Can we talk about Blonde Jungle Goddesses for a minute? That's a trope you just don't see enough of anymore--although some would argue that this is like saying "they just don't make Yellow Peril stories the way they used to." In general, the Blonde Jungle Goddess undergoes her apotheosis as a result of dark-skinned natives being so AWE-STRUCK by her "perfect" white skin and hair that they presume her to possess supernatural powers. Little is done to dissuade them from this notion once the Great White Hunter character (or Tarzan, or both) comes into the picture and falls hopelessly under her sexy, sexy spell. Unsurprisingly, people tend to Take Issue with this kind of story arc, working unsubtly as it does with issues of race and imperialism.
Blonde Jungle Goddesses are part of a bygone era in genre entertainment--these characters play to the (generally male, generally white) viewers' xenophobic anxieties*, to make no mention of the not-so-under-current of gender wars and the rise of feminism.
*Yeah, I DID bust out TWO words with X's in them in a row. I want a cookie now, fuckers.
Frankly, all this just makes Blonde Jungle Goddesses sexier by virtue of being more taboo. There's something that feels really naughty about looking at images of these Amazon creatures with their shameless displays of flesh and implied power-play--a feeling that's redoubled in the context of the socio-political milieu in which they exist.
This Leone Frollo** illustration captures the delicious wrongness of the Blonde Jungle Goddess. Bonus points for the fact that the native captors of the Safari Girl kept her shiny, shiny leather boots on while prepping her for the cookpot.
**Here is a fabulous and completely-not-safe-for-work/wives/children/pets gallery of Frollo's bondage illustrations, for the Curious. And I know you are.
And as the cherry on top of this oh-so-wrong sundae, here's a page from "Khina: Queen of the Jungle" as illustrated by Franco Saudelli. Yep--I think that might just be an Asian doctor working with the native queen. Two, two, TWO times the stereotypes in but a single page! And I'd be remiss if I didn't note that Saudelli contrives more ways to tie up his heroines than John Willie. Shine on, you crazy diamond.
8 comments:
Related and relevant to your interests: have you read H. Rider Haggard's novel She?
That wouldn't be a particularly phallic pillar silhouetted against the moon there in that Frollo image, would it? No, I didn't think so. . . .
I have indeed read "She," Prof. Jack! Thrice, in point of fact :) It's a tremendously fun (if also tremendously un-PC) read. I just received a DVD of the Hammer version of that femme-fatale epic yesterday, thanks to a veddy nice write-up on Cinebeats that clued me in to its availability.
Chris--sometimes a giant penis-shaped carving is just a giant penis-shaped carving ;)
Great post. Being a fanatical devourer of Edgar Rice Burroughs' fiction, I'm a fan of the Blonde Jungle Goddesses and all the deliciously un-PC tropes that come with them.
While not always blonde, comic book artist Frank Cho gives much love to this character archetype through such works as Jungle Girl, a short-lived Shanna the She-Devil reboot, and even Red Sonja comics. Check it out.
Yummy. Nipples on T-kate and ah know we still live in a phree country, like.
Burroughs (ER, not WB) jungle babes also pretty cool, tho' def. not too PC.
(and did we note......nnnn nuns on Frater Frollo's page??? we...did. thank osiris not yet in the savages' hands)
Bill, I'll definitely be looking into the Frank Cho books! While I'm familiar with his name and style, I've never explored his work in anything approaching detail. A most excellent reminder--thanks for the recommendation!
J--I figure if a lady's nipples can roam free on the streets of NYC (and they can--tis the LAW!), they can certainly spring ripely from her blouse on the Love Train. I'm very equal opportunity that way ;) And yes--nuns and bondage are kind of like the chocolate and peanut butter of Italian kink illustrators. Seems a natural combination to those enlightened geniuses!
cartoon characters such as tiger woman and your sexy jungle goddesses mentioned here (*rooowr* btw) always remind me of the queen of wands from the crowley tarot... sorry about the shitty pic, but just wanted to share my thoughts
http://www.angelpaths.com/images/wandsqu.jpg
and wanted to say that I love your blog, kate!
su http://www.youtube.com/SuzillaB
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle website. Comics, actresses, videoclips from the 1956 Sheena black and white TV show. Comprehensive biography of Sheena actress Irish McCalla with a 72 min. audio interview.
http://terrororstralis.com/sheena.htm
Frank Cho draws great Jungle Girls.
Blonde Jungle Goddesses in comics and film a fun topic.
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