Visual texts have infinitely many ways in which they can suggest meaning and evoke feelings in their audiences. Depending on the individual, society, time-period, life experience and many other factors, people create their own meaning from what they see. However with that being said, it is often the case that people draw similar meanings and ideas from something despite the vast differences in their lives. In Bitch Planet, a comic by Kelly Sue DeConnick, she illustrates the effects of a dystopian patriarchy from the eyes of Penelope, a victim of this unjust society. Penelope’s physical appearance plays into the readers understanding of how she has been suppressed by the “Fathers,” who are the set of men that dictate what is and what isn’t acceptable in their society. After being criticized for having a “feminist agenda” while writing for Marvel comics, Deconnick was inspired to write Bitch Planet. Through her comic DeConnick entices readers by showing the absurdity of our society and ways in which it is sickeningly similar to the society portrayed in the story. Kelly Sue DeConnick uses illustrations to intensify the story line and creates a specific yet relatable image for the audience to understand while linking this dystopia to modern day society. 

From the start of the comic, Penelope’s appearance makes it apparent that she would be mistreated in a society like this. She is very large in stature, overweight, and has naturally uncontrollable hair. This is one of several reasons she gets sent to a religious boarding school that is supposed to train her to become a peg in the system. By creating this image of Penelope, it may seem hard for readers to relate, however by designing her this way, DeConnick creates a symbol of an outcast in society, which many readers are likely to relate to. It is easy to understand the things she may have gone through because of her unique qualities. DeConnick made a specific image that is so far different from the others in Penelope’s society. Another way DeConnick makes the readers relate to Penelope through illustrations, is by making Penny a victim to society by showing that she is essentially in an abusive relationship with this patriarchy. This is shown through Penny’s numerous outbreaks. She knows that no matter what she does she will never be good enough for the Fathers or the societal standards. She appears drained an worn down while speaking to the Fathers in the beginning, but by the end she feels empowered because she realizes again that she is proud to be herself.  This reflects DeConnick’s hope for women in today’s society. Although life in a patriarchal society may wear down women, we must overcome these obstacles and be proud to be ourselves.

Next DeConnick uses her illustrations to intensify the plot as it progresses. In the beginning, when Penelope faces the fathers in her orange jumpsuit, it is clear that she holds anger and resentment towards them. Although we do not yet know any of the hardships Penelope has experienced, we can infer that she has been mistreated because of the looks of disgust and frustration. Penelope looks aggressively at the Fathers who look at her as if she were an ugly animal. As their conversation progresses she looks pained and saddened as she begins to recall memories from her childhood. When Penelope has a flashback, which is depicted by a sepia-toned background, she appears innocent and happy. She was nothing other than an ordinary, innocent, happy little girl. By showing her past innocence, it makes it clear to the audience that Penelope was once a normal child, unaffected by the harsh truths of discrimination and authoritarian rule. After this flashback, the facial expressions of the fathers which appear aloof and falsely-concerned cause an outrage in the reader, similar to how Penelope feels. By showing her once held innocence, DeConnick plays with the reader’s perception by relating Penelope to the audience. 

The ways in which the system has harmed Penelope to make her more violent and frustrated creates a parallel to real modern-day society. Images we see in advertisements showing unrealistically thin women lying on cars eating cheeseburgers don’t encourage women to be confident in themselves and eat what they want; it teaches us that we are mere objects and that the standards expected of us are unattainable, leading to a burden on our women. Relating this idea back to Bitch Planet, DeConnick shows that this boarding school that was determined to make her a perfect specimen of a women has not made Penelope more compliant to the rules of society, it has fueled her anger and hatred towards this society.  DeConnick emphasizes the standards that women are held to in modern society by highlighting the ways that many women feel because of society’s expectations. When Penelope has an uncontrollable fit of rage, the illustrations illuminate the frustration felt by women in modern-day western civilizations. She is depicted throwing things at people and destroying the bakery that she works in, while other women in this society just sit to the side and stare in horror. This parallels the conflict between women in our society. It shows that we struggle between succumbing to the standards expected of us and accepting ourselves for who we are. 

Throughout Bitch Planet DeConnick’s illustrations of Penelope’s life helped to demonstrate the changing attitudes she held throughout her experience in this dystopia. She creates detailed images of Penny’s facial expressions, which illuminates the accumulation of maltreatment that Penny has experienced during her life. Then by making Penny a symbol of exclusion and exile, the author helps relate the readers to the feelings that many people suffer from due to the adversities of both the societies in both Bitch Planet and reality. Multiple ties to modern day society are reflected through DeConnick’s fierceness. DeConnick chose to leave Marvel because they criticized the way in which she wrote her comics. This led to her brilliant creation of a rebellious look into the perspective that women living in a patriarchal society  experience. 