Unwritten Duck

For me Batwing turned out a lot better than I thought it would. When I first saw it I was like "Oh great another Bat-character." Still I figured that I would give the title a shot, and I found myself really liking it. More than likely I will be picking up the next issue. How did everyone else feel about it?

I don't know much about Holly, but as one of the people who didn't like "The Dark Knight" it sounds like they are going down a similar path of trying to shove too many characters into one movie.

Though profiling can exist in several different forms it is most common in terms of anti-social behavior when it comes to comic stores. I recently quit working at the store I was employed at for this reason and several others. As RazzaTazz said:  
 


@RazzaTazz:   I do find that some comic book store employees do lack in some ways by being too caught up in their own conversations to even notice they have people in the store.
This has been true in my own experience, but it often goes quite further than that and it differs from store to store. What determines the nature of a store is how you conduct your business. During my employment I was actually told once: "Don't talk to the customers, just let them look for themselves." Before long I found myself selling more books off the clock than on, because I would casually talk to people that came in about the books, while I was looking for myself, then I would even make suggestions for further reading. Before I knew it the customer was leaving with five books in hand instead of the one that they would often say "It's kind of neat, but I'm just thinking about it."  In a retail store you want to sell because that is how you make money, and doing anything that prevents this from happening hurts your business and the comic industry itself. This could be part of the reason for the comic industry moving to digital based media, because the current business etiquette of many stores is hurting sales. 

Great blog Tazzy... seems slightly familiar *smile*  
 
I actually don't view Starfire's new design/look as making her any more sexed up. I mean, she looks pretty sexed up in the new cover/promo piece, but I chalk most of that up to being the artist. As in if he was drawing her in her old look here, she'd look about as sexed up as she is now. Alternatively a lot of other artists would make end up invariably making her look not as sexualized even if they wanted to. (and some could make her look sexy even if she was wearing a big sweater and beanie.  
 
I think Harley is being sexed up on the other hand, and for a pretty solid line of reasoning (that I still disagree with) 
 
