New She-Hulk series out on Hotstar. Revisiting her comic-book legacy

Marvel’s money-making tactics are evident in a new original dropping almost every month. This time around, it is She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, a new live-action series that dropped on Disney+ Hotstar today. 

Much like her comic book counterpart, Tatiana Maslany’s titular character received much backlash right from when the trailer dropped. Criticism was aimed at the VFX for her transformation into the muscular green creature (not the first time for Marvel) and an unfortunately predictable dose of sexism-fuelled comments by misogynist comic book fans (again, not the first time for Marvel). 

As only the first episode has dropped today, it is too soon for the audiences to weigh in their opinion although some have been praising the light-hearted tone of the show, and better female representation both on and off camera (Rick and Morty alumna Jessica Gao serves as the creator while Marry Me’s Kat Cairo directs most of the episodes). 

For those viewers who are intrigued and free enough to know more about the history of the character in the comics, it is worth noting that She-Hulk (AKA Jennifer Walters) has been quite the visionary when it comes to female representation in comics as well as satirising the superhero genre as a whole. 

Origins in mainstream comic book sexism: All the positives aside, it is equally important to note that  Marvel’s late bigwig Stan Lee created the character, and writer John Byrne authored some of her most iconic storylines. So, yes, a look at some of She-Hulk’s old comic book covers would prove the sexualisation that superheroines have had to go through, ranging from Wonder Woman to Black Widow. 

As Kevin Melrose writes for the motivation advice platform Goalcast, “Her stature and superhuman strength set her apart from most female superheroes, but she was nevertheless depicted in a strategically ripped white dress intended to titillate a male readership. Batman v Superman screenwriter David S. Goyer somewhat-infamously observed that ‘She-Hulk was the extension of the male power fantasy’ represented by the Hulk — only as ‘a giant green porn star.’”.

Progress with the character’s sexual liberation: It was the aforementioned John Byrne whose The Sensational She-Hulk (1989-1994) series helped in revamping the character. For starters, the concealing underwear (which makes for an impractical costume choice for an Avenger) was replaced by a more convenient leotard that stuck for the years to come. 

Future comic runs in the 2000s and 2010s by female writers such as Mariko Tamaki and Rainbow Rowell added more individuality to her personality. From the 1980s to present day, Jennifer Walters has also been in active sexual and romantic relationships with many other fellow Avengers including Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Thor. 

However, instead of showing her as a promiscuous nymphomaniac catering to the male gaze, She-Hulk’s flings are also rooted in her quest for independence and acceptance. This is evident with Walters retaining her She-Hulk self even in such intimate moments. 

A panel from the Dan Slott-authored She-Hulk #17 (2007) sums up the double standards of the comic-reading demographic (which is predominantly male) pretty well. After a night of lovemaking, She-Hulk gets frank with Tony Stark and asks him how he gets away with sleeping around and still maintaining the reputation of a ‘cool guy’. 

To quote the character herself, “When you do it, everyone calls you a player. When I do it, everyone calls me a skank.”. 

A superhero with no hidden identities (and yet struggling with her identity): She-Hulk joins the leagues of those heroes who don’t have to do much in keeping their superhero identity secret. But unlike Thor’s godly duties, Black Widow’s undercover assignments, or Captain America’s status as an-all American patriot, She-Hulk is a lawyer in her real life. Despite her best attempts, her transformation becomes public knowledge in both the comics and the new show. For any superhero, this is their worst nightmare for all the unwanted attention it brings (from both the media and supervillains). 

This identity reveal makes for an interesting plot point to explore. Voluntarily (and sometimes involuntarily), Jennifer Walters has been asked up to represent some high-profile, superhuman clients such as Spider-Man, Hawkeye, and at times, herself!

Now that there is nothing to bridge the gap between the two identities, it is a recurring theme for the character to settle down with which one: Jennifer Walters or She-Hulk?

Probably the first superhuman to break the fourth wall: When the trailer dropped, the Internet was quick to draw comparisons between Jennifer Walters’s breaking the fourth wall routine and that of the Amazon Prime tragicomedy Fleabag and the Deadpool movies. However, starting with The Sensational She-Hulk, the superheroine actually predates ‘meta’ characters like Deadpool when it comes to talking directly to the readers. 

This distinct character trait allowed her to incorporate a much-needed dash of humour away from the personal tragedies and introspection of her cousin Bruce Banner (The Incredible Hulk). Some of the classic comic book covers also find her ordering the audience to read her comics or she’ll tear up “your X-Men comics”. Another example is an issue in which she fools around with writer John Byrne and editor Renée Witterstaetter. 

The Disney+ series isn’t the first She-Hulk cinematic attempt: Now, She-Hulk is ready to be introduced to a brand new demographic as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continously expands to fill Disney’s cash registers. However, Maslany’s performance isn’t the first attempt for a live-action She-Hulk. 

For understanding more, we need to go back to the flashy 90s era when some amusing low-budget non-official Marvel productions ranging from a Captain America film (in which the First Avenger dons what seems like a bike helmet) and a Japanese Spider-Man series (in which the wall-crawler doesn’t shy from literally shooting down his enemies).

A similar project which was eventually cancelled was a proposed She-Hulk movie starring Brigitte Nielsen. The Danish actress and model also tried on the green-and-purple costume for some trial shots. It is unfortunate that the film never saw the light of day (probably because of Marvel’s lack of popularity as a cinematic company) but in an alternate universe, the She-Hulk standalone adventure might have made for quite a guilty pleasure. 

Disney+ Hotstar’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law’s debut season is set to run for nine episodes until this October. Given the character’s diverse history, it will be interesting to note the directions in which the green-skinned lawyer would go.