One thing I really love about Dungeon Crawler Carl is how all of the women are written. Each one is so unique and interesting. And every time something was introduced that SEEMED like an eye-roll worthy male-gaze moment, it turned out to be a pretty fricken clever subversion, or interesting character clue.
Spoilers below:
Carl comes across his first (i believe) killed crawler, Rebecca W., (Killed by Crawler Frank Q.) and comments on her being entirely naked. He assumes the goblins came through and looted her clothing, etc because they cannot access a player inventory. This one I was willing to let slide as a world building note, even though the woman being entirely nude irritated me. Then.
Then we meet Frank Q. And when Carl asks if the man has any pants Carl can borrow, since the collapse happened with him only in boxers and all, Frank Q. gives Carl comically small women's pants. Despite mentioning the firefight, and the many other people killed in it whom he supposedly looted.
Frank Q. stripped her. Which is a deeply revealing character moment. This man is willing to execute his fellow humans on the FIRST FLOOR of the dungeon, and he doesn't even have the basic decency to leave a dead woman her underwear.
Then there's his interview with Odette, who is described with truly COMICAL boobs being supported by a table. And yeah it made sense and wasn't egregious guy-writing so I was just gonna roll my eyes --
Then they're off air and Odette literally steps out of the boobs. They're a stage piece.
Not to mention the fact that, for as scary as Frank Q. Is when he's introduced, his partner, the woman, is ultimately the bigger, scarier threat.
99 year old Ms. McGibbons is a sweet old woman with dementia -- who cheerfully recounts her absolutely wild youth. And later goes from level one, with zero kills, to level 13 or 15 on level three, in a maximum of 8 days. She's both supportive to the group, but ultimately not shoved into a maternal role in the least.
Of course there's so many more, Katia, Imani, Helka, even Gum Gum and Quil! but just. I really, really appreciate the women in these books, from Donut, to Tsarina Cignet and Maggie My. I also really appreciate the way DCC subverts stereotypes and expectations just in general.
The overall message of planting seeds, watering them with kindness and a willingness to help others in need for no reward gets me too. It's comforting. Carl's mantra of 'They will not break me' every time he's forced to make a terrible choice, and all the ways he strives to do good from with in by causing chaos AAAAAAAHHHH I love these books!
