You must be kidding me, part 2.

[yendi]

Following up the Supergirl statue (as well as Marvel's Mary Jane one), DC Direct has yet another statue planned from Japanese fetish house Kotobukiya :







I can only assume that this is an action shot, and that we're witnessing Selena about to fall down as a result of these large spherical things that some clever villain (Matter Master, maybe) has somehow managed to graft onto her chest. Fortunately, they're likely to cushion her fall.

In fairness, Selena (an adult) creeps me out a lot less than Teen Malformed Supergirl. It helps that DC didn't release any photos that actually allow us to see her torso (which looks like it's likely contorted, but we can't be sure) or her rear. Given what we've seen of Supergirl, I'm not optimistic about how these will look.

But wait! Here's a bonus feature, courtesy of the formerly talented writer and artist* Frank Miller. Yes, it's the cover of All-Star Batman and Robin #5, featuring Wonder Woman's Star-Spangled and Kinda Lopsided Ass:







Other features of Miller's fine art include a left nipple that, based on the angle of the image, is two inches long and tough enough to poke through leather (these are definitely not the sort of Amazons who would cut off their left breasts, clearly); a spine that appears to be broken, forcing Princess Diana's left ribcage into an unusual angle; and random splatters of red over the page that likely represent the blood that sprayed from Miller's nose as he laughed maniacally over the shit folks will pay him for.

*Okay, hype aside, he's never been talented as an artist, for any definition that includes actual talent. But in books like The Dark Knight Returns and Sin City, he's made the most of his limited skills to make the work stylish, at least.

Comments

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

I see that many have commented on these already, but if i remember right, Todd MacFarlane wasn't just loved for the twisty bendy Venom but also for the suddenly hot Mary Jane.

And these are comic books after all...sure women read them these days, but that doesn't mean that their fan base has moved that far away from adolescent boys that don't want to be caught carrying Hustler around with them.

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

Mary Jane was always "hot" -- that was her role in the book, basically -- McFarlane made her sluttier.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

Slutty. Hot. You say tomato...

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

The Catwoman one isn't quite as bad as the Supergirl or Mary Jane ones (and honestly, I don't think the sculptor has even SEEN the character of Mary Jane before to make her look like that, sexism aside).

And while I admit I'm not the hugest fan of his work recently (writing OR drawing), I don't understand how you can not see Miller's talent as an artist. He definitely uses stylistic tricks to hide some of his weaknesses, but what comic book artist doesn't? Your description makes him sound like Rob Liefeld.

[yendi]

In fairness, Miller's not nearly as bad as Liefield. But as time has gone on, it's become more and more clear that Klaus Janson was the talent behind Miller's best work.

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

Miller suffers from the same thing as Byrne -- he became super-popular hooked up with a particular inker (Janson for Miller, Terry Austin for Byrne), and THAT'S the look people fell in love with. I don't think it diminishes Miller's (or Byrne's) skills, but it is certainly a different style than a reader expects.

Hell, when I was first getting into comics, it was right after Batman: Year One came out, and I didn't read the credits well enough and thought Miller had drawn it as well as wrote it -- I was totally confused at his "crazily-different" art style when I read Dark Knight Returns!

[cktraveler.livejournal.com]

You know, this is so far beyond fanservice that I don't even know what I'm supposed to say.

Whatever happened to the idea of saving the industry by appealing to a wider audience? Surely they realize that this is focusing them on a narrow audience -- those who use comics purely as fetish material?

And speaking as a superhero fetishist (way to uncloset myself), I still think the best sexy superheroine fashion is form-fitting but not slutty. I'd cite examples, but nearly every super who's had a wonderfully sexy costume (Shadowcat, Rogue, Catwoman, Scarlet Witch) has also had more than their share of god-awful "how much skin can we get away with showing" ones.

The key to making an outfit sexy is to make it hint rather than reveal. And yet they never, ever figure it out.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

You know it's funny, but I was just thinking of that Fantastic Four comic where SHe-Hulk has to deal with a photographer from a porn mag taking her picture while she's sunbathing naked on the roof of the FF headquarters.

