Oh, DC . . .

[gryphonsegg]

As annoying as many things about the DC relaunch are, I have to admit there's at least one new development my inner fantasy fangirl is really looking forward to: a fantasy-Medieval European version of the Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven that includes a female inventor-magician with a disability and horse telepathy. Yes, you read that right, horse telepathy. *wavers between hanging head and brandishing old Mercedes Lackey book while yelling "NO SHAME!"* On the one hand, I don't like the idea that introducing a new character as part of a team made up of new characters and obscure characters in a setting that's far removed from all the other titles in the new line-up makes up for "curing" DC's already established, already prominent and well-connected OTHER red-haired disabled woman genius. On the other hand, HORSE TELEPATHY! And look at that costume-- no exposed midriff or cleavage, archer's arm guards that are turned in the right direction! That shouldn't make me as excited as it does. Between this and the Dex-Star Valentine's Day Special, I'm being tempted to give DC my money again. HALP!

Also, I need to get meta about some of the assumptions about the character's disability in the comments. The description in the post doesn't say that the Horsewoman has a completely severed spinal cord, only that she can ride but not walk, yet commenters appear to be assuming that she has no movement or sensation in her legs at all. I've noticed this same assumption being made about Teo from ATLA (who is also pictured in the Scans Daily post, along with The Duke, possibly for extra cuteness), who also cannot walk for reasons that are not exactly specified (I agree with most fans that we're probably meant to assume that it's a result of the childhood injury his father vaguely referred to in their first appearance). At least in Teo's case, the visual portrayal suggests a spinal injury of some kind, but even that can't be said for the Horsewoman. Not all mobility impairment is caused by spinal trauma, and not all traumatic spinal cord injuries completely eliminate all movement and all sensation below the point of injury. (Please tell me this is not a manifestation of the all-too-common idea that anybody who can move or feel anything at all below the waist "should" have full mobility and if they use a wheelchair or a scooter or a ramp/elevator when they look "young enough to take the stairs," they must be faking. I really, really hope that's not what it is.)

Comments

[holyschist]

I would think she would need at least some thigh control to be able to stay on the horse, with that set-up.

Eee, composite recurve. Although I am baffled that they think bridles prevent horseback archery (uh, all the horseback archers I know use them...).

[gryphonsegg]

Well, she does have a magic saddle. XD But seriously, "has some control of lower back and thigh muscles, even if she can't walk more than a few steps at a time" is what I would extrapolate from the pictures.

I don't have any explanation for anyone thinking that bridles prevent archery. Sadly, I'm willing to overlook it because at least they put some effort into making her arm guards make sense. Green Arrow had proper archer's arm guards for years, but whoever was put in charge of his latest costume redesign decided to replace them with the kind of arm guards that would only work for a hand-to-hand fighter who uses his forearms to block his opponent's strikes. All the protection has been moved from the side of the arm that might get popped by a bowstring to the opposite side.

[holyschist]

I'm glad the armguard makes sense as an armguard, but tired of people assuming you need an armguard for a recurve, especially that kind of recurve--shooting a composite recurve correctly, the bowstring shouldn't ever hit your arm (I have a bow like that; I don't even own an armguard). It's longbow-centric assumptions! :-P

[gryphonsegg]

Hmm . . . sounds like the character designers' assumptions about armguards and the commenters' assumptions about disabilities both stem from having just enough knowledge about a subject to make themselves look silly.

[holyschist]

At least the armguard doesn't hurt anything! And it looks kind of cool, as superhero designs go.