“Bitch Planet” is a feminist comic book series written about women who disobey norms and, as a consequence, get sent to another planet, which is used as a form of prison. In the third issue, the narrator tells a story of a woman named Penelope Rolle, an obese woman of color. In the ideal world, women are skinny, blond, and have straight hair in order to appeal to men. Penelope refuses to subscribe to any of these mainstream ideals, so she gets sent directly to Bitch Planet. Within this visual text, the reader is able to form an opinion and infer meaning from the imagery provided, allowing for an individual interpretation of the information at hand. Within the imagery of Bitch Planet, the reader may notice the use of brightness, shadows, different points of view and large amounts of hidden symbolism to illustrate the destructive effect that men have on the conformity of women.

In this comic, almost every scene is accompanied by dull lighting and shadows, which reflect Penelope’s sadness and anger. At the beginning, she is featured in a dull orange jumpsuit, covered by shadows, in a dark and closed-off room. This imagery shows the reader that Penelope is in trouble over some undisclosed matter, and that she is neither happy nor regretful. Instead, she seems to present a mysterious and threatening manner, as her eyes are narrowed and she is clenching her fist and jawline. A bright backdrop is seen only behind the “Fathers,” who control the planet and act like government officials. This brightness illustrates the power and supposed wisdom that these men hold as they watch over the world. The Father’s represent the patriarchal oppression within society; they are even able to look into Penelope’s mind to determine her perceived faults and decide what she needs to change. Penelope’s appearance is only brightened in the comic when an “idealized actualization” mirror is brought up to her and the reader is able to see that she is already her ideal self. This brightness is symbolic of Penelope’s happiness in being a colored, obese, working woman. In this scene, Penelope demonstrates the minority of women who would be effected by the Father’s criticisms. This scene shows how men negatively effect a woman’s self image by trying to pick out faults and correct them with what they believe is attractive.

Besides the use of coloring and shadows, the narrator switches between different perspectives within the comic, showing the difference between Penelope and women who have conformed, as well as men’s viewpoints. During one of Penelope’s flashbacks, several women sit together at her place of work, where she makes muffins. A news announcement comes on in the background, with the message: “Today’s top stories… How you can try the parasitic worm diet that is all the rage with today’s tween celebs” (DeConnick 193). The women then begin to chat about how many calories they have consumed and how much weight they have lost. This scene reflects the very current problem in our society of women wanting so badly to be desired that they go to the length of starving themselves. Also in this scene, men comment on Penelope’s physical appearance, saying, “No wonder she’s state-sponsored, Christ. Look at her. Who wants to come home to that?” (DeConnick 194). In the next few frames, the reader sees Penelope violently pounding the muffin mix, teeth gritted, eyes bulging, with “THUMP” written in huge letters and crumbs flying everywhere (DeConnick 195). Penelope had overheard the conversations going on around her; she then took her rolling pin, beat the men, and threatened the women, causing everyone to leave the establishment. Overall, this scene exemplifies a pervasive real-world problem: men’s judgmental attitudes toward women are the root of women’s insecurities and the great lengths they go to embody men’s unrealistic perceptions of the perfect woman.

“Bitch Planet” contains many symbolic references, some of which are spoken and some of which are hidden in the background. In one particular scene, there are many symbols that reinforce the traditional roles of women. The narrator introduces the reader to a woman named “Mother Siebertling” during one of Penelope’s flashbacks. Mother Siebertling is a skinny, blond woman who is characterized by the letters of her college sorority, pageant photos, and pink decorations. Penelope, meanwhile, is the opposite of Mother Siebertling: overweight, tattooed, and aggressive. Mother Siebertling is portrayed as a parental figure for Penelope, and scolds her for her wrongdoings as well as criticizing her appearance. Penelope is told to “learn to see yourself through the Fathers’ eyes” (DeConnick 188). This scene gives the reader an idea of what men consider to be an ideal woman, and shows that women are willing to conform to such a prototype. The reader is thereby able to understand Penelope and her hatred for society, as more and more people give her unwanted advice on how to be perfect, when she is already happy with who she is.

Penelope Rolle is a prime example of a feminist who is sick of her society’s culture, and is willing to stand up for herself in order to change the way people think. This is exhibited through Penelope’s aggressive behavior, interaction with others, and most importantly through the mirror that the Father’s place in front of her. The narrator proves that men constitute too much of a factor in the way that women view themselves by their insulting comments and attempts of changing women’s appearance. Penelope tells the Fathers, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, I ain’t broke…And you bastards ain’t never gonna break me” (DeConnick 199). Although the reader encounters several women who succumb to a mens’ image of a an ideal female, Penelope shows the readers that a woman should define their own self-worth.  
