Shampoo
on January 16, 2013 at 12:01 amThis comic was spawned from a discussion we had in my freshman literature class. This class was, for all intents and purposes, really just a gender studies class. The teacher was super into reading or watching stuff so we could discuss how females and males were portrayed differently in fiction. She was really into Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, for example, what with it being one of the first Disney animated films where, y’know, the girl has, like, interests. And was literate. And that the handsome dude in it was the villain, which was revolutionary. I hadn’t really thought about most of this stuff before, and so I thought it was all fascinating. It was my first baby steps into feminism.
Anyway, one day we were talking about shampoo? And how girl stuff is all fruity and pink and guy stuff tries to be as far away from feminine as possible? I dunno, it was fifteen years ago. That class was one of the few places that I was actually known as the Guy Who Writes That Comic In The Newspaper. I was mostly a recluse. And I think maybe someone asked if the discussion was going to make it into the strip? And so I guess it did.
There may have been a cute girl in that class I was trying to get the attention of. I forget. I was incredibly inept at it.
Anyway, the gender studies class taught by Leslie in Dumbing of Age is largely inspired by this literature class. I figured, hey, let’s drop the whole original pretense and just make the damn thing an actual gender studies class, right? So there you go.
Joe predicts the rise of Axe.
This was literally my first thought.
“Don’t laugh kids, somebody ended up making millions with that idea”
It really is shocking how much Joe has changed from universe to universe.
Seriously. I’m getting characterization whiplash.
… Also, it is SO good to see he’s matured since then.
I love how in DoA Joe has no problem with doing possibly girly things and yet here he’s just as bad as Walky.
Came here to say that. Hell, even over the course of this universe, he becomes a lot less viciously chauvinistic.
I would buy a deoderant that was shaped like a tiny tank.
Shooting little deodorizing rounds.
If you want to smell like sweat, just save your money and avoid deodorants.
But, at least then it would be clean sweat.
Beauty and the Beast also sends the message that if a guy is an abusive jackass he can change if you love him enough.
That movie is exceptionally f’d up.
Au contraire, my negative friend. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that Belle doesn’t give the Beast the time of day until he starts making an effort to act like a human being. The changes are a result of his own choices, rather than any “But I can change him with my love!!!!!!!!!!” attitude on Belle’s part. She’s far too sensible for that.
That movie is exceptionally awesome.
Yeah, that movie tries super super hard not to be the horrible thing it easily could be.
Abuse is about control, and note that’s exactly what Beast entirely gives up near the end of the movie.
I recently read a blog post that takes a look at Beauty and the Beast from a feminist perspective: http://gyzym.tumblr.com/post/39004853136/just-shut-up
Funnily enough, it talks about it in the context of an Intro to Women’s Studies class the author took in college.
It’s also Stockholme Syndrome: The Movie.
Awwwe… maybe one day my literature class where I make students read DOA, watch Dr. Horrible, and play To the Moon will help inspire the next generation of webcomic writers!
…
I can dream…
Disney’s Hercules is pretty neat too, because Hercules and Meg actually go on a date and realize they like each other by holding conversation.
And now I want a shampoo that comes in collectible tank bottles… the sweat odor I can live without though XD
And I would love to push a button and have the tank shoot bubbles XD
And ten years later, Axe and Old Spice appeared.
Congratulations Mr. Willis, you’re a visionary.
I didn’t know 1983 and 1937 were ten years after 1998!
I didn’t know 1983 and 1937 were ten years after 1998!
This reminded me of Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo… It’s aggressively masculine. The ad claims “It’s like doping, for hair”.
Originally posted:
February 26, 1998
My favourite shampoo bottle of all time was on Wal-mart shelves a little after the first Angry Birds Movie.
It looked like Red-Bird, glaring angrily.
I set it on the rack under the showerhead, and never even cracked it open. It stayed there for 2 years. Why?
All my housemates had to shower while he glared at their naked bodies in disapproval and disgust. Mwahahaha!