Ralph Waldo Emerson put it best, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” If his statement is accurate, then Penelope is truly an accomplished woman. She does not embody the standard American beauty that all women are taught to strive to be. The author, Kelly Sue DeConnick, and artist, Valentine De Landro, portray this through visual motifs by making her a large black woman while the women around her, pressuring her to change, are small white women that meet society’s standards of beauty. The author does not only use color to show typical beauty standards but also to show lifelessness and conformity. DeConnick uses colors as a visual motif to represent pressures to conform to societal norms whether this be acting a certain way or changing an appearance to fit the stereotypical bitch look. Either way, the characters are drawn with colors that are dull and muted when they conform symbolizing the loss of their individual vibrancy.

In the first panel on page 176, Penelope is shown in a faded orange jumpsuit. The fact that the jumpsuit is orange tells the reader she is most likely in jail. There are two men in faded blue jumpsuits standing behind her so the reader can assume they are police or security guards at this jail. Her brown skin and orange jumpsuit contrast to the guards’ translucent skin and blue jumpsuits making her seem to be a more imposing figure in this scenario. The walls are a greyish blue and the whole panel is compiled of cool muted colors making this room feel cold and unwelcoming, as a jail cell would be. In the second panel on page 177, there is a white man who appears to be reviewing her. Again, his skin contrasts with Penelope’s creating a noticeable difference. His stark white skin may represent that he is a lifeless soul or perhaps heartless. The fact that the artist chooses to make him, the reviewer, white and her, the one being reviewed, black can symbolize the power that white men have in society (or at least think they have in society). In the fifth panel on page 177, she has her back to the reader and is facing a wall of screens that have men on them. The men are different colors but this does not seem to symbolize a racial issue but rather again represent power. They are dull and washed out compared to her stronger more vivid coloring. Overall, this scene’s cool colors make it seem dreary and off-putting.

In the next scene, starting on page 179, the colors are more vibrant giving the reader the sense that this is a happier time than the last. This scene is a flashback so the change in the color scheme could be used to differentiate the present from her memories. The artist used warm colors making this look much more inviting and happier. Her shirt is pink which could represent her femininity. In the previous scene, she was portrayed in a more masculine sense. The grandma is wearing yellow, which is also a cheery color. This could mean that the grandma was a jovial woman. Even the orange of the cabinets make this scene seem cheerful. The artist could have also chosen orange instead of another warm color because, in the other scenes, orange is portrayed in a different way. The orange on her jumpsuit in the previous scene told us she was in jail- a much less cheerful situation than being in a warm colored kitchen. Then in the last panel of this scene, on page 182, there are men that are wearing black and grey. This gives the reader a sense that they must not be good since the other characters in the scene are presented in warm colors. I think their dark colors represents the darkness Penelope has ahead of her.

The use of color as a visual motif in the piece emphasizes Penelope’s inner strength and confidence. Her bold and vivid colors, as compared to dull colors of the people oppressing her, emphasize how they are weaker minded because they lack the confidence to not conform to what society expects them to be. The use of warm colors in the second scene is a surprise. When looking at the first scene, one would assume, from the cool dull colors, that the whole comic will be lifeless hues and it will have an unhappy ending. In contrast, it is an empowering ending. On page 190, panel two, the men on the monitor explain to Penelope that they had sensors placed on her head to measure her electrical impulses. An image of how she sees herself will then be projected on a screen in front of her. They want to see how she sees her “ideal self’ as compared to her actual self to give her a “road map” for change. To their dismay, in panel one on page 199,  her ideal self is the same as her actual self- a true reflection of her vibrant personality and strength. In panels two and three, Penelope then uses one of her grandmother’s sayings, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and with relief triumphantly declares  “I ain’t broke”.  

The use of color in this graphic novel helps to emphasize and apply meaning to the title. “Bitch Planet” immediately makes the reader picture the stereotypical twenty-something female with blonde hair that looks like Barbie but is rude and self-absorbed. That is actually how the illustrator drew the girls who would be considered the bitches in “Bitch Planet.” Penelope is a big contrast to these women because of her size, brown skin, and black hair. In this story, the women’s coloring symbolizes how society deems that all women should want to strive to look like Barbie. The fact that the creator chose to have Penelope be a large black woman who is happy with who she is makes a statement about how, despite popular belief, women can be content with who they are without having the stereotypical “bitch” look. 

Bitch Planet uses color motifs in strategic ways to convey the mood of a scene to readers. They are also used to show the characters’ personalities and attitudes. DeConnick made this comic to have many layers. There is the surface, which is the initial impression that there is a black woman who did something bad that got her into jail. Then the coloring of the men who seem to be reviewing her gives the reader the impression that they may be the bad ones not her. Then the reader gets to see her past, where the colors are vibrant and warm, letting the reader know her life was not always this gloomy. Colors are used on an even deeper level to make a statement about society’s beauty standards. Penelope refused to conform so, at the end, her coloring is the most vibrant showing she is the only one not living a life of dullness. DeConnick and De Landro use colors as a visual motif to represent pressures to conform to societal norms, whether it be acting a certain way or changing an appearance to fit the stereotypical bitch look. Just like in real life, conformity can cause individuals to lose their individual vibrancy and lead to a dull and unhappy life.  