Princess Su
The year is 1936 and China is still an imperial country, the Qing Dynasty survived the turbulence of the early 20th Century and today represents a strong modernising country on the up. After the 1917 establishment of a Constitutional Government, the Imperial family now leads the country morally but without direct control. For the last 35 years China has grown at an astonishing rate, its economy is now comparable to Britain, France, America and Japan. However this speedy development has brought with it a host of domestic issues, environmental pollution is worsening, labour rights aren’t sufficient or widely adhered to, and generally society’s wellbeing isn’t being looked after.
Internationally the Nazis are reaching the pinnacle of their power, in 1936 alongside hosting the Berlin Olympics they are stepping up their efforts to rid themselves of Jews and other ethnic minorities. This mirrors ethnic tensions within China’s own borders, there are ethnic minorities on the fringes of the nation that don’t agree to Manchu rule. Alongside this, colonies in Africa and Asia are increasingly displeased with their colonial masters.
Our heroine will be Princess Su, heir to the throne of her father the Emperor. She will be the first female ruler of the Qing Dynasty. At 30 years old she is still unmarried, and has unrecognised bisexual feelings (however in China in the comic these feelings can’t be obviously shown, only hinted at). She works for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department in the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA), this allows her to both remain in touch with plight of ordinary people, and to know and understand the corporate world’s more secretive - and less socially acceptable - practices. This knowledge prompts her to act in a more effective way than as Princess and figurehead of the nation.
Princess Su is a Superheroine along the lines of Iron Man and Batman, she possesses no otherworldly superpowers but has an inventive mind, is extremely well educated in Science to reflect this new economic powerhouse China, and practically endless resources. She takes these resources and her skills and turns herself into “Name not yet decided”!!! She communicates in the little spoken Manchu language when going about her Superheroine business, as its rarity is perfect for coded messages. Alongside Mandarin and Manchu she speaks English, French, German and Japanese. Her general style is not traditionally feminine, rather she combines female dress with a more androgynous look, again to show that the Royal family are the figureheads of modern China. Her Superheroine costume is similarly different, it is both practical and striking, but doesn’t fit the classic trope of Superheroine in a corset and not much else, it must accommodate all her inventions.
The general style of the era is a combination of turn of the century Imperial China (for inspiration see The Last Emperor, think Forbidden City, Summer Palace etc) and Steam Punk. It should reflect China’s ancient culture and incorporate their new industrial position and a real dichotomy between ornate Imperial palaces and the grittiness of ordinary people’s lives.