I remembered it because the porn king looked like Stan Lee.

Now that I remember it, what a horseshit issue.

Of course, when I read it I was 14 so AWESOME!

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

And your comment just reminded me of that horrible FF costume for Sue with the "4" cut out, exposing her breasts to the world. *shudder*

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

Sue Storm had a costume with a Magic Cleavage Window*? When did that happen? I missed it, obviously.

*As seen in any picture of Power Girl anywhere, ever.

[yendi]

It was during the '90s (of course). They eventually ran with some explanation of Sue being possessed by a demon or something.

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

>>I still think the best sexy superheroine fashion is form-fitting but not slutty.<<

THANK YOU!

Scarlet Witch's traditional costume, which covers her basically from head to toe, is so much sexier than the crap with her breasts hanging out all over the place. The whole point of the character is that she's demure and doesn't know how hot she is.

[yendi]

God yes! You actually picked the exact costume I think of when I want an example of a sexy but acceptably costume.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

http://www.wbshop.com/kernel/imageload?table=cat_images;ttl2=15;key1=41790_l_EN_;key2=41790_l_EN;key3=41790_l;key4=-100_l_EN;key5=-100_l___wbshop;key6=-100_l if that doesn't work.

[yendi]

Oh, good! There are multiple slutty Catwomen out there.

[christianaellis.livejournal.com]

I'm a little sad that I'm not more surprised by this.

[yendi]

*nod* That's the worst part.

[sir-alf.livejournal.com]

Wait... superheroines are being portrayed as bra-bursting, cleavage bearing sexpots? The devil you say!

Seriously... what's the issue. It's no worse than I've seen her portrayed elsewhere.

For that matter, Mary Jane has been portrayed as a number of body types, I think mostly to reflect the current standard of "knockout" or just the artist's preference.

Supergirl looked more like a stripper in a supergirl outfit, but even there, she's pictured in pretty much what shows up on the covers of the funny books. The fact she is more "va-voom" than "up up and away" really just seems to mean they are pandering to a horny teenage-to middle aged male audience.

I'm really not getting why this is so offensive.

[yendi]

The problem is the characters themselves. Show me a new superheroine who's a sexpot (like, say, the lead in Adam Warren's Empowered), and I'm fine with it. I have a problem, though, with existing characters getting co-opted into roles that aren't appropriate for them simply to jibe with some teen sculptor's fantasies. Mary Jane does have an awesome body (and the portayal of it is, unlike the others, at least sculpted by someone who has likely seen a woman naked). She might even wear a thong. But she's not going to be sitting there (barefoot!) doing her hubby's laundry, let alone doing so while taking on some incredibly sexy poses (and wearing the thong).

[yendi]

(By "fine with it," I don't necessarily mean it's always a perfect or admirable thing, but at least it's not a fundamental betrayal of a character.)

[trochee.livejournal.com]

man, I was sure that the comments to your post would be a bingo (http://girl-wonder.org/girlsreadcomics/index.php?entry=entry070415-071159), but you guys have only hit a few corners so far...

[yendi]

My readers are mostly better than that. :-)

(More bingos here, btw)

[thegreatjohnzo.livejournal.com]

see, i got sick of frank miller when i realized he couldnt tell a story to save his ass. he can tell great plots, but stories? no. i mean, there's no plot to sin city. its a slew of random stories. they're interesting yes, but could you make a 2 hour movie out of any of them? no. and 300 was nowhere near as life-altering as everyone i've heard claim it to be. but thats my two cents.

and why is wonder woman's skirt teal? and i know she fights in a skirt occasionally, but seriously, what the heck is this garbage?

[thegreatjohnzo.livejournal.com]

wait, i totally missaid my sentence. that should be "he can tell great stories, but plots? no...."

[yendi]

My sentiments exactly, as regarding his storytelling/plotting.

I actually don't know anyone who thought that 300 was life-altering. The comic was a decent little action story. The movie was essentially self-parody.