As for the unfair sexism, it's pointless to compare male behavior to female behavior. We are fundamentally different, and it's based mostly on instincts.
I disagree strongly about that.
Sexism isn't based on instinct, but rather on rationalisation of social standard.
People aren't based entirely on instinct, they think of what they're doing, especially when they must manage their instinct in acceptable social way.
I believe people aren't born with any knowledge, only instincts (just like any other animal). And I agree that the instincts get managed over time by what we learn; but they never go away. A lot of sexism (and racism for that matter) are involuntary. For instance, I think comic writers and artists create women that they personally find attractive, and I don't believe they're sitting there thinking "we must do something to make women feel objectified."
Because it doesn't work that way. ;-)
This is much like, "Oh well, I will draw the most sexy girl I can (instinct) without being seen as a pervert and accused to make porn (reason) because I doesn't want being pointed out by the moral autority (social standard)."
You are pretty much right about the fact instinct never going away and racism, but you will find that instinct, for all it's irrationnality, possess A LOT of rational excuses such as "Minorities are not civilized enough", "we are biologically superior", "sex sells", and so on...
As a species, Humanity is dependant on her rationality to fill her need and instinct, but somewhere, social issue and needs blur the line between what ultimately dominate the attitude of man.
Still, I read many times that sex sells, but I wonder that all are talking bout those two and half a page, and nobody talk about the whole episode. It is because it is so bad ? Or because everyone is making a mountain of a mice ?
As for the unfair sexism, it's pointless to compare male behavior to female behavior. We are fundamentally different, and it's based mostly on instincts.
I disagree strongly about that.
Sexism isn't based on instinct, but rather on rationalisation of social standard.
People aren't based entirely on instinct, they think of what they're doing, especially when they must manage their instinct in acceptable social way.
@DeathpooltheT1000: Wrestling is Comic Book writing... OVER NINE THOUSANDS !!!
Seriously, I enjoy wrestling show because I don't take it seriously. I can actually guess what will happen BEFORE the end of a "Fight".
Comics books are worse, because we can feel some kind of artistic ambition, but story and character are often treated with the same sillyness, especially in the mainstream Comics.
Now, I think the debate is going more and more irrelevant. There is two issues of these comics, and already too many people are breathing fire about this event, it's getting silly and boring.
Sure, double standard aren't cool, and it's truth that guy who doesn't stick to the ideal of the virility are often crushed mercilessly, but te same is truth for girls in some other way.
The funny things, is male or female, if you state that you're liking sex, and enjoy some erotic or other stuff like that, you will be gazed like a monster or ostracised in a way or another, believe me.
Only time will tell if story will improve, but as early Image Comics experience have showed, you can't take comics readers for stupid, and you can't go on only with massive fanservice forever...
Newsflash: Men are every bit as sexually objectified in comics as women, if not moreso. Namor spent most of his life fighting in a speedo. To this day Kazar, Tarzan, Savage, and others run around in loin cloths. Rarely do X-Men writers miss a chance to have Logan run around shirtless. And so on, and so on, and so on...
I was about to say this same thing. stop crying about it.
@Babs: Think sexism is going both ways though. Most of the male characters look like their pump steroids and came straight out of a calvin klein magazine. Most of them are also very sexually active (apart from goody two shoes like Superman) etc. While i don't see fan service shots like from starfire it actually does look weird in most of their physiques.
As for starfire, this new behavior isn't making me think of her negatively. While the true intention (like power girl) was to make them as sexually appealing as possible this never bothered me much because i could see the characters inside both (especially due to Jimmy and Amanda's old PG series which sadly went nowhere). I wish they would give people like PG more screen time and better villains etc. I mean she's a kryptonian powerhouse. She deserves to be written better than this! Like you said in a previous article that series took what used to be a poster girl and give her some depth and "oh she also happens to be voluptuous". For starfire the shots and proportions of her body are pretty weird but heck look at supes in some comics(especially jim lee) or many other male characters all flexing ridiculous muscles and action poses.
Finally in real life its just an old notion to think if a girl is sexually hungry or w/e she's a slut or whore. Goes back to the 19th century where if a woman enjoyed sex she was a prostitute and the good decent house wife was expected only to do it to make babies for her country ( "close your eyes and think of England"). So really there is nothing wrong with starfire saying she wants to have sex with someone. Frankly it could be Oliver Queen and i'm sure people would just think he's more awesome. batman just screwed with catwoman and all i hear is how much a slut catwoman is. Really? Isn't there also a double standard at play here. Why can men be portrayed (in any literature) as sexual beasts but if a woman goes similar terms then you've just turned her into a sub-human sex object?
Just my two cents.
I agree with this statement safe one :
In the 19th Century, if you were a girl that enjoyed sex, not only you were a prostitute, but you were diagnosed with a case of female hysteria if you actually had an orgasm.
And it looks like more and more that not only it will be the return of some of the baddest 19th century habit, but also that it will be the victims of these that will endorse them themselve.
Was the rating underated ? Maybe. Was Starfire personnality actually butchered ? Too soon to really know. But this rant about girls being slutty is certainly just waaaay to much.
Love it! Absolutely love it! It makes perfect sense (given Logan amd Scott's exchange in Schism #4), is creative ("outside the box, not beholden to rigid conformity to the tradition, yet in continuity), and is just going to piss Cyclops off. Absolutely love it! I can't wait to see how the stories develop and how Wolverine deals with the tension between what he feels is right and necessary (school) and who he has been (wild beserker, ronin, adventurer, loner). And though I don't care much for Bachalo's style at all, that picture of Logan in a suit just captures the discomfort and ill-fit that Logan as headmaster is. I take issue with those who say that this new direction with Wolverine is wrong and doomed to failure. It's anew development to be sure, and without development the characters remain stuck in a defined role and become two-dimensional. I can't wait to see this (did I say that already). I truly hope they pull this off well, 'cause I think the idea is golden!
Log in to comment