
After a close reading of a selection from Kelley Sue DeConnick’s comic book, Bitch Planet, it is obvious to the reader that the visual text clearly depicts and condemns the misleading notion of the ideal woman as defined by society. The comic is a feminist piece of literature that exposes the mistreatment of women in the prison system, and is actually a science fiction story occurring in the future where women are oppressed by a male dominated, higher society that rebukes nonconformity and sends flawed women to the “Outpost” prison. This visual text, Bitch Planet, uses images and words to elicit the reader's reactions and interpretations. She leads the reader, frame by frame, image by image, caption by caption, holding her audiences' attention and convincing them of society's faulty prison system which she visually proposes is based upon gender inequality and false idealisms. The author vividly and violently demonstrates her disgust with the maltreatment of women based on gender bias and the misconception of perfection and conformity to society’s standards. DeConnick specifically uses eye-lines, colors, symbols, and contrast to successfully convey the brutal reality that society places a relentless importance on being the unattainable “ideal woman” in order to be accepted. 

Eye-line in a visual text is when the angle is directed to the literal eye-line of the character. This makes the reader feel as if the character is looking directly at them. This eye-line technique is used frequently throughout the Bitch Planet comic to demonstrate the main character, Penelope’s, emotions of anger, frustration, and hatred towards those who are patronizing her.  The story frequently presents eye-line close-ups of one of Penelope’s furrowed brows to emphasize her hatred and anxiety over the way the panel of so called “fathers” condescendingly speak to her from their overhead screens. For example, on the very first page of the comic there is an eye-line close up where it states “…judging me” (DeConnick 176). The very next page shows the exact same angle of her furrowed brow. Later in the comic strip another eye-line details a close range view of Penelope’s eyes, visually highlighting her suspicion and loathing for all of the “fathers’” fake words. Such as “All we want to do is to help you be happy” (DeConnick 184). She scoffs at their dishonesty, knowing the men are disgusted with all that she represents and her happiness is not any of their concern. Penelope is accused of “insubordination, assault, assault, assault, repeated citations for aesthetic offenses, capillary disfigurement and…wanton obesity” (DeConnick 177).  She is being penalized for not conforming to the ill-defined rules of obedience in this dystopian society just because she looks and acts different than what is perceived as ideal. The eye-line technique supports DeConnick’s argument that Penelope is condemned for not conforming and clearly shows she is well aware of this through her close-up facial expressions.

In addition to using eye-line method, DeConnick uses color technique as an effective way to argue ideas throughout the visual text. Color often signifies feelings and evokes responses for the reader to draw conclusions. An example of color technique in Bitch Planet, would be when a tint of green is present in the “fathers’” faces towards Penelope’s hearing as they judge her outward appearance. When they first see her, their faces are green with disgust as if they are about to get sick. Another example would be when she is wearing the burnt orange jumper which instinctively represents the prison system. Certain words such as “help” cause Penelope to flashback to her childhood and the happy memories it brought her (DeConnick 178,179). For example, during a kitchen scene Penelope was baking cookies with her grandmother, which was illustrated in vibrant and happy colors.  These colors consist of pink, which is generally associated with love and girly things, and yellow, which typically represents sunshine and happiness. She employs these colors to represent a time when she was happy living with her grandmother before she taken into custody by the system.  Another word, “Penelope”, triggers a different flashback to when she was a teenager in a fight at school (DeConnick 184,185).  The society “mother”/principal reprimands Penelope in her office which is also full of pink. This color is what Penelope is being brainwashed to emulate. The color pink is used to spotlight what society expects women to conform to be: beautiful, thin, well dressed, and perfect with compliant behavior. The woman’s role in this society is a misconception of perfectionism as defined by men. Later in the comic, a scene takes place where Penelope is working in a bakery. The color gray is predominately used throughout every one of the frames to show boredom, frustration, and depression. During this scene she is verbally attacked and humiliated by male customers at her job and is even called a “baboon”. At the end of the comic, the setting is in a white room which emphasizes coldness as the “fathers’” faces stand out with grays, greens, and other discouraging colors. By using all these colors, the argument visually screams that this society is cruel and has a warped sense of what a woman should be.

Together with the other techniques that the author applies throughout the comic, she uses symbolism in consecutive frames through images representing abstract ideas. The reader gains insight from such graphics in this cartoon through numerous examples. One significant example is Penelope’s hair, which represents her personality. Time and time again, authority tries to control it, but it will not be tamed, just like Penelope. Her “mother” exclaimed once while trying to control it, “It is just like you--It refuses to behave.” (DeConnick 188). This shows the reader that the character will not ever conform to society’s rules. Later at the hearing, Penelope has completely shaved one side of her head to flaunt to the “fathers” that she refuses to conform. The panel of men attempt to force her focus on her perceived ideal self with an automatic cerebral machine. When she sees her ideal self, she mentally projects an extremely overweight woman with half her head shaved, and she bluntly asserts what she believes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” (DeConnick 199). This portrait of her hair still staying shaved is a symbol of complete non-compliance.  She was supposed to learn to see herself “through the fathers’ eyes,” pleasing the men, but in the end she is sent away for her deliberate refusal to become just another one of their clones (DeConnick 188). Other examples of symbols used by the author to support her theme include the wall of photos in the society appointed mother’s office which reveal the idealized woman’s perfect life, wedding, family photos, pageant sashes and sorority Greek letters. All of these symbols illustrate society’s misconception of the perfect woman, and the brainwashing of the children at the school.

Finally, the author uses contrasting of opposite elements so that certain factors stand out and exemplify Penelope’s failure to measure up to society’s ideal image. The comic opens with an exaggerated view of an enormous, African-American woman standing in the room with fists clinched, stance apart, glaring eyes that could kill, and a half shaven head looking straight at the reader.  This technique makes the reader feel as if she is looking straight at them and that she is very powerful. The contrast is quickly shown in the next frame where this same woman becomes miniscule, and unimportant, as compared to the wall of men looking down upon her from up above on their individual screens. Here she no longer appears very powerful or intimidating to the reader. This immediately supports the argument that there is gender bias, an unfair difference in the treatment of women because of their sex, in this society. The theme is repeated visually throughout the work, with other examples of contrast, when the perfect woman is the state “mother”, conformist, Caucasian, small waisted, large chest, pink clothes, blonde hair, and fake happiness in contrast to Penelope, the imperfect African-American, non-conformist, despondent, obese, angry woman wearing an orange prison uniform.

The visual text, Bitch Planet, clearly can be interpreted as a staunch condemnation of society’s misconception of the ideal woman and the mistreatment of the non-conforming woman, especially in the prison system. Literary techniques such as eye-lines, colors, symbols, and contrast clearly strengthen the visual text’s meaning. By combining images and captions, the author successfully persuades the reader to denounce conformity and be yourself. The graphic novel asserts the need to protect the rights of women making them equal to those of men. It also forces the reader to question the fallacy of the perfect woman as imposed by a male dominated society. 
