Wywiad z AJ Lee dla womenwriteaboutcomics.com

Wywiad ten ukazał się 5 dni temu,dziś znajdziecie na moim blogu.
ZAPRASZAM :-)

 

As a new or casual fan, it’s hard to know how much influence a wrestler has over her ring attire. Can you fill us in any? How much leeway is there for personal aesthetic input re: normative hotness? We can imagine that it’s easy to choose a two-piece outfit for comfort or perspiration reasons, but nobody ever seems to go for a singlet! Or a full-body costume, ‘dust-style.

 

AJ: I purposely chose to wear a lot of things most people found visually offensive. At first, I picked lots of polka dots and plaid fabrics since it was intriguing to me to utilize something not traditionally feminine or attractive. My thought process was “let’s see if I can succeed while being as innocent as possible.” I would eventually choose an outfit I felt was a second skin; Converse sneakers, jean shorts, and a cotton t-shirt. I wanted to pick something that reflected my practical style, was comfortable to move in, covered up the goods, and most importantly—was simple to cosplay. I wanted to encourage girls to dress up like me, and in order to do that, the costume had to be instantly recognizable and easily duplicated. Over the years I’ve had hundreds of young women and girls dress up like me for Halloween or at comic cons. It’s wonderfully weird.

 

Relating to that—what’s really important to consider, when ring attire is being designed? For comfort, for protection, for support (is underwiring worn to wrestle?) How is the dreaded nip slip avoided? 

 

AJ: Ah, the dreaded nip slip. The ever-looming dark cloud of a compromising HDTV screen grab. Never happened to me, but I was also a wizard with double sided tape and often chose a safe bet of a neckline. The key was really to design an outfit with movement in mind.

 

So there are many fighting games featuring women in various states of ass-kicking undress; we’ll take a look at a few of the close combat grapplers to determine how well those costumes will hold them up in the ring. What about these costumes is good? What’s distractingly bad? And what’s bad (or good) in ways that only a pro would recognise?

 

Tina Armstrong, Dead or Alive

 

AJ: I once had to wrestle in a bikini on live TV (hi Dad!) and I wouldn’t wish that experience on my worst enemy. So naturally, I worry about Tina and hope she has a lot of stock in the TopStick corporation. However what I’m most concerned about here is the impracticality of fighting in the occasional cowboy boot. Girl better wrap those ankles.

 

Cammy White, Street Fighter

 

AJ: Speaking of Street Fighter, one of my nicknames growing up was Chun-Li. Partly because I loved video games and partly because the bottom half of my body looks like it was taken from an Olympic power lifter and mad scientist style sewn onto the torso of a preteen. I adore Cammy just for being one of the original females in the series, but as a kid I always felt a little awkward seeing all that exposed booty on my TV. However, we all have to give the girl credit for never chaffing or losing that beret.

 

Angel, King of Fighters

 

AJ: If your seamstress has enough fabric for chaps, they probably have enough fabric for full coverage shorts. Just saying.

 

Sonya Blade, Mortal Kombat

 

AJ: Do I lose my feminist card by saying that Mortal Kombat is my favorite fighting series, and one of my all time favorite games? [Editors’ note: No. And Wendy’s pretty fond of MK, too.] I’ve even cosplayed as Kitana and unsuccessfully attempted a Fan Lift on an episode of Raw

 

 

 

Jaycee, Tekken

AJ: Jaycee might be the most secure of the list so far because she seems to be doubling up on underwear and typing this sentence has made me sad.

 

Rainbow Mika, Street Fighter

 

AJ: Have I become so numb to scantily clad heroines in video games that the most offensive part of this outfit to me are the ruffles? She sort of reminds me of an alternate universe Harley Quinn who is slightly more damaged from paternal abandonment. Personally, I wouldn’t want to encourage my enemies to aim for anything that can be misconstrued as bull’s-eyes.

 

And a last question—who are some of your personal faves? Which characters, or character designs, really make you joyful? Let’s love it up!

 

AJ: I’ll always have my complaints about the unnecessary sexualizing of female characters in games, such as, “Why couldn’t Jill swing by her apartment in Raccoon City and grab something more sensible than a tube top and leather skirt to fight hoards of zombies?” or “Why exactly does Quiet’s action figure come with squish-able boobs?” 

 

But for every slightly confusing to massively depressing portrayal of our gender, there have been just as many inspiring, relatable, and generally badass female representations. Jill Valentine is actually one of the most interesting, capable, and intelligent characters in the Resident Evil series. And when Metal Gear Solid isn’t forcing boys into early puberty, it gives us wonderfully complex and strong women such as Meryl Silverburgh and The Boss. Some of my other all time favorites include Final Fantasy’s Aerith, Yuna, Lulu, and Lightning, MK’s Kitana, Metroid’s Samus, Silent Hill 3’s Heather, the newly redesigned Lara Croft, and The Last of Us’ Ellie (whom I secretly wish was real and adoptable). I also have to give myself credit for the female heroes I designed in Fable and Skyrim. Those chicks were legit and never had to live in fear of a deep v-neck.