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Why do all comic guys look like Brad Pitt or Arnold?

Started by 1Cool,

86 posts in this topic

1Cool

1Cool

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After reading the post about the lack of female comic book collectors - why do most male comic book characters look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club or Arnold in Terminator. I can definetely understand why the girls all look like swim suit models but who are the artist trying to impress? Of course the characters are suppost to be strong, so a little muscle would be in order but come on. Cyclops doesn't need a six-pack to shoot a laser out of his eyes. Is it easier to draw people with huge muscles compared to a normal person? Professor X couldn't walk and still was lean and pretty muscular.

 

Would you read spidey if he was 30 pounds overweight?

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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I think the best Thor ever drawn was Kirby's early, lean prototype in JIM #83 onwards. He was god like. Thor does not need to be 450 lbs and 7 feet tall, does he?

 

R.

 

 

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1Cool

1Cool

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Some characters should be huge. Hulk, Batman (he doesn't have any powers), Thor (I actually think a thunder god who throws around a hammer should be built).

 

Does Superman need all them muscles? What the heck is he lifting? "I'm up to benching a small moon but I'm taking some juice and I'm going for Mars pretty soon"

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1Cool

1Cool

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So having huge muscles makes you extraordinary. Being able to fly or melt steel with your eyes isn't enough. If I had super-powers, the last thing I would be doing is eating right and lifting all the time. I can blow up stuff with my mind - heck with lifting weights!

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goldust40

goldust40

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So having huge muscles makes you extraordinary. Being able to fly or melt steel with your eyes isn't enough. If I had super-powers, the last thing I would be doing is eating right and lifting all the time. I can blow up stuff with my mind - heck with lifting weights!

 

I'd say that when I started reading comics that nearly all men, super or not, were drawn with six-packs and looked like they went to the gym regularly. It's always been easier I suspect for the artist to draw blokes that way...

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MR.COMICBOOK

MR.COMICBOOK

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Ummm... they're supposed to be super-heroes, right? By definition, doesn't that mean they are supposed to look extraordinary and not like a normal person?

All the majority of women I have known have always told me the sean connery or tom selleck look is much more attractive than the muscle bound Arnold look. in fact most women I know considered Arnold a gay butch.think about it, have you ever met a women attracted to Arnold or Rambo? it`s usually a guy that likes that look. :) so you got to think its male artists drawing these Arnold type characters and not many women drawing them.

I for one hope more female artists take over the comic industry as they did in japan. we would get many different type of mature books than bah Hulk smash or man with big gun blows up drug dealers in comics. boring.

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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Not to mention that apparently, a good percentage of comic readers are not heterosexual (more than the average), and combined with the few women readers, you might understand the need to portray males in the same objectifying manner as females. :gossip:

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MR.COMICBOOK

MR.COMICBOOK

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Not to mention that apparently, a good percentage of comic readers are not heterosexual (more than the average), and combined with the few women readers, you might understand the need to portray males in the same objectifying manner as females. :gossip:

exactly you said it better than me. I didn`t know how to allude to what you were saying.kinda taboo.

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DrWatson

DrWatson

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Not to mention that apparently, a good percentage of comic readers are not heterosexual (more than the average), and combined with the few women readers, you might understand the need to portray males in the same objectifying manner as females. :gossip:

So, when did you turn gay?

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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I can definetely understand why the girls all look like swim suit models but who are the artist trying to impress?

 

When Michelangelo carved David, do you think he was doing it for only women to look at? The aesthetics of the human body aren't inexorably tied to sexuality.

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Dick Pontoon

Dick Pontoon

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Not to mention that apparently, a good percentage of comic readers are not heterosexual (more than the average), and combined with the few women readers, you might understand the need to portray males in the same objectifying manner as females. :gossip:

 

Okay, I'll be the goat. (shrug)

 

What amount constitutes a "good percentage, more than average" and from where exactly did this statistic come?

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goldust40

goldust40

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Not to mention that apparently, a good percentage of comic readers are not heterosexual (more than the average), and combined with the few women readers, you might understand the need to portray males in the same objectifying manner as females. :gossip:

 

Okay, I'll be the goat. (shrug)

 

What amount constitutes a "good percentage, more than average" and from where exactly did this statistic come?

 

Pipped me to the post.

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the blob

the blob

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When Michelangelo carved David, do you think he was doing it for only women to look at? The aesthetics of the human body aren't inexorably tied to sexuality.

***************

 

Umm, he carved it to satisfy his own sexuality (he liked men).

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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I don't think the question is "why are they muscle bound"? I think a better question is why do they all look the same?

 

Bagley's Spider-man was a refreshing breather compared to some muscle bound Spidey renditions.

 

Why don't the heros reflect their specific powers or talents is what I'd like to know?

 

Why doesn't Namor or Aquaman look lithe and slim like a swimmer?

Why doesn't Spidey always look the same?

Why is Batman built like he ways 350 lbs (cause If he was there is no way he could be very fast).

Why do all female heros now have Double D cups or larger?

Why do all female heros now look like they are 7 feet tall?

 

I personally love fresh takes on heros like in the

 

1) Havoc/Wolverