Joss Whedon is my Hero

There are very few people in this world who I can honestly say that I look up to in personal and professional capacities. But one person I absolutely can say that about is Joss Whedon.

First of all, think of everything he's responsible for. Buffy. Angel. Firefly. AVENGERS. The man helped to write Toy Story. He's a creative genius who has contributed so much to the popular culture in which I grew up that it isn't really funny. It's something that I'd love to be able to replicate in my own career, even though it might never be possible. Joss Whedon has written some of the most prolific scripts of my childhood and adolescence as well as created some of the greatest characters to have existed in the last twenty years.

I mean come on. The man wrote and directed one of the biggest comic book adaptations EVER.

Joss Whedon is amazing.

But it isn't just because of how he writes or the creativity that he exudes that makes me a lifetime devotee. I've always been impressed with the way that Joss Whedon treats women in his productions. His characters are always well rounded and interesting, but his women are on a whole other level. As an avid feminist and a man who doesn't take any crap about "strong women" in media, Joss Whedon is one of the most prolific supporters of female equality and strength. I particularly loved the way he treated Scarlet Johannsen's character, the Black Widow, in his adaptation of The Avengers.

There were plenty of opportunities for her to be weak and helpless, for her to be reduced to a sex object in a tight catsuit. But instead Joss Whedon made her a kick ass strong lead character who carried her own story. And even though there were hints of her sexuality and a romantic entanglement with Hawkeye, it wasn't the be all and end all of her character.

The same was true with Buffy. She was strong and independent, but she was weak and in love and insecure. She was a real person.

Joss Whedon doesn't believe in strong female characters. He believes in real female characters, and that's what I love about him.

That's why Joss Whedon is my hero.