Wherein I open my big fat mouth... Gratuitous female victimization or the triumph of a woman's will over trauma and tragedy?
As a fan of the whole "damsel in distress" thing, I like to think it's possible to have a very sexy cake and eat it too. The trick is to treat the heroine the same way you treat the hero. Personally, I dislike seeing Dinah beaten to a bloody pulp (strung up, yes; beaten, no), but if you're going to put her in that kind of scene, don't take her out of the game for any longer than you'd take Batman or Green Arrow out of the game. To me...and my male-priviledged-self...the victimization isn't getting caught or beaten up, it's how the hero deals with it afterward.