Looking at sex selling... well, we could propose that it sells in various ways. Sex can sell in a we know you are thinking a lot about sex (with a girl) and that you like sex (with a girl), so here is a sexy girl that you will like because she is sexy. So here, sex is only being sold to a certain segment of people (if you replace girl with guy, that number drops a lot, and for a few reasons). Sort of the majority to some extent when it comes to comics, (and everything) but also... sex can sell, or be sold as empowerment. You get a new bunch of people here (and these people aren't necessary different people to those in the former grouping) Sometimes I feel comics, creators, can be a bit exploitive here, because as you point out, characters don't decide what they dress up in, writers and artists do, and what's a great way to try and sell more characters, comics and stories, to more people, but to slap on to Sex Sales Reason #1 that the sex being sold is empowerment and freedom of choice! Kelly Rose's super power might be to be able to lift 100 tons but contingent only if she is wearing a special powered bikini that's allergic to other clothes BUT she is strong, independent, bisexual and emotional and physically secure and confident and she roars. I gave a very cynical example, but there are more genuine and better examples of course available for both female and male characters. Then sex can be sold as a part of the package of life and reality and the ability for people to relate to characters and stories. Sex is generally quite the influence in most peoples lives. Broad application and like I said as a package. Actually some comics where sex has been a big plot point, that I have come across, have actually by a large margin, contained less titillating art, scenes, actions, etc than flagship comics by Marvel and DC where sex was not a plot point.   I set this up to now to sort of return maybe to, whilst talking about rape. I actually think rape, is okay, to happen in comics, but it just depends. Not Harley or Starfire, (unless somehow, someway they ended up in a DC equivalent of Marvel MAX and were exclusive to that) to quickly address another point though first. As to whether fans be able to grasp a scantily clad character getting raped? I highly doubt it as well since a lot of smart, forward thinking adults in real like barely grasp and struggle with real life women being raped, and comic fans, a large amount of them, can be somewhat naive and ignorant. Clothing and dress wear is a big one. Lots of people apply their own thinking in what they consider sexy as being a motivator with rape because sexy = sex = criminal rapist wanting sex = seeing something he finds sexy = rape. When that's actually not what happens and clothes have a minimal influence with the violent act. Studies show most convicted rapists do not remember what their victims were wearing. We now rape is more about power, than sex. So anyway, comic writers would have to educate themselves about such subjects, because it might be okay, to mess around, and screw up, physics, chemistry, biology and so on, in stories and in an effort to entertain people, (comic fans who go on to pursue lives where those things are important will be taught what they need to know) but a topic like rape? There is already a lot of misinformation and ignorance already out there and I am not sure I want the comic medium to contribute by having sexy look characters raped for looking sexy. Or as one stunning thread last week suggesting that villains rape Wonder Woman to rob her of her power and self respect? Men can't get raped? Superman, Hulk, fans get annoyed when such characters just lose a fight, Batman and Wolverine if they are beaten hand to hand or outsmarted, yet its Wonder Woman's power that is locked up in her sexuality? A good writer could tackle that subject as it relates to those characters, a good writer and good editors probably wouldn't though, which is good. Many of these characters aren't the type of characters built from the relatable, realistic mold. Many of these characters are wish fulfillment figures, who have broad fan bases which include children. Children who should learn about the subject of rape, ideally not in the pages of a comic. Ideally not in anything that's only 22 pages which includes locations as Asgard or Oa, and guys healing back from a droop of blood.   So I know the risks. Even from an art perspective, superhero characters are designed to look, wild, silly and ridiculous. Physiques are exaggerated and idealized and a stylized form of reality, with emphasis on traits considered desirable. Rape is not idealized, rape is not desirable, its a major clash of ideas, that's unhealthy in the wrong hands.   That being said, I neglected to mention, not all art, or characters, or character designs are like that in the pages of comics. So to return to what I said earlier, I think rape can be used in comics. It can be educational, it can be hard to deal with, it can be emotional, it deals with sex, but it shouldn't sell sex, as I mentioned at the top of my post, but it can be invoked in that its dealing with reality and it touches on empowerment. Back to power you see? Rape being about power more than sex. Back to what happens to someone who is the victim of the action of rape? Will they always be a victim? They don't have to be. Elektra's story and origin and whether she was raped is a bit cloudy, I am not sure of the specifics of the continuity but I'm okay with it being a part of her background. In an X-Men issue, there was some ambiguity with an issue, as to whether the character Rogue was raped, but word of god has clarified that she was not, she had just been... roughed up a bit. (actually thats a complicated subject in itself) Anyway, I have a friend who was raped who actually liked the Rogue issue I was talking about. Sort of made her feel she wasn't the only one, and it wasn't her fault. Of course that issue it was so ambiguous that in fact rape had not actually happened, and whether it was implied was largely up to reader discretion. Plus it was a comic kids could read, nothing explicit would be there on the page. These days though, comics can be for young adults and older. I feel the subject can be touched on a bit heavier done right. Done right the effects could be really positive. Good writers and artists know how to rob sex and things relating to sex of its ability to stimulate unless they want that. In a medium when comic artists, can make a female character look over sexualized buying groceries, killing people, or playing the bagpipes, there can be a big concern with the voyeuristic, titillation, that might happen with sexual abuse or rape with a character. (or really, just anything that's meant to be taken seriously) Except if we observe creators and stories where such subject matter is treated with more respect and seriousness, you'll notice they have ways to dealing with such issues, whether it be by actions happening off panel? Or, even actually really stylized simple art. That robs characters of "realism" to such an extent that well... or of course, artists could introduce hyper realism. Sunfire, being an alien, she is 800 pounds and covered in matted hair, and so she has no breasts, she looks more like a jelly fish and she eats her mating partner? She is nude though os you know... woah, sexy! So anyway, two ways to rob sex of its sexiness for the sake of providing a serious story. So for me it depends.   Great blog anyway discussing a really important topic. 

