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Brazen: Rebel Women Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu

French artist Pénélope Bagieu created the comic series Culottées: Des femmes qui ne font ce qu'elles veulent in 2016 which in short installments presents 30 biographies of women from across the globe, ranging from the 4th century BCE to several ladies who are still living today. A fairly diverse collection in more than a few ways by ethnicity, nationality, class, career, age, sexuality, etcetera it is though rather cotemporary with only three of the women covered born before the 1800s. Popular it has now been licensed in many languages, translated in English by Montana Kane titled Brazen: Rebel Women Who Rocked the World published by First Second. If you’re curious the full list of the women:

Clémentine Delait

Queen Nzingha

Margaret Brainard Hamilton

The Mirabal Sisters

Lady Josephina Caroline Petronella Huberina van Aefferden

Lozen

Annette Kellermann

Delia J. Akeley

Joséphine Baker

Tove Jansson

Agnodice

Leymah Gbowee

Giorgina Reid

Christine Jorgensen

Empress Wu

Mary Temple Grandin

Sonita Alizadeh

Cheryl Bridges

Thérèse Clerc

Betty Davis

Nellie Bly

The Shaggs

Katia Krafft

Jesselyn Radack

Hedy Lamarr    

Naziq al-Abid

Frances Glessner Lee

Mae Jemison

Peggy Guggenheim

  And the English version ends with a bio of Bagieu herself. Though, the original French edition (two separate volumes btw) has a different installment. Turns out every edition is a little different because there can be some challenges in bringing comics across the globe.

The profile English readers won’t see is Phoolan Devi.

An Indian woman born in 1963 who would become an outlaw renowned as a “Bandit Queen” and later who took up politics and eventually was assassinated a few weeks short of her 38th birthday. Because hers is a history steeped in violence, particularly sexual violence. Too much for the New York publisher. And Bagieu feeling the entry on Phoolan Devi couldn’t really be changed in presentation and still remain understood therefore it’s omitted completely. So, here is where I’ll plug Phoolan’s autobiography The Bandit Queen of India: An Indian Woman's Amazing Journey from Peasant to International Legend, compiled by two writers with her as she was illiterate.

There are also a few other bios that managed with some alteration to still be included.

There’s something ironic in that entertainer Joséphine Baker, who found a place in her adopted country of France, is in cartoon form once more restricted when this book traveled over the ocean back to America. I’m not sure how the art redrawn in a few panels to cover or omit her topless is fitting the aim of the publisher. (But many of the splash pages like above sure are pretty.)

Same for singer/songwriter Betty Davis, can’t have a nipple in a funky splash page with her bio huh. (Above image French edition.)

Or panels depicting actress and inventor (what the splash page above stresses) Hedy Lamarr nude that were redrawn. Howard Dietz in his autobiography Dancing in the Dark wrote she once stated to him “You Americans are terrible, you have no artistic appreciation.” in relation to how the US press treated her regarding one of her earliest and most (in)famous roles. To also note here, the book Ecstasy and Me that was mentioned in the comic is not a great title to get if Lamarr’s life interests. It was a ghostwritten (auto)biography that Lamarr was more than critical of and sued over its publication, the likes of Variety doing an article about the controversy in 1966.

Which also brings up a point that no edition of Bagieu’s comic I’ve seen has reference page(s) at the end for where Bagieu drew information from and some details for the bios may not be on the money. At least I noticed a couple things. Drawing broad strokes is an unsuitable defense. It’s understandable when the webcomic was created at a rapid pace, but any collected edition offers a chance to revisit or receive more feedback with a greater number of eyes involved.

And to the differences between English and French editions, these are in part that First Second apparently marketed Bagieu’s comic younger. Citing common core connections appeal to schools too, which are the second place after public libraries where challenges to books occur in the US. In fact, since I first wrote this review Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World has still been targeted as not appropriate for K-12 schools and challenged. Though, I’ve yet to see a recommendation for an age under that of teens, unless it’s from kids whom the comic has made its way into their hands (as many things can). But also, when it comes to promotion is it fair to ask if these kind of changes for the English edition go against the words in its title?

brazen: Bold and without shame.

rebel: A person who resists authority, control, or convention.

rocked: Cause great shock or distress to (someone or something), especially so as to weaken or destabilize, be exciting or full of social activity, very good or pleasing.

Even the cover redesign making use of an emblem of the raised fist in a Venus symbol could cause discussion. Most will trace this symbol back to the 1960s but, it’s a little unclear exactly and nowadays used across the world with association and meaning a bit different to people, not always positive or, some protective of it for cultural or anti-commodification reasons.   

Honestly somebodies somewhere are going to say the book is all wrong due by its very nature that the women featured in this comic have personal/professional/public aspects of their lives that made them stand apart. Many of their histories contain all sorts of adversities life offers too. Take your pick of what’s unsuitable. Abortion? Child brides? Childhood sexual abuse? Divorce? Domestic violence? Gender identity? Health education? Murder? Racism? Rape? Sexuality? Torture? War? Quite a world out there ain’t it.

The distinction Bagieu has spoken of when it comes to content challenges and sensitives regarding the ideological or cultural seems very difficult to me. Whether and how detailed the nude form can be depicted (around motherhood apparently passed), certain types of work eschewed, or the spaces and manner (dis)allowed when it comes to the subject of abuse and sexual violence or its effects, especially when founded in lived experience are to me sociopolitical. Yes, this is tough stuff to sort but, in any event, I at least find it disgraceful a censored edition would receive the Eisner for Best U.S. Edition of International Material in 2019. Can do better than that, no?

Something best accompanied by more books (as it is the hope of its creator that readers would search and explore more), overall Pénélope Bagieu has created an interesting comic, an educational comic, an entertaining comic. Dare I say contributing its own good to sit on bookshelves across the globe as it is increasingly doing. I just wish it could do that without having to go change itself in these ways to fit there.

  The original French edition Culottées: Des femmes qui ne font ce qu'elles veulent by Pénélope Bagieu is available in print and digital, in two volumes ISBN#: 9782070601387, 9782075079846

Brazen: Rebel Women Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu is available in English translated by Montana Kane, print and digital, published by First Second

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