The Big Picture: The Girl of Steel

[likalaruku]

I read Batman up until the reboot (which I still consider a big FU), but I never knew Supergirl & Power Girl were the same person.

 

[GiantRaven]

I can't read modern comics that is published outside of Vertigo. It's basically just hyperbole and softcore porn. I just don't care for it any longer. I got actual, real porn online.
Hear that, authors? EVERYONE CAN LOOK UP PORN ANYTIME THEY WANT NOW! YOU CAN STOP DRAWING THAT SHIT!.

So all comics outside of Vertigo are essentially softcore porn? Go look up some comics from publishers like Image or Top Shelf.

 

[Realitycrash]

I can't read modern comics that is published outside of Vertigo. It's basically just hyperbole and softcore porn. I just don't care for it any longer. I got actual, real porn online.
Hear that, authors? EVERYONE CAN LOOK UP PORN ANYTIME THEY WANT NOW! YOU CAN STOP DRAWING THAT SHIT!.

So all comics outside of Vertigo are essentially softcore porn? Go look up some comics from publishers like Image or Top Shelf.

It's my perception of them, yes. Of course not *all* of them are. Of course there are other imprints which handle comics in a manner that I can handle. But mainstream DC and Marvel? No.
The topic is about Powergirl, and my complaints are with standard Superhero-comics. I'm sorry, I should have expressed myself clearer.
But really, any form of comic that feels the need to draw T&A or power-fantasy muscles on ANY character without the plot meriting it or it works in the favor of said characters development or unique feel towards said character (which it never does, since most female heroes seem to look like clones body-wise, and males aren't much better) can just stop it, as far as I am concerned.
It's the same with sex-scenes in all media; If it doesn't provide anything other than latent fap-material, cut it the fuck out.


Edit: And yes, I do realize that some people, maybe even the majority, enjoys this fap-matrial. So why should it be taken away?
Well, maybe it shouldn't. Maybe we should "give people what they want". Just don't expect said comics to be taken very seriously at the same time. And if that isn't an issue, then hey, go for it. I'm just speaking of personal preference here. Some people enjoy soft-core porn in their newspapers too, for instance (a depressingly large amount do).

 

[GloatingSwine]

To be a bit facetious, I'm not sure I understand the problem. I like boobs, Powergirl has enough to feed a regiment and she has her own comic for people to read/ogle.

But there's nothing in the rulebooks that says DC can't also publish 'The Sensible Adventures of a Modestly Dressed Woman of Average Proportions With a Respectable Day Job That She Completely Deserves Who Never Gets Married or Kidnapped or Asks a Man for Help Unless She Later Helps Him Out in Return and Has a Discreet Sex Life That Either Definitely Includes Women or Totally Doesn't Because That's Just Fanservice, Boys, Grow Up, and She Has a Healthy Relationship With Her Father Because Daddy Issues Are Over. Also She May or May Not Have Superpowers But Either Way She Did It on Her Own.' Granted I wouldn't read that comic because it sounds terrible, but maybe there's an audience out there for that one.

Well, barring the first two, Power Girl kind of was that character.

And then they rebooted her and oh boy did it all go to shit. (Not quite as bad as Starfire, but the only difference really is that the writers looked at the reaction to her new character and thought "hmm, the reason people don't like out new shallow fanservice character is that she doesn't quip enough about how much of a shallow fanservice character she is", so whereas old Power Girl was a scientist and entrepreneur, who managed to run a successful business as well as punch bad guys, new Power Girl just sleeps with people who has things she want until she's learned enough to steal them.

Progress!

 

[WindKnight]

The thing is males can appreciate a strong female character without the need for a skimpy outfit. In comics, as long as she kicks ass most guys are impressed, then all you need is good story and it will be a seller. Way to many perceived stereotypes in comics now both for males and female characters. Thing is, with the internet, if a guy wants boobs then all he has to do is go online, we dont need comics for that now. Add a bit of reality, give them a proper costume for the work they are doing. I really dont think that adding a boob window will sell a characters comic, thats just retarded.

Except its not just the readers, its the creators too.

Atop the fourth walls review of the first two issues of all-star batman and robin shows Frank Millers notes where he goes into leering detail about how Vicky Vale's lingerie clad ass was to be portrayed. Or the time the neice of Steel was written as being in full protective gear when welding, but the artist put her in a low-cut top cause he wanted to show off her boobs, which totally undermined the character when she was burned due to an accident.

Talking of artists agendas, there was a part of one comic where Power Girl was talking to another female character about her costume, and was taken aback by compliments by the other character on the design. This was written as a sweet, character building moment between the two, but the artist made it a fourth wall breaking 'f*** you' to female readers who complained about the costume.

 

[Symbio Joe]

For those wondering why this iconic picture is so iconic it is because of an icon. The most recognisable to western christian society: http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Datei:Michelangelo%27s_Pieta_5450_cut_out_black.jpg&filetimestamp=20080306023941

 

[Haratu]

I never understood the infintie Earth / Earth 2 / weirdo stuff... but Bob just made it so much easier to understand.

And I still think DC screwed up. Why they have to put all these heroes into one world together is just a lazy way of selling the fan of one hero lots of different comic series... personally it just encourages em not to read them because I don't want to read lots of different series.

And Powergirl the 2009 version was the only good series with her. She was neither too rough, nor too girly... she was just a working class woman.

 

[PunkRex]

>_>

<_<

They should just hand the character over to Lauren Faust already!

*Flees*

*grabs and pulls back*
No need to flee, many are fans of her work here, and really, I see no way that could end poorly actually.

Oh, well... thats great. The shorts shes done for the three Super Best Friends Forever have been awesome. They could possibly get a whole new geneeration of young girls (and boys) into western super hero's.
Granted Power Girl is a seperate story but, you know, maybe just let that one be concidering how much of a fan favourite she is.

So she turned into Empowered...

Thats cool. I can live with Empowered. That was pretty cool.

Batwoman would like to have a word with you.

I am also okay with this... a guest appearance from the Caged Demonwolf would not go a miss!

 

[Jegsimmons]

The Girl of Steel

MovieBob takes us further down the rabbit hole that is the Supergirl mythos.

Watch Video

power girl probably has to be my 3rd favorite comic book character short of Deadpool and Lobo.

and it isnt beccause of her tits, though ill openly admit thats how i discovered her. (hey, screw off im still a guy)

what i found was an actually funny parody of sexism in comic books and some subtle feminist messages (as well as satirizing feminist as well) and an interesting character who could stand out on her own souly because of her personality and character owning a multi million dollar company.

And i like how her boobs are more as jokes than they are just eye candy. they are very aware of her racks and constantly poked (hehe) fun at the fact her proportions are godly amazing- er i mean... ridiculous....-ly amazing.

i recommend her series that ran before the DC reboot, though i have no idea where she is now in the DC reboot and i heard they were closing her boob hole....which pisses me off beyond words.

 

[Realitycrash]

Dude, what is wrong with you?

In all honesty? People like you.

If you could please cease existing, then I think my life would be a little bit richer for your non-existence. And please if you find that to be somewhat offensive then I would like you to take a good, long and hard look at the mirror, because that's exactly what you're asking of people who like the modern comic books that you so openly despise. What you do happen to remind me of is the type of reader who insists that they don't read "comic books" because "comic books" are for children, and then proceed to tell everyone you meet that your trade paperback is instead a "graphic novel".

And just to be perfectly clear. The very fact you've chosen to denigrate other comic books so that you have an excuse to go on about how 'superior' your personal taste in them happens to be, well, it makes you sound like a perfectly precious and pretentious twat.

because thats the only point of the pictures.....soft-core porn?

I like to think of it as more of a burlesque show, because of the distinct lack of actual nudity in most publications. But the thing is this, if you don't like it then there is really no shortage of alternative options. There has never been a shortage of comic book creators. What those creators lack is an audience, but please don't go and insult anyone's intelligence by claiming that the audience of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is interchangeable with that of Power Girl or some other such silliness. It just isn't the case.

I never claimed to be superior, or anyone else be inferior. That's what YOU inferred. I claimed that to ME, Superhero-comics and most other modern comics are ruined due to the pointless fan-service. You can like whatever you want.
I would LOVE to read more Batman, for example, but honestly, I am tired of seeing such proportions. It just rubs me the wrong way.
So yeah, you keep making your strawmen.

And oh, yes, I am reporting you. Please be mature when posting.

 

[plainlake]

As someone who never read any of these. I dont think the "boob window" is a problem, as long as were not sharia-ing it up here, cleveage should be ok. The extreme proportions that gives manga competition on the other hand, just silly. But again, I might be biased because it turns me off.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

The whole boob window thing most likely came up was because back when female superheroes came around, a woman's body & beauty was still considered as her most valuable asset and influencing factor. In fact in many ways that still applies today, if people got out much and looked around they would know

The fact that Supergirl/Power Girl have fairly interesting and in-depth character arcs/stories was the icing on the cake for comic fans everywhere, including me! ^_^

 

[GloatingSwine]

I never claimed to be superior, or anyone else be inferior. That's what YOU inferred. I claimed that to ME, Superhero-comics and most other modern comics are ruined due to the pointless fan-service. You can like whatever you want.
I would LOVE to read more Batman, for example, but honestly, I am tired of seeing such proportions. It just rubs me the wrong way.