@SC:   Oh I am very happy you so strongly touched on the concept of rape in comics, and how it is almost censored. I am not sure if you remember, the first blog I wrote was about what the motivation could have been for changing the Huntress's backstory. In the original story to the Huntress, well first let me say this has a lot to do with rape involving the term sexy is quite the opposite. Rape is more (as you already stated) about power, and control, usually do to an inferiority complex. So in the original backstory to the Huntress, Helena was raped as a very very young girl, after her parents were murdered. Now I am not even talking like 12 years old she was like 6 or 8. Unless my definition of sexy is way off, there should be nothing that makes you have sexual inclinations to a boy or girl of this age. I proposed the purpose for changing this backstory is the readers could not handle such mature content, that it was just to dark. Why I completely agree with you, that rape. if written right in comics, can be a very strong plot device. The problem I feel is demonstrated right here with these costumes. The readers, or at least the creative teams behind the comics, feel that the readers rather than being offered a strong plot device and a real story would prefer to have an overly sexed up character, whom with these new costumes they are obviously trying to peak new readers interest to buy comics. When if the only reason they are buying the comics is because of scantily clad females, then their are much better industries for that, and in the end this will not attract to me readers, and the ones that it does, are just in it for some eye candy. This is what these images and costumes are saying, that this industry can not handle true plot lines and meaning, that all the comic book industry is, is an industry for males to get yet more exposure to overly sexed up females. Not only will these new looks only draw in a very small demographic, but it can disincline as much as incline people to buy it. I know for one, I am still going to buy suicide squad, but I am much more disinclined not to because of this. Not because I am not a true Harley fan, but I really do not want the people who made these new designs and such, believe that by making Harley look in such a way it is drawing in readers.   Now while I have brought this up many a time within in my own blog, these outfits are outrageous and completely impractical. Harley is a character without super powers who is a gymnast. Now if you try to do gymnastics in that you are going to be falling out of your ermmm "clothes" everywhere. To me this is just offering even more fan service, and like I said earlier drawing in the wrong kind of reader. In general this is trying to offer a quick and easy way to a bunch of shallow fans, I know I have said this multiple times, but they are really disappointing me here.   The Temptress archetype. Ahhh Razzie I thank you for bringing this up, and also talking about women in minimum clothing. It is time for the hummingbirds double standard rant. In Milton's Paradise Lost, Eve is defined as the ultimate temptress (though I personally believe the apple was the temptress in the story or "knowledge") The most common belief is that Eve plays the role of temptress. Not until Eve asks Adam to eat the apple does he. When we look at the excerpt before he eats the apple, not is it anything other than "her feminine charms" that finally convinces him to do so. None of her arguments, but natural feminine charm. At this moment she is established as a temptress. Now because Adam was attracted to her, and he made a mistake it was her fault? As you said when are partially blamed for being raped. So right here is all I am going to say as if a male was walking around with no shirt on, and some short shorts and he got raped. Would people blame him? I highly doubt it. Most people are still convinced males can not be raped. Which is very incorrect, certainly it is harder (no pun intended) to do to males and females for various reasons, but is is possible and when it does occur I have never heard of a male taking any blame for the fact that they were raped. So a little more on topic (my mind is everywhere at the moment sorry) I brought up to a poster in my own blog, Harley is wearing the equivalent of what a stripper might me seen wearing. If any male super hero or villain showed up in a leopard print thing, or underwear the reception would have been much different. In theory however, they are the same thing. Why is this okay for a female, but not a male? It is not, but we as a society have proclaimed that is okay for females to be seen in such a way, and degraded, but males it is not. Also saying females bring about their own issues through physical appeal, while males are completely victimized.   This has gotten rather off the on topic. So to sum things up, these outfit changes are ridiculous and degrading their is no other reason for this other than sex sells. On that same note we as readers are being deprived of well thought out costumes that hold true representation of these characters we know and love. I will reply better later brain hurts...>___<   Amazing blog razzie! this is truly great, I hope I can reply better later. This just some random thoughts thrown out there....

@Unwritten Duck said:

@fodigg: I appreciate the classic costume, but it is not my favorite of her outfits. Mainly it is the hat that I cant stand. Like you said it is quirky, but it's too quirky for me. Don't get me wrong I love the character of Harley Quinn, but the costume has just never been appealing to me. 

If they did a version of the classic costume sans jester cap, I wouldn't mind that. But it seems like they threw the baby out with the bathwater. And in my opinion the bathwater wasn't even that filthy to begin with and the baby was absolutely charming.

I agree that nobody needs a significant other to define their life, but that doesn't escape from the fact that people get lonely. People have struggles. Is it creepy that Brainac 5 built a robot to resemble Supergirl? Yes. He's not the only one though that has done that in comics. Power Boy would make women he slept with dress up as Supergirl after his break up with her. 
 
My point is from my own experience with loneliness I can understand and somewhat relate to Brainaic 5. Granted I'm not going to go out and build a robot of an ex, but loneliness is a very painful and sometimes very hard thing to deal with.   
 

Brainiac 5 should have picked up a hobby or something.

I would agree that the outfit does not fit her personality or her origin at all. I am not though upset about her costume change. I don't particularly like this costume, but am glad to see this go: