odditycollector: Supergirl hovering in black silhouette except for the red crest. Cape fluttering. Background is a roiling, raining sky. (Default)
odditycollector ([personal profile] odditycollector) wrote2006-04-19 08:34 pm

This would have been easier if I could draw.

I really should know better, but I clicked on a link to the DC message boards, topic of the new Frank Miller cover.

In summary... this is why I’m going to stay way the hell over here okay thanks. However, one exchange did catch my attention and would not let me shake it as it might have a sane person.

[livejournal.com profile] maelithil:
Depicting [women] as an ass, a pair of tits, some gorgeous thighs is doing them a disservice. Distilling them into nothing but their sexual attributes is objectifying. And that's exactly what this cover does.


Random Fanboy:
And notice that Superman's chest is OFTEN a whole panel unto itself. Not Superman fighting the bad guy. Not Superman standing full figure. Superman's chest. Just his chest. His huge, massive, S-draped, extraterrestrially muscular chest. Is Superman being objectified? Is he being used? Should I cry for Superman?


And. Just. What? This is the counterexample?

But! Maybe it’s not that his logic is just that scary. Maybe it's hard to understand what she’s talking about because it really, honestly is that there’s no comparable example featuring a male denizen of the DCU. I mean, even the occasional Nightwing crotch shot *tries* to have context.

Obviously, something had to be done. For The Good Of Fandom.

Luckily, much like Miller, I have no shame.

 
Totally Appropriate Covers (with bonus, never before seen script excerpts!)

 



Hal’s flying away from us through a generic starfield, nothing interesting to see except him. Have him wriggle around, giving us a good shot of his package. Add some details, something fancy for the fanboys to drool over, but don’t let it draw attention away from the point of the cover – that Kyle has nothing, NOTHING, on my boy Hal.

 



Be careful with this one – we don’t want Supes to come off as too powerful, too imposing. Maybe have him lean a bit, off balance, the better to show off his *well filled* briefs. He's fiddling with the waist line, such a cock *heh* tease. He knows he’s got what we want, and if we turn the cover, he’ll let us have it.

 



Well, we’ve done just about every variation on the theme by now, so let’s go back to the basics: Black on black, a full cover shot of Batman’s ass. Add in the utility belt for colour – give it that Sin City look. Show me thick, powerful legs under that latex or whatever the hell he wears. Clenched butt muscles. Make it obvious this is no BatGIRL we’re talking about.


free hit counter

[identity profile] maelithil.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

They seem to have shut up for now, but if they start spouting nonesense again can I link them to the pictures? Because this is EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT GODDAMMIT.

Perfect. This is perfect. And also awesome.

*HEARTS YOU MIGHTILY*

[identity profile] rubynye.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
Wow.

I want to comment praising you for the clear message you've transmitted using art, your well-crafted and precise metaphor, or somesuch intelligent comment as you deserve.

But actually? The little green nutsack seam has my brain melting and dripping out my ears.

Wow.
brownbetty: (The fuck?)

[personal profile] brownbetty 2006-04-20 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
…wow, this is exactly as horrifying as it should be, and also, why you are awesome. Gah! I'm going to go brainpuke now.

[identity profile] vagabondsal.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
Man, if All-Star Batman looked like that, I might actually pick up an issue.
minim_calibre: (towel)

[personal profile] minim_calibre 2006-04-20 06:09 am (UTC)(link)
Damn. I think I love you. Just... yes. Exactly.

::cue ironic use of icon::

[identity profile] gileonnen.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 11:13 am (UTC)(link)
The worst/best part is, your lovely and pointed covers are anatomically possible, whereas Miller's lady appears to have disjointed her spine.
ext_1843: (nightwing2)

[identity profile] cereta.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
*flails* Yes. Exactly.

[identity profile] wickedprincess3.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh god this is hilarious (and a bit disturbing. a lot) but also, so very much just *it*. Oh man. :)

[identity profile] sizequeen.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 08:16 pm (UTC)(link)
You know what's astonishing about FM? He can't draw for shit. In "Sin City," the art was "stylized," but in a bright mainstream superhero comic, his drawings look like the work of an arthritic bear.

[identity profile] giggerota.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 08:20 pm (UTC)(link)
That's what momma wants. Yum!

[identity profile] roachspit.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 08:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh god. Yes, love it, thanks. If just one cover like this made it out, I would never again have to deal with icky guys at the comics shop. But they would finally get it.
ratcreature: Flail! (flail)

[personal profile] ratcreature 2006-04-20 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Bwahaha. These are great.
senmut: modern style black canary on right in front of modern style deathstroke (Default)

[personal profile] senmut 2006-04-20 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
You make a strong point.

No, Superman's chest as a cover does not freakin' begin to be analogous to a T&A cover. Superman's chest happens to bear an Icon, one as recognizable, world wide, as a flag. If anyone were asked first impression of a Supes' chest cover, the symbol is all they'd be able to mention at first. It is not objectifying the body.

Grr. Fanboys sometimes tick me off.

And yes, I do own pin up art, but I prefer my comic covers to actually reflect the freakin' essence of the book inside!

[identity profile] huzzlewhat.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
This is brilliant, and disturbing, and funny, and makes the point perfectly. Especially with the "script." Very Well Done.

[identity profile] count-fenring.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Heh. My fandom's weakness is listening to lying blue god-gnomes when they tell me I can't hurt yellow things.

[identity profile] ellid.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 11:17 pm (UTC)(link)
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

[identity profile] marag.livejournal.com 2006-04-20 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
These? Are fabulous! Every woman in comic fandom should bookmark this post for the next time the "but women aren't objectified" argument comes up. Heh.

[identity profile] violetfishy.livejournal.com 2006-04-21 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
Ended up here from a link on someone elses journal.

You win. The internets is yours!

[identity profile] razorsmile.livejournal.com 2006-04-21 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
Sheeee-it, if I saw any of those on the stands, I'd be on 'em like white on rice. Any comic doing something that unexpected absolutely deserves my $$$.

[identity profile] kkglinka.livejournal.com 2006-04-21 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
What perfect visual statements. Thank you.

[identity profile] ghostgecko.livejournal.com 2006-04-21 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
(here from the onion)
Y'know, after those TBS commercials for Lord of the Rngs targeting slash writers (the Frodo is gay for Sam ones), maybe DC will cotton on to alternative markets?
Nah . . . .

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/__marcelo/ 2006-04-21 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
The Superman cover... Oh, *god*, the Superman cover... I don't know what's more disturbing, the drawings or your spot-on Miller notes.

You rule. Please don't do this too often, it couldn't have been good for your sanity, trying to get inside his head...

[identity profile] scarfe.livejournal.com 2006-04-21 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
You know, I read his Sin City stuff and I think, "Okay, he's obviously exaggerating the noir conventions regarding women, turning them around to grant the women of old town a kind of power and autonomy, so maybe I can let that slide...as problematic as it is."

Then I read stuff like this so-called "All Star" Batman and Robin series full of cheesecake ass shots and I think, "Okay...maybe he's just exaggerating masculinity conventions of comics to make some kind of satirical point. Dark Knight Returns is pretty satirical...he can do satire..."

Then I read the All Star issue with Black Canary and see this cover and I think, "Yeah...Miller just likes T'n'A." Subtlety goes out the window. And to do this to Wonder Woman, off all characters. Where the fuck is her arm? It was in the way of a boob, so off it goes?

I bet he’s getting cut a fat paycheque for this stuff. Hope he's enjoying himself.

[identity profile] collie13.livejournal.com 2006-04-21 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
Came here from a friend's LJ. You are a bad. Bad. Person. Keyboards everywhere curse your name.

And now I must go clean my keyboard... ;)

[identity profile] blackdove24.livejournal.com 2006-04-21 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
hm, and here i thought you were going to refer to the black canary cover i saw tonight, but no. wow.

and i would just like to say, HELLS YEAH! i might actually pic up an issue of action comics if it had the promise of such action in it ; )
also, i'm surprised that no one's mentioned this (http://www.comicartcommunity.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=4484&sessionid=d349c9de4bed635440a449cbc9b9870a) recent cover though. i mean, while not quite frank miller, my first thought when i saw it was "WHOA! ASS!" and i briefly thought about buying x-men again (partially due to a fondness for silvestri from days when he sucked less and my taste in comics sucked more).

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