Heroes For Hire…the Backlash…
So, I was introduced to these words said by Misty Lee (magician and wife of Paul Dini) from a Podcast they hosted:
And you know, also, someone raised the point in, I don’t know if it was in a forum I was reading but it’s something I’ve heard a million times before – but usually, the strongest and loudest protest over sexy things come from ugly fat girls. And now I don’t necessarily agree with that and I’m probably going to get some awesome flame mail as a result of this, but as somebody who’s relatively secure in her sexuality – I don’t think I’m the hottest broad out walking around – I definitely don’t think I compare to some of these comic book chicks – but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like to look at ’em. I find the feminine form very appealing and I’m not at all offended by that…*
Wow. Where to begin.
“And you know, also, someone raised the point in, I don’t know if it was in a forum I was reading but it’s something I’ve heard a million times before – but usually, the strongest and loudest protest over sexy things come from ugly fat girls.”
Do we really need to go there? I suppose some of the protesters might be on the heavier side. I am. And some might fit our cultural definition of “ugly”. I think I might. I am not a girl though. But most of what I have seen has been regular women and guys who find the idea of a comic aimed at 9 years old on up featuring a cover of it’s female heroes half naked and on the verge of attack from tentacles.
It’s the fact that they look frightened. And there is the bell, but that’s just a “what the hell” type think. The Black Cat is a cat burgler (well, was-she is a good guy now). WHY WOULD SHE WEAR A BELL?! Oh, and there is Misty’s hair. But compared to everything else? It’s minor. But anyways, back to the fear thing. These are strong women. They are tough, martial artist types. And they look like they are scared of the alien creature. And they are stripped down, the Black Cat has slime that looks…well… like a certain bodily fluid on her breasts. These women should look ready to kick that alien’s ass. Look at the work by Lea Hernandez (as an aside? I wish I was as good at PhotoShop as she is), it’s subtle in it’s changes…but man…it has a totally different connotation.
” I find the feminine form very appealing and I’m not at all offended by that…”
Misty? I find the feminine form appealing as well. The cover still bothered me. No one complaining is offended by the mere hints of sexuality. If they were just offended by that? Heroes For Hire would be under fire every month for it’s tongue in cheek cheesecake covers. It’s not. Why? Most people (even feminists, guys!) get cute, funny and fun sexy images. This is not puritans lamenting the showing of an ankle. It’s the way the characters are being portrayed, not as sexy, but as simpering victims.
If people are going to determine why some of us are critical of the cover, please critique our criticisms.
*Thanks to the efforts of Tinderblast (a fellow Girl-Wonder Member) who is the person who made the effort to actually transcribe that bit. Without that? I would have been real lazy and paraphrased. 🙂
Posted in: Comic Books, Social Issues
In One Ear... 
>:|
Sick of this.
I’m 5’9″ and a size 5/7 😐
Nebody who calls me fat is insane (or MeMe) XD
I’m also not ugly :O So I’ve been told neways XD
I’m still offended!
It’s not that they’re hot that offends us, it’s the way they’re portrayed AS HEROES.
They are heroes btw XD
It’s like ppl forget that when they defend these covers. It’s like they act like feminists are complaining about women in porn.
We’re not!
And I’m tired of them framing the argument as “feminists dun like attractive girls”. >:|
What about this picture of Huntress? :O
It’s TEH AWESOME. And she’s in no way ugly there 😀 She’s powerful and heroic and smexy :3
It’s not that all smexy girls make us angry, it’s the way they’re portrayed and what parts of their bodies are focussed on.
How come we never hear the reverse of these arguments XD
When men complain about OMG WE SEE A BULGE in the pants of superheroes, should we then imply that all the men offended must have 2 inch dicks? >.>;;
meh. who care swhat a 3rd rate zantana thinks? her opinion means less than the nothing she is.
I suppose, she’s just completely missed the entire point.
I agree Thom this stuff is ridicules. I also Dr. Doom cover wayyyyyyy to sexually sugestive. Can’t super heroes be super, even when they are female?
Okayyy…
First of all, I’m almost laughing as I type this because it should NOT be necessary but…
I am short, platinum-blonde (natural) FF cup (also natural) with pale peaches-n-cream skin and deep pink lips, an arse that makes grown men weep and I LOVE working my sexxxy. I love short skirts, boobalicious cleavage and frills. So I hope I don’t fit the “ugly, fat sex-hater” mould.
And I. HATE. THAT. COMIC. COVER.
I am deeply offended by it for a very simple reason. Those super-women do not look like super-women. They look like scared likkle girlies who just wanted to play superhero dress-up and oh no now it’s all got a bit serious and won’t some big strong man save us? Please don’t let the tentacles touch my baaaad place…
Whatever happened to strong, arse-kicking, intimidating women being crotch-throbbingly sexy?
This is not “sexy superwomen caught in a trap” it is tentacle porn. And if that’s what gets you off, well fine, but go and buy a tentacle porn book. My comics should not be porny. I should not have to forbid my little siblings from getting into comics out of fear they’ll pick up something like this.
I just want to know where all this outrage was when Flash #219 came out (or any number of DC titles showing Wonder Woman bound). Why does Marvel get blasted everytime they do a cover but ppl just overlook DC? Would this cover be better if Shang Chi was in the middle of Black Cat and Coleen Wing? Because he’s there bound to that pole too (you can see his arm poking out). This cover is obviously a spoof and meant to be a funny. As far as breasts go they are always revealed in those costumes so why complain about a little teasing now that there’s antaenie feelers dripping slime. It’s funny ppl! Lighten up!
Actually, I think if the women on the cover all looked like they were about to get free and kick some ass? This hoopla would never have happened. But they look like scare young teens. The outrage is heavily based in the characters’ lack of strength in the image.
On one hand, I think Misty Lee’s comment was stupid and offensive. On the other, I don’t find Jim Hammond’s response any less so.
Agreed, Rachel. I didn’t make note of this to slam Misty. I found her words troublesome. But I don’t think insulting her is an appropriate response at all.
Thank you. Good work!
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