Well why not appeal to everyone in a way that they might feel insecure about by making heavier heroes. Not alot just a handful. Maybe not main heroes but ones to help out from time to time. I want to know your opinion.
Should there be fat super heroes?
That wouldn't make any sense. Superheroism involves a lot of physical activity and intense training if they're going to survive. Fat people would quickly lose their fat.
His name is Volstagg.
He was quite fit in his younger years, but he let himself go a little since then...
I remember how annoyed I was when they replaced Amanda "The Wall" Waller with a generic female in New DC 52'.
Well, yes and no.
Yes in the sense that one should be proud of who they are, while at the same time try to better themselves, should they feel the need to. Being overweight, while not healthy of course, isn't made any easier by the negative outlook on their appearance. Superhero stories, while being about high-action, also have a tendency to show how 'human' these gods among men are. Having a superhero who has a weight problem during their secret identity and social life could have a similar, positive reception as heroes who are gay or socially ousted for reasons such as their hobbies, clothes or philosophy.
Then again, Superheroes are also meant to be a symbol of some kind. This symbol is one that is meant to be abstract, or beyond human. People follow symbols and non-human ideals (in the comic book world, at least) more than actual people in most cases. In that sense, it gives justification for the abs you can grind steel on or the boobs bigger than basket balls and just as firm. Making the character seem more human in that sense may bring that symbol down a bit. "What? He's just like a regular guy, what can he do?" Though, in that same sense, it might have the opposite effect. "Hey, look at that guy. He can really do anything when he puts his mind to it!" and this can be bolstered if that guy has a weight problem.
It's quite the complex issue, but I can say that it would be interesting if there were more overweight heroes in the comic world, like this:
The problem about Fat Characters is somewhat similar to the big problem about diverse characters, making a diverse character just because you feel the "need" to create one, like many gay characters, Bunker was a character created with the mind set of "gay character", basically the only real interesting thing about him is his sexuality, and that's an aspect that should be played around the character, not the character being played around that aspect. Like Apollo, he's an awesome character who just so happens to be gay, maybe they created him with the idea of making him gay from the very beggining, but it's less apparent than with, again, Bunker.
But with a fat character it's different, they don't create fat characters to be diverse, they create them for being funny, something that I find HIGHLY offensive, it's ok to have a fat character that's also a comic relief, but to create him just for that purpose and not making him able to be anything more than that is really distasteful. Just like with any other minority character, I want the aspect that makes him a minority to be just that, an aspect, not the whole reason for the character to exist, and with fat characters I want them to handle the situation with much more casuality, and not have the mind set of "lolz hes fat how fanny harr harr", and unlike other aspects of minority characters like race or sexuality, this is something that could happen to any character (Bruce Wayne can't become black or homosexual from one day to another, but he can gain a few pounds), and that's why it should be handled in a much more casual or... mundane manner, think Ted Kord for example, sadly the only character that I can think of who had a weight problem that wasn't caused just for s#its 'n giggles.
There already is one and he's called the Blob.
In which universe is Blob a superhero O_o
Well there are some heroes but they really aren't shown. Also to what many of you are saying maybe over the course of some issues they gain some more muscle but not lose a whole lot of wieght. I think it'd be good since well heroes should appeal to everyone, a hero isn't made by how much he can lift but by his morals and mindset of sacrafice for the greater good of te people. Also I don't want an invasion just like 3-5 to help out from time to time and then maybe get a biggish role later down the road.
That wouldn't make any sense. Superheroism involves a lot of physical activity and intense training if they're going to survive. Fat people would quickly lose their fat.
There's plenty of powers that don't require physical activity :p
BB
The problem about Fat Characters is somewhat similar to the big problem about diverse characters, making a diverse character just because you feel the "need" to create one, like many gay characters, Bunker was a character created with the mind set of "gay character", basically the only real interesting thing about him is his sexuality, and that's an aspect that should be played around the character, not the character being played around that aspect. Like Apollo, he's an awesome character who just so happens to be gay, maybe they created him with the idea of making him gay from the very beggining, but it's less apparent than with, again, Bunker.
But with a fat character it's different, they don't create fat characters to be diverse, they create them for being funny, something that I find HIGHLY offensive, it's ok to have a fat character that's also a comic relief, but to create him just for that purpose and not making him able to be anything more than that is really distasteful. Just like with any other minority character, I want the aspect that makes him a minority to be just that, an aspect, not the whole reason for the character to exist, and with fat characters I want them to handle the situation with much more casuality, and not have the mind set of "lolz hes fat how fanny harr harr", and unlike other aspects of minority characters like race or sexuality, this is something that could happen to any character (Bruce Wayne can't become black or homosexual from one day to another, but he can gain a few pounds), and that's why it should be handled in a much more casual or... mundane manner, think Ted Kord for example, sadly the only character that I can think of who had a weight problem that wasn't caused just for s#its 'n giggles.
This is a pretty awesome post.
Because people shouldn't look up to someone who's ok with being obese. It's just an excuse for laziness. I'm a firefighter and I have an 7 month old son. I still find the time to work out and stay in shape. I work out atleast 6 times a week. I feel little sympathy for those who are lazy and making excuses not to exorcise and eat right. My job requires me to be fit although there are some on my job who are overweight. I have a problem with people not being fit who I work with due to the fact that they endanger my safety. There is a problem with kids and adults being overweight in this country and it's becoming an epidemic. I won't be apologetic for my views on the matter. No excuse.
@lone_wolf_and_cub: I was just looking for opinions and yours is just as good I won't demand an apology from you.
His name is Volstagg.
He was quite fit in his younger years, but he let himself go a little since then...
There ya go! Thanks man!
If you check the mini-series http://www.comicvine.com/common-grounds-4-time-of-their-lives-fat-chance-gl/4000-104989/, you'll see the issue devoted to 'density-challenged' superheroes.
This thread reminded me of Bouncing Boy from the Legion of Superheroes.
That's exactly what I was thinking!
I think so. Isn't Kitty Pryde chubby? Not like fat, but I don't think she is skinny. I know she used to be chubby.
I think so. Isn't Kitty Pryde chubby? Not like fat, but I don't think she is skinny. I know she used to be chubby.
She only wanted to be.
I think so. Isn't Kitty Pryde chubby? Not like fat, but I don't think she is skinny. I know she used to be chubby.
She's drawn to have a perfect teenage body, like every superhero/villain.
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