Gender-switching characters
With the upcoming Thor switch, which characters do you think would make for the most interesting reading if they switched genders?
Apologies if this has already been done, I searched but couldn't see it.
I know some well-known names already have an analogue of the opposite gender (or we've seen them at some point in the past), so I guess I'm thinking of new ones?
Any thoughts?
Other than for RL 'political correctness', I see no benefit to gender-switching a character...unless the gender switch affects the character's personality. Eg, as a rule, women tend to be more empathetic / less physically aggressive than men. Will we see any of this with, say, the new Thor? If not, then this GSing was (imho) purely for being 'politically correct' / making money and serves no real purpose with regard to character development.
That being said, afaik, there has been no male-ization of female characters (or has there?). We've seen so many male --> female that at this point, a female --> male GS would be genuinely interesting.
I'd be fine with it happening to nearly any character. But The Doctor (Doctor Who) actually has a plausible means by which to gender swap. I'd enjoy seeing that, provided it's handled intelligently and not as a way to pander to an audience.
Originally posted by krisblaze
Thor hasn't switched gender.
For marketing/PR purposes, he has. Technicalities are to placate hardcore fans.
Originally posted by Mindship
Other than for RL 'political correctness', I see no benefit to gender-switching a character...unless the gender switch affects the character's personality. Eg, as a rule, women tend to be more empathetic / less physically aggressive than men. Will we see any of this with, say, the new Thor? If not, then this GSing was (imho) purely for being 'politically correct' / making money and serves no real purpose with regard to character development.That being said, afaik, there has been no male-ization of female characters (or has there?). We've seen so many male --> female that at this point, a female --> male GS would be genuinely interesting.
DC had an alternate universe where everyone was gender-switched, which featured "Wonder Man" and the "Manazons". It was pretty much as bad as you'd expect.
Some greater emphasis on female super-scientists would be cool. I don't want Iron Man to become Iron Woman, but a mainstream female equivalent, as an original character, would draw my interest as a reader.
I think Engineer's a bit unique in this aspect, and it definitely gives her some initial appeal to new readers. Or at least to me, when I was a new reader.
Originally posted by Existere
Some greater emphasis on female super-scientists would be cool. I don't want Iron Man to become Iron Woman, but a mainstream female equivalent, as an original character, would draw my interest as a reader.I think Engineer's a bit unique in this aspect, and it definitely gives her some initial appeal to new readers. Or at least to me, when I was a new reader.
Engineer's willingness to hand out bjs under the desk is what held appeal to readers biscuits
Originally posted by Existere
Some greater emphasis on female super-scientists would be cool. I don't want Iron Man to become Iron Woman, but a mainstream female equivalent, as an original character, would draw my interest as a reader.I think Engineer's a bit unique in this aspect, and it definitely gives her some initial appeal to new readers. Or at least to me, when I was a new reader.
I agree with that, if only we didn't have the silly sliding timescale that has kept Franklin Richards a pre-teen since 1970, Valeria could grow up and become a prominent scientist.