Quiddity pointed me to a fascinating little eassy on sex and comics. I’ve sorta been thinking about these issues myself as I’ve started exploring the world of comics. Fortunately none of the books I’ve been reading – Astonishing X-Men, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and The Sandman – fall into the heavy T&A category. (Although I have to admit, when I got to the sex scenes in Volume 2 of LoEG my jaw dropped. I wouldn’t say they were exploitative – or even explicit, in the case of Mr Hyde and, um, Mr Griffin – but I found them pretty shocking, nonetheless.) To be honest, I feel that the “soft-core exploitation” issue is the same one that dogs the video game industry. You’ve got an art form that traditionally appeals to guys, so the guys who make it put in the chicks that the guys who consume it want to see. Then they all get together and bitch about how no real girls are into games or comic books. The fact is, we tell them over and over exactly why we don’t like participating in that vicious little circle. They just don’t want to hear it. I don’t mind if a chick is sexy while she kicks ass; I own all seven season of Buffy. I just don’t think her boobs should be the only thing that makes her interesting. (I’m looking at you, Lara Croft.)
Ant
January 25, 2006 — 5:40 am
Hey Crispy I seeee you! Typey tapping away on your “desk-cam”. A few interesting things I noticed today about my distant sis. You read comics! You must read “V for Vendetta”…or at least suggest it to the Snook, it’s actually not your typical rock em’ sock em’ Marvel type comic. I hear the movie is coming out soon, at least NetFlix says so…
Oh and you used the word “doldrums”, a word I was just recently thinking. Dad and I along with many other grizzled outdoorsmen are going through the winter doldrums of most hunting seasons ending and unseasonably warm weather leaving no ice for me to fish on. Oh well, we did get a quick fix last weekend on a guided pheasant hunt. Brought home six savory birds, one of which I immediately tossed in my Baby George and rotisserized to a golden brown. Bad thing was, my marksmanship was dead on and I only shot 3 times resulting in my limit, Dad took a little longer but twas fun nonetheless. Anyhoo, bis spater!
John
January 25, 2006 — 7:45 am
Sometimes the comic industry doesn’t help itself. The covers for Dan Slott’s current run on She-Hulk mostly feature horrible cheesecake-y shots of the heroine, utterly characterless and thoroughly unrepresentative of the art inside, and of the approach taken to the character. It’s not as if anyone who buys the comic for the cover alone is going to be convinced to keep buying it just because next month will feature another shot of She-Hulk in what amounts to a one-piece swimsuit. Would they?
As to LoEG2, I’d say that the Hyde/Griffin scenes were the most shocking, but that was mostly because I didn’t regard them as depicting sex so much as a particularly nasty assault. Let’s see them include that scene if they ever make a sequel to the first film!
Kris
January 25, 2006 — 12:01 pm
Hey brother! Ooh, V for Vendetta is Alan Moore too, isn’t it? I saw it at the bookshop the other day but didn’t get it yet. I think that’s the movie Natalie Portman shaved her head for…
And yum, pheasant! I’ve never actually had pheasant, but I got the idea from “Danny the Champion of the World” that it’s the best thing ever. (Question though: Do you shoot them with buckshot? Aren’t they all full of pellets?)
E-mail me every once in a while, you slacker! 🙂