whats happening and the understanding.
• What are the dominant images and iconography, and what is their relevance to the major themes of the text?
  Big images is the Midnighter kissing Apollo and Green lantern kissing his lover because not alot of people see this as its a big effect of society to see as its my critical investigation. Its also the Transsexual in Batwoman which is a dominant picture as she tells batwoman surprising the audience and just hit everything as this is a first to ever happen.
• What sound and visual techniques are used to convey meaning (e.g. camera positioning, editing; the ways that images and sounds are combined to convey meaning)?
  Everything that happens dramtically or have to do with the love is close up when in Batwoman new 52 coming out transsexual is big and its done by close ups.

Narrative 

• How is the narrative organised and structured?
  The narrative is organised by the fact of all the comic books i have looked at it starts with the characters by themselves saving the world and its the love interest that they get with which gives the audience the information of character on what they are. The narrative is suppose have plots in these comic books so they can be surprised by the outcomes of what happens.
• How is the audience positioned in relation to the narrative?
  They are some people who can relate to this as to be LGBT and it would mean that there isnt a small audience but a big audience and they can be straight no matter what the narrative just has to be good for the readers because it doesnt matter what the love interest is. Its about the character and what willing to do to save the world.
• How are characters delineated? What is their narrative function? How are heroes and villains created?
  The characters are shown  alternative LGBT not dominant because it gives a out look of what superheroes they are. There trying to give narrative of a stong Homosexual or Transsgender that they can be anything they want but are they willing to save the world The heroes are created on their own path and the villians are created because of the heroes as narrative needs the villian to keep the story going.
• What techniques of identification and alienation are employed?
  The identification is that in comic books the characters always have a origin and its like seeing their own journey which is like a animation happening.
• What are the major themes of the narrative? What values/ideologies does it embody?
  It is to save the world as all these heroes want no crime. The ideology is that to be okay with LGBT and its now the evoloution of society in the making and that we should all move on from this and should be okay with comic books like this and that should push for more.

Genre 

• To which genre does the text belong?
  Adventure, thriller and action
• What are the major generic conventions within the text?
  The narrative of saving city, The character and the stories they have in the comic books. Its also about personality and how the character is such as are they dark or they positive characters?
• What are the major iconographic features of the text?
  Comic books have many Iconographic features but i guess its the way they get the characters to talk to their love ones or its just the surprising way such as in X men Ice man finds out hes gay because someone read his mind and thats just a major feature just giving super heroes that.
• What are the major generic themes?
  The supporting character is important that would be the lover or just the partner in the story and that would be important in the story because its the love ones they have which push them to do the things they do.
• To what extent are the characters generically determined?
  The saving of lives are whats important to all the heroes because they want the best to happen in the world and its because they want a future where they can be with their love ones. The characters are determined by success as they believe they can change the city.

Media Institutions 

• What is the institutional source of the text?
  The texts created are from writers and producers such as Stan Lee, Grant Morrison and also the institutional would be Marvel, DC and Dark horse as they are the big known stories.
• In what ways has the text been influenced or shaped by the institution which produced it?
  It was influenced by the creator Stan lee who was the biggest idea person to create all of the Marvel universe. In the DC world you had many writers who created superheroes like Grant Morrison, Mark Millar and Geoff Johns 
• Is the source a public service or commercial institution? What difference does this make to the text?
  Well in many comics they dont show LGBT and they either most likely make the chracter Bisexual so the difference to all these characters is that they're LGBT and this could be for sells of grabbing different audience that see a different text.
• Who owns and controls the institution concerned and does this matter?
  Only writers and producers also the industry of Marvel have a say on what they do on there own institution.
• How has the text been distributed?
  In comic books, Movies and TV series

Media Values and Ideology 

• What are the major values, ideologies and assumptions underpinning the text or naturalised within it?
  The major values of all is that LGBT is evolving in society for comic books and that its important to do this as society are starting to look find to this, Ideology is that the world isnt ready for LGBT as we have many people who dont decide with it but its showing with demand people would want this to happen and that its okay to it gives the ideology that were living in a world where were okay have different sexuality of superheroes.
• What criteria have been used for selecting the content presented?
  By the characters and the comic books being pushed to do this since 98 and now in the 2015 we have a full issue comic book series of Midnighter who is a big Gay superhero and people love him because of the way he is with lover and parter Apollo and this just presents that LGBT is going evolving.

Media Audiences 

• To whom is the text addressed? What is the target audience? (Demographics, Psychographics)
  The Demographic would be 9-35 year olds who read comic books and that are interested in these types of characters. The pyschographics would be the reformers as they would try read something new in the superhero origins but this could also mean for mainstreamers because either way its for comic books.
• What assumptions about the audience’s characteristics are implicit within the text?
  In these comic books they're trying show a alternative representation of the character in the comics as they're homosexual or transsexual and that its only important that there saving their city.
• What assumptions about the audience are implicit in the text’s scheduling or positioning?
  Comic book has dates where it comes out and also comic book writers see how many people like the story of the comics and what it means.
• In what conditions is the audience likely to receive the text? Does this impact upon the formal characteristics of the text?
  They will receive it as the comic book which will give impact because its a new big character being made in the superhero universe and they're making ranks such as Midnighter and Apollo who are growing to DC fans.
• What do you know or can you assume about the likely size and constituency of the audience?
  From the size of audience only couple hundred thousand which read comics but its also because of the stories told and it gives a range of how much but for the new stories made always alot of fans like 100,000 sells which happen at the start to get the hands on the comic book.
• What are the probable and possible audience readings of the text?
  The possible readings for the text is that characters are going to see the superhero side no LGBT side because its not meant to matter its about a super hero saving the city without being judged about sexuality and that it grows to the audience.
• What are the audience pleasures, uses or gratifications?  (Refer to theory)
  Diversion- So being distracted by the story of saving the city and actually giving a origin for a character.
  Personal identity you could be like this character the way you act and are and also could be in LGBT and understand this character.
  Personal relations would be the reason talk about the character as a friend reads the comic and you know someone like this.
• How do you, as an audience member, read and evaluate the text? To what extent is your reading and evaluation influenced by your age, gender, background etc?
  From the comic books i have looked at Midnighter is for ages between 15-40 its a dark story with bloody violence. The gender who would read this is 70% male and 30% female but the background who would read this is difference as it could be homosexual audience as its trying to grab that attention