In the graphic novel “Bitch Planet” by Kelly Sue Deconnick, there are repeated situations and images used by the author that convey the message of the generation oppression of black women in our society today. From the very start of the novel, you can see the distinct separation between Penelope, the main character, and the rest of the characters in the novel. Penelope, being a large black woman in orange, in direct contrast with 2 white men wearing the compliment color of orange: blue. In addition to this color contrast the author places a grimace on Penelope’s face to immediately convey the message of separation and oppression that she experiences, which is a parallel for all women of the black community today. As well as this, the author also uses instances of white women degrading Penelope which reinforces this idea of white dominance and black oppression. Kelly Sue Deconnick, through the use of vivid images of characters and descriptive scenarios pertaining to specific characters is able convey the message to the reader that there is a strong oppression on black women stemming from our corrupt society.

To begin, at the very start of the graphic novel the author decides to set the standard of separation between races by using strong contrasting colors. Penelope who is clearly imprisoned is in the distinguishable ‘jump suit’ color of orange, whereas the white security guards are wearing dark blue. This is important in that on the color wheel, orange and blue are complete opposite, or complimentary colors that do not mix. Since these colors are factually incapable of mixing, or coming together as one, this conveys the idea that these races are always going to be separate from one another. Penelope is also seen clenching her fists and grimacing directly at the reader, showing the audience that she is extremely angry due to her current situation, most likely her incarceration. The caption in this initial frame also says “I can’t see you, but I can feel you… judging me” (176 Deconnick). The combination of these two elements alludes to the idea of oppression due to her segregation. No matter what she does or where she is, Penelope can sense the judgment by other due to her different skin color and situation, even when this factor of racism should not occur in our society today.  Essentially, the use of the very first page of this graphic novel pushes the reader towards the idea of separation and especially racial oppression.

Secondly, the author is able to convey this message of racial oppression when Penelope is working her job in a restaurant when two men begin to make fun of her behind her back. These two men, who are obviously white, are annoyed due to the slow service Penelope is apparently providing, and due to this lack of service which happens at all restaurants yet they blame it on the way she looks. One of the white men says “Christ look at her, who would want to come home to that?” (194 Deconnick) and in response the other man said “They like em big like that. It’s in their animal nature …big asses, big lips…” (194 Deconnick). The two white men are degrading Penelope just off of the way she looks, stating that no man would be happy with a woman of that stature. Furthermore, in the second text blurb they are degrading the black women culture as a whole saying that all black women have big asses and lips, and that it’s in their animal nature to look that way. The author, through the use of these simple two texts boxes convey to the reader that there is a distinct separation between the black female community as long as a strong racial oppression as well.

Lastly, one of the final ways in which the author sends the message of racial oppression on black women to the reader through the use of stereotypical gossiping white women who are also eating in Penelope’s restaurant. They are discussing their eating habits, and how little they eat and how much they defecate at the same time, weighing each of the two. They do this in an attempt to keep their extremely small figures intact, which is in direct contrast to the lifestyle that Penelope lives. The white women are extremely judgmental of the way Penelope looks, degrading her, and the black community as a whole. This scene is used to convey the message of racial oppression of the black women in that it is supposed to seem like they can never achieve this level of attractiveness due to their skin color and eating habits. Once again, the author uses this instance to both separate the white and black races as well as depict the racial oppression of black women in our society today.

Overall, the message that Kelly Sue Decconick is trying to depict is the racial oppression and separation of black females. From the start of the novel, Decconick uses vivid imagery and contrasting colors to express the message of separation. Not only the separation of black and white, but also separation of female to male relations in that both of the guards watching over her were males and assumingly were white. Secondly this image is conveyed to the reader in that the two white men talk about the black female race as a whole being inferior to white females, and the standard for black females is to have big asses and lips, an extremely racially biased statement. And last, the author uses petite white women who are extremely health conscious to show the difference in beauty and standards between black and white women. All of these images and scenes when combined create the message that black women in our society will always be separated and racially oppressed by our corrupt society. 
