“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is the most repeated verse throughout “Bitch Planet” and hits a resonating tone throughout. The vision of an ideal society on possibly a possible planet is not suited for everyone as Penelope proves. There is no “one size fits all” culture that fits the needs and singularity of each person as presented by the author, Kelly DeConnick.

The striking visual contrasts from the start of “Bitch Planet” set a dark mood for the strong bodied woman in the orange jump suit. Taking up most of the page Kelly positions Penelope in the center with two guard in the negative space, or background. With what looks to be protective glass between the guards and captive, Penelope is depicted as a caged animal. The reader may feel the heaviness in the room going over the lines that access Penelope’s thoughts. “I can’t see you, but I feel you…judging me.”(DeConnick 176), provides the reader even more insight into the scene that is to unfold. Agitated both visually and emotionally there is then a technologic noise that is used to transition smoothly to the “judgement panel” where multiple males are pictured on screens directly in front of Penelope. Many of the men are visually portrayed in disbelief at the woman put forth before them. This is after one man in particular reads aloud introducing the case number followed by a list of charges mostly consisting of assault like accusations. 

The plainly placed all male cast of judges is directly related to the comments Kelly DeConnick has about her piece. “Being a woman in a male-dominated industry sort of sucks, but it doesn’t suck more than being a woman in the world.”, describes the struggle that not only DeConnick has discovered, but also numerous other women fighting for a place in the work force even today. This overall theme represented in “Bitch Planet” of a woman being forced into what some see as an ideal place of uniform thinking. Penelope’s uniqueness is impeded on completely in the imaginary world where individuals must submit to standards. 

As the scene continues with questions of judgment directed towards Penelope, the reader is then introduced to the thankfulness that should be had for her second chance. This good fortune proposition by the “fathers” on their screens is supposed to help Penelope, but stubborn as the fathers may see her Penelope does not want nor need help of any kind. A flashback then occurs that explains the start of her individuality. 

Transitioning to the next page the author uses warmer colors that give the reader a much softer inkling that contradicts the cold structures on the prior page. Penelope and her grandmother are depicted preparing baked goods as her grandmother exclaims to Penelope, “You keep working as hard as you do and you’ll be as big and string as your daddy.”(DeConnick 179), with a grin. This leads Penelope to thoughts of her mother when she says, “My mom is strong.”(DeConnick 179), followed by her grandmother’s resentful agreement. Penelope’s mother is mentioned for the first time in a sorrowful manner leaving the reader to believe there was some prior violent acts that have led Penelope’s grandmother to be the primary care as a child. This is further reinforced when, after a playful food fight in the kitchen, armed men that appear to be working for the government show up to take “Penny” as the grandmother tells the youth to run. The color’s once again transition to darker and sharper contrasts that stand in disposition to the warm home scene that previously unfolded.

As the reader views the evolution of Penny from one page to the next, it is apparent that Penny has been clearly sculpted from the environment she was raised in. The bold and muscular face in the first image box is paired with an asymmetrical hair style that only adds to the individuality and uniqueness that Penny has achieved. This is especially peculiar in what is pictured as such a manicured state. The same state that is then mentioned to have adopted Penelope at age eight. The fathers shown on screens begin to try and persuade Penny that they took her in for her own protection much to Penny’s dismay. Once again the black and blue faces on the monitors of the “fathers” shift to disbelief as Penny lets out her anger in every word answered. With the mention of Penny’s Mother we see a distinct focus of aggression directed to the fathers before the main character. This is followed by shots of the fathers discussing the “delusional and dangerous” (DeConnick 184) mother as the second flashback commences.

Shifting to a more societal view of Penelope in a group encounter that portrays Penny as, once again, the largest figure in the room the viewer is stricken with the sight of blood pouring from a victim Penny had assaulted prior to the scene. Penny is then escorted to what appears to be a light colored idealistic room for the appointed mother figure that replaced the grandmother after her arrest. These light colors along with the new white blond mother, mother Seibertling, heavily contrast Penelope’s black hair and darker skin deepening the separation of the two. After mother Seibertling combs Penny’s hair, much to Penelope’s irritation, there is a taser-like punishment as the visual text back shifts to the room with the fathers.

This changeover once again contains tremendous visual aids such as the bright orange jump suit and the amount of space that Penny takes up being equivalent to that of the three guard securing her in the room. As the men in the room connect Penelope with wires that are put in place allowing the fathers to see her “ideal self”. Penny is shown becoming further agitated with the situation. After being asked when the last time was that Penny prioritized how others see her the reader prepares to see the ideal Penelope and compare to her current state. These next occurrences provide the case of Penny’s most recent assault. This time shown in once again darker colors with more depth and texture in objects such as the broken glass the assault scene unfolds. 

Cutting back to the cell surrounded by the fathers and guards Penelope is told she is going to see her own version of ideal self by looking into the mirror. Up close shots of Penny moments before display nervousness but when the blanket is lifted from the mirror the dark room lights up for the first time. Looking back at Penny is a reflection of the same self that she always has been. The fathers, astonished, look on with disbelief as Penelope states,”If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” (DeConnick 199). The reflection in the mirror is the lightest and most powerfully glowing depiction in the entirety of the excerpt. This coloring paired with repetition concludes that there is nothing wrong with Penelope nor does she need “help”. Penny is simply an individual that refuses to be defined by those rules set around her.