Man, if fanservice is your problem with the "big two" comic franchises, rather than the way that absolutely anything of any value in any story published on them will inevitably be first stretched out so thin that it loses any semblance of interesting storyline and then finally shat on by editorial mandate.

Take, as an example, the Runaways. It was a popular title, well written because Brian Vaughan is a good author, it had good characters who experienced change and growth and all that good stuff. Then Vaughan left the title and Marvel didn't, because it's easier to squeeze an existing fanbase than be creative and write new titles, especially if you're handing them to Joss "one note" Wheedon. Wheedon wrote a less good story with the characters, exemplified by him repeating basically verbatim the one thing everyone knows Molly Hayes for (except this time she punched out Punisher instead of Wolverine), because that's easier than doing anything interesting with the character, and now we're at the shitting on phase, so some of the Runaways are now facing the axe in the name of cheap drama in Avengers Arena (because ripping off Battle Royale/Hunger Games is easier than writing new stories).

And this process has taken less than a decade. Imagine how stretched thin and shat upon franchises running longer than that have been.

There are serious problems with the mainstream of US comics, fanservice is a comparitively minor one compared to the way editorial structure guarantees that anything of value will be broken and raped for cheap drama driven ratings.

 

[Realitycrash]

I never claimed to be superior, or anyone else be inferior. That's what YOU inferred. I claimed that to ME, Superhero-comics and most other modern comics are ruined due to the pointless fan-service. You can like whatever you want.
I would LOVE to read more Batman, for example, but honestly, I am tired of seeing such proportions. It just rubs me the wrong way.

Man, if fanservice is your problem with the "big two" comic franchises, rather than the way that absolutely anything of any value in any story published on them will inevitably be first stretched out so thin that it loses any semblance of interesting storyline and then finally shat on by editorial mandate.

Take, as an example, the Runaways. It was a popular title, well written because Brian Vaughan is a good author, it had good characters who experienced change and growth and all that good stuff. Then Vaughan left the title and Marvel didn't, because it's easier to squeeze an existing fanbase than be creative and write new titles, especially if you're handing them to Joss "one note" Wheedon. Wheedon wrote a less good story with the characters, exemplified by him repeating basically verbatim the one thing everyone knows Molly Hayes for (except this time she punched out Punisher instead of Wolverine), because that's easier than doing anything interesting with the character, and now we're at the shitting on phase, so some of the Runaways are now facing the axe in the name of cheap drama in Avengers Arena (because ripping off Battle Royale/Hunger Games is easier than writing new stories).

And this process has taken less than a decade. Imagine how stretched thin and shat upon franchises running longer than that have been.

There are serious problems with the mainstream of US comics, fanservice is a comparitively minor one compared to the way editorial structure guarantees that anything of value will be broken and raped for cheap drama driven ratings.

I am certain that mainstream-comics have their own issues (watching Atop The Forth Wall has informed me of this), but I can't even get far enough into them for that to be an issue before I get revolted and turn my head away. I know it sounds like I'm making too large a deal out of this, and maybe I am, but everyone got their deal-breaker. If people want to read comics that appears to be largely softcore-porn drawings, then fine, let them, but I sure won't.
I don't mind comics, and I don't mind porn, but damnit I am tired of having a huge set of boobs stare at me combined with a tiny, tiny little waist, as I try to get into the story and tell myself that the woman infront of me with the skimpy little outfit really IS a dangerous Villain, and not just some stripper that got lost on her way to work.
I fucking try, but every time I get some immersion, it just rips me the hell out.
"WHO THE HELL WOULD FIGHT CRIME IN THESE SORT OF THINGS!?"

 

[Drauger]

Meh there's people that don't like movies if these aren't french black and white films with no sense at all, if not well then the "movie" is crap, i guess the same applies to comics, you should just read what you like, it doesn't matter what it is as long as you like it.

 

[Zen Bard]

Thanks to G4 and "Attack of the Show", I can no longer read a single line of Power Girl dialogue without hearing Carrie Keagan's voice.

Although she'd probably make a great real-life Power Girl if someone would just give her super powers (besides the two she already has...)

 

[Evil Smurf]

My girlfriend does have the proportions of powergirl, does powergirl ever tell the readers of backpain?