190 replies to this topic

[ditta]

This is what I got for in Google search for 'Sexy Catman'

Edited by ditta, 24 February 2012 - 12:40 AM.

[craggy]

I'll be in my bunk...

[Robert B]

That neckline is way too low.

[craggy]

That neckline is way too low.

so are some of the chins

[Christian U]

Some looking through the results of "sexy catman" did lead me to some interesting example of male sexual objectification:


















Apparently, Deadshot and Catman would make a good couple.

Now the day that is introduced into a Secret Six story would be an interesting one.

[Russell H]

Catman was supposed to be bi, but the series ended before it came up.

[Christian U]

Catman was supposed to be bi, but the series ended before it came up.

Really? Damn, that would've been fun.

[Lucian Von Dooom]

Yep. The bondage scene did it for me. I'll be in my bunk too.

[The Lorcan Nagle]

Catman was supposed to be bi, but the series ended before it came up.

So to speak.

[craggy]

Catman and Deadshot weren't a couple?

[al-x]

Hello:

I'd have to say about this is that the female form has been
celebrated throughout history as well as twisted and exploited.
I see comics and so on as being a microcosm of the greater
society with all its flaws and so on.

Like most guys I like the female form when tasefully done in
the arts, and not so much in the raunchy way. As for comics,
I already said it was a microcosm, but it can be more tasteful
and still have its effect. I have no qualms about putting more
clothes on Wonder Woman, Power Girl, and so on. I just wish
that the powers that be in the big 2 realize that and not insult
the reader's intelligence.


Al...

[Sarah Horrocks]

manorexia? what idiot wrote this article?

Yes it's hilarious that men can't just have an issue, it has to be a manissue. Because having anorexia is a female problem--so men can't possibly have a problem with it. The funny thing is that it's that outlook which probably makes it harder for men who have anorexia to get the help they need, because it's stigmitized as an issue only affecting women. Precisely because of idiotic articles like that.

One huge problem about how women are depicted in comics is that for the most part it's the SAME woman over and over, sometimes with glasses, sometimes with different colored hair. You don't see very much diversity of body type. At least not as much as the men. Obviously there are expections that prove the rule, but it is pretty boring how women are drawn in mainstream comics when they are sexualized. It's like if you're going to go through the trouble of doing that, why not make it really good?

And then secondly, I think a huge problem in it is context. There's no context in these stories for women to be sexualized. They just are, and it runs counter to the stories themselves. It would be totally different if DC and Marvel were putting out porn with their properties. But they pass this stuff off as some sort of mainstream appealing grey paste of a story, that just sort of has these random moments of objectification. If they were more up front about women and men sexually, and really explored sexual issues in these comics, it would 1) be more interesting and 2) would make the issues they have a lot less important.

We've regressed somewhat since the days of Apollo and Midnighter in the pages of Authority.

[Ogul]

Yes it's hilarious that men can't just have an issue, it has to be a manissue. Because having anorexia is a female problem--so men can't possibly have a problem with it.

I think it's just a colloquial term to make the point. I don't think men with anorexia actually consider themselves "manorexic", and I think it's highly unlikely any doctors diagnose it as such, but as it's typically considered a primarily female issue, that term draws attention to the fact that men can suffer from it as well.

One huge problem about how women are depicted in comics is that for the most part it's the SAME woman over and over, sometimes with glasses, sometimes with different colored hair. You don't see very much diversity of body type. At least not as much as the men

Ehhh, it's not so different. With men you have three adult male body types, the Hulk, the Superman, and the Spider-Man. Some artists vary that a little, with characters that are slightly in between the Superman and Spider-Man, but those are the bullet points. Only extremely rarely do you get anyone out of shape or anything. Women are little different, you have the She-Hulk (long shape, defined muscles), the Black Widow (mid-sized and curvier), and the Wonder Girl (smaller still and leaner). Individual depictions vary from artist to artist, some always draw breasts too big just like some draw men's muscles too big, but on average they have about the same amount of diversity as the men do (although on average they do have larger breasts than average real women do, but that's a minor element).

