REYNOLDS-Richard-super2-dpaper

Richard Reynolds
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of the 18-parts of Emma Frost show Emma not as she appears at that stage of the
story, but as the ultimate product of her evolving performance: the White Queen,
the Dominatrix from Hell. Likewise, the diamond skin she gains in Morrison’s text
both protects her from harm, but simultaneously renders her as a supremely
valuable and desirable object.
Immediately after Frost’s confession of her love for Scott Summers, she becomes
the victim of a mysterious assassin, and for a time appears to have been destroyed.
Her diamond form is smashed into thousands of glittering fragments. In her
writings on gender performativity, Judith Butler asserts that it is meaningless to
separate the performer from the performance. 42 But the attack that shatters Frost’s
crystal form could be said to do precisely this. The ‘cultural fictions’ which Frost’s
performances draw on are no more than precious artefacts when separated from
their controlling intelligence. But both Morrison and all the other key chroniclers
of Emma Frost’s development are male, and thus perhaps ready to see gender
performance as something separable from personal identity. It would be both
fascinating and enlightening to see what women writers and artists might
accomplish with Emma Frost as their protagonist.
Notes
1
Chris Claremont’s first credit as writer on Ms Marvel is for issue #3, dated March
1977. The earliest scripts were written by Gerry Conway. Claremont proceeded to
introduce major changes in Ms Marvel’s characterization. Storm first appeared in
Giant-Size X-Men # 1, dated May 1975. This issue was plotted by Len Wein, but
Claremont began writing the series from the next issue, # 94, and Storm’s
development as a major character is regarded as his work. Jean Grey first
transforms into Phoenix in X-Men # 101, October 1976, also written by Claremont.
2
Supergirl first appeared as a definitive character in Action Comics #252 (May
1959). Power Girl first appeared in All Star Comics #58 (January/February 1976)
3
The Scarlet Witch first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #4 (March 1964). Jean Grey,
Marvel Girl first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #1 (September 1963). The Invisible
Woman first appeared in Fantastic Four # 1 (November 1961). The Wasp first
appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 (June 1963).
4
Claremont and Byrne commenced their run as written and artist on the All-New
All-Different X-Men with issue # 108 (December 1977) and continued to work
together on the title until issue # 143 (March 1981). From issue # 114 the title