Many visual narratives, use filmic language to create comprehensive arguments and guide the viewer’s perceptions. Often authors accomplish this task through the use of different color schemes to represent emotions, recurring visual elements to show importance, and differing attention affects to illustrate focal points. In Bitch Planet, a comic book, by Kelly Sue DeConnick, its viewers are able to clearly decipher alternating moods through the incorporation of these components and understand the author’s perspective on societal acceptance. By introducing Penny, a strong female role DeConnick strays from the classic male dominated narrative found in most Marvel comics. In a story depicting male hierarchy and how certain people are considered outcasts based on their appearance and social skills, Penny defines what it means to take one’s own path.

On page 179 of “The Carolina Reader” the viewer can find multiple panels in which visual motif predominates. The viewer observes a scene in which the main character and her grandmother baking together in a kitchen setting. In the background of the many panels, dozens of fresh baked goods fill the air with pleasant scents while in the mid ground, Penny and her grandmother stand side by side continuing their hard work. Using variations of yellows, oranges, and pinks, along with a beige gutter, DeConnick creates a warm environment depicting the happy relationship between the family members while also showing the reader this event is taking place in the past. Using a medium shot in the first panel, DeConnick allows the audience to see the body language between grandmother and granddaughter. Using a close up shot in the third panel allows the audience to see more emotion on Penny’s grandmothers face and better understand that this is a happy scene. The use of these shots and the warm color scheme were a way for DeConnick to show the comfort Penny felt with her grandmother. Including this scene provides the reader with context into Penny’s past showing that her entire life has not been consumed with the judgmental standards we see throughout the rest of the comic. This is important to show why Penny is so against the societal “norms” we find her fighting in the end.

As this excerpt continues the audience finds themselves in a less inviting scene from later on in Penny’s life. Given the beige colored gutters, the reader will notice that this is another flashback into Penny’s upbringing, however, this one is far from a happy memory. On page 188, panel five of “The Carolina Reader” Penny is shamed for her appearance and behaviors towards the other students. Using darker shades of colors, DeConnick shows the reader the hurt and unhappiness Penny feels while here. DeConnick also shows the shame felt by Penny in the fifth panel which includes “mother Sibertiling,” the principal figure, adjusting equipment while Penny looks disgracefully down towards the floor. It is later obvious in the fifth and sixth panels that the equipment is used for reprimanding Penny due to her unconformity. DeConnick includes this scene to provide further background as to why Penny is disturbed to receive “help” from the fathers.

In close, it is clear the point being made is regarding societal standards based on appearance. Penny is one of few that was happy with her own person and did not need to conform to the beliefs of “the fathers.” Through the use of warm colors such as orange, yellow, and pink, DeConnick was able to show the warmth and cheerfulness found earlier on in Penny’s life. This paired with the wide angle shot of Penny and her family members baking provided the reader with a better understanding of where Penny had come from and how it would affect her strength later on in the story. In contrast to this, the cool colors such as dark blues, greens, and greys hues show the anger and antagonism related to what the “fathers” expect of Penny.  These differencing scenes allowed the audience to better understand what emotions Penny was feeling, and how they changed throughout the many scenes in this story plot. DeConnick uses Penny and her different emotional stages to successfully teach her audience that despite conformist ways, it is important to  have the strength to stand up for how you feel and what is important to you.