And then secondly, I think a huge problem in it is context. There's no context in these stories for women to be sexualized. They just are, and it runs counter to the stories themselves. It would be totally different if DC and Marvel were putting out porn with their properties.

Really, it shows a great deal of restraint how little women are sexualized in comics. I mean, can you imagine how female superheroes would actually get treated by superpowered criminals when they get captured? It would not be any fun to read about, it would make Empowered look like Sesame Street.

If they were more up front about women and men sexually, and really explored sexual issues in these comics, it would 1) be more interesting and 2) would make the issues they have a lot less important.

I wouldn't mind if they explored the character's relationships a bit more thoroughly, but I imagine they're a slave to the 20 pages per month problem, that readers expect some action and plot movement in each issue, so they can only devote so much time to chit-chat.There's also the issue that in many cases they don't want to get too explicit with certain characters sex lives. Like we can probably assume that Carly and Peter had some sex at some point, but I don't believe they ever made that explicitly clear, much less show some suggestive Spider-action.

We've regressed somewhat since the days of Apollo and Midnighter in the pages of Authority.

They were still fairly suggestive about their feelings in the new Stormwatch, they just haven't devoted much time to any character drama in that book just yet, as they are in a state of significant chaos at the moment.

[Sarah Horrocks]

I just see a lot of excuses there Ogul.

[stephanie familiar]

Really, it shows a great deal of restraint how little women are sexualized in comics.

quoted for absurdity.

[Christian U]

One huge problem about how women are depicted in comics is that for the most part it's the SAME woman over and over, sometimes with glasses, sometimes with different colored hair. You don't see very much diversity of body type. At least not as much as the men. Obviously there are expections that prove the rule, but it is pretty boring how women are drawn in mainstream comics when they are sexualized. It's like if you're going to go through the trouble of doing that, why not make it really good?

It's also been pointed out that there are no unattractive female characters. Many of the male DC villains are gloriously ugly and deformed, whereas the female ones all look like top models. Now, with the protagonists you have idealised body types for both male and female characters, of course, but with the female ones, it also goes for the minor characters (with one of the notable exceptions from the standard, Amanda Waller, now having been streamlined).

Edited by Christian U, 02 March 2012 - 04:42 PM.

[Rory Abel]

It's also been pointed out that there are no unattractive female characters. Many of the male DC villains are gloriously ugly and deformed, whereas the female ones all look like top models. Now, with the protagonists you have idealised body types for both male and female characters, of course, but with the female ones, it also goes for the minor characters (with one of the notable exceptions from the standard, Amanda Waller, now having been streamlined).

I always thought it interesting that one of the most popular characters around, Wolverine, is generally portrayed as being unattractive.

[Russell H]

Depending on the artist. Some manage it better than others, some don't really try.

[Rory Abel]

Depending on the artist. Some manage it better than others, some don't really try.

Oh Definitely. But he's also been generally written as being unattractive, with many characters commenting on it as well. I think after the first X-men movie there was actually a push to make him more attractive in the comic (if I remember right his appearance actually changed significantly over the course of a storyline).

Edited by Rory Abel, 02 March 2012 - 05:53 PM.

[Ogul]

I just see a lot of excuses there Ogul.

But you have to admit, none of them untrue.

It's also been pointed out that there are no unattractive female characters. Many of the male DC villains are gloriously ugly and deformed, whereas the female ones all look like top models.

Pointed out and refuted. In a previous thread someone listed eleven "ugly" male characters to which I responded with an equal number of "ugly" female characters (and I limited myself to only villains, there were plenty of heroines I could have referenced as well). They are more rare than male counterparts, but only because there are less female characters overall, and they are less popular than their male counterparts, but that's the market speaking. There are less prominant "ugly" female characters because the readers don't WANT ugly female characters.

I always thought it interesting that one of the most popular characters around, Wolverine, is generally portrayed as being unattractive.

Well, he's never "pretty", but he has that macho man rugged look that some women go for. He's plenty attractive to get the job done.