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The Arkham Sessions, Ep. 120: ‘Girls’ Night Out’

The Arkham Sessions, hosted by Dr. Andrea Letamendi and Brian Ward, is a weekly podcast dedicated to the psychological analysis of Batman: The Animated Series. Nostalgic, humorous, and even a little educational, each episode promises to lend some insight into the heroes, villains, and classic stories of the Dark Knight!

The Arkham Sessions, Ep. 120 – “Girls’ Night Out”

“Girls’ Night Out” is an unapologetic celebration of the feminine superhero. The story features top ladies of the DC Animated Universe: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Batgirl, Supergirl, and a new member, Livewire, with few references to Batman or Superman, who are “away on business.” These caped heroines showcase their courage, grit, and pluckiness in this story – not to mention their proclivities for shopping sprees, makeovers, and late-night ice cream binges. The fighting between superheroines and super-villainesses is quite electric, especially with the addition of Livewire, making this episode just as intense and physically brutal as male-dominated episodes. However, subtle and not-so-subtle writing and imagery give way to gendered themes. In what ways does this story reify stereotypes or assumptions about women – and, consequently, about lady heroes we look up to? In what ways does the story dismantle social expectations, beliefs, or biases toward women? How does intra-group and inter-group fighting displayed on screen spread such messages? In this episode, we explore important perspectives on gender differences in cooperation and fighting, including concepts from evolutionary psychology and feminist psychology.

 

 


Have psychology-related questions about Batman? Write to us via Twitter, @ArkhamSessions, or on Facebook. Or visit our official website.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to The Arkham Sessions on iTunes to get all of the latest episodes!

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