![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Gaze in comics
Nov. 13th, 2013 03:28 pmComics in general are infamously known for catering to the male gaze, and there's been a fair bit of controversy around DC's New 52 for just that reason. Here's another article about how the female gaze is close to nonexistent in comics, which makes the point that while all sorts of justifications are drawn up for why superheroines have to wear bikinis, male heroes are covered from head to toe. The article also points out a recent trend of having superheroes cover up even more: just look at Superboy/Kon-El, who went from the very modest jeans and T-shirt pre-New 52 to a full-body Tron suit in the New 52.
One example was particularly startling to me. I looked through Red Hood and the Outlaws #6 at random--yes, that Red Hood and the Outlaws with the sexism problems (Kenneth Rocafort's art may be pretty, but he does not know how to draw women*). That particular issue actually featured Jason Todd naked for most of the issue--and yet Jason's musculature was barely defined, which is pretty odd considering he's the combat-happy Red Hood. In other words, Jason was hardly sexualized despite running around naked (there was much more attention paid to Starfire's butt than Jason's abs).
At least the issue of sexualization in comics is far from monolithic even within the current DC titles. Carol Ferris's Star Sapphire outfit finally looks more like a bodysuit and less like a bizarre stripper...thing. And Aquaman/Arthur Curry tends to have shirtless scenes in at least half of the Aquaman issues (as opposed to his wife, Mera, who is drawn as a sexy woman but never gets gratuitous naked scenes/butt shots/spine-breaking arched poses). Still, I'd have to agree with the above article that we're very far from parity when it comes to opportunities for female gaze vs. male gaze in DC comics. (Can't really speak for Marvel, though.)
* Argh, his cover for Batman/Superman #8 made me cringe. It practically looks as though Huntress had her stomach and intestines sucked out of her abdomen, leaving behind a cave. D: Power Girl also looks like she's been on a serious diet...
One example was particularly startling to me. I looked through Red Hood and the Outlaws #6 at random--yes, that Red Hood and the Outlaws with the sexism problems (Kenneth Rocafort's art may be pretty, but he does not know how to draw women*). That particular issue actually featured Jason Todd naked for most of the issue--and yet Jason's musculature was barely defined, which is pretty odd considering he's the combat-happy Red Hood. In other words, Jason was hardly sexualized despite running around naked (there was much more attention paid to Starfire's butt than Jason's abs).
At least the issue of sexualization in comics is far from monolithic even within the current DC titles. Carol Ferris's Star Sapphire outfit finally looks more like a bodysuit and less like a bizarre stripper...thing. And Aquaman/Arthur Curry tends to have shirtless scenes in at least half of the Aquaman issues (as opposed to his wife, Mera, who is drawn as a sexy woman but never gets gratuitous naked scenes/butt shots/spine-breaking arched poses). Still, I'd have to agree with the above article that we're very far from parity when it comes to opportunities for female gaze vs. male gaze in DC comics. (Can't really speak for Marvel, though.)
* Argh, his cover for Batman/Superman #8 made me cringe. It practically looks as though Huntress had her stomach and intestines sucked out of her abdomen, leaving behind a cave. D: Power Girl also looks like she's been on a serious diet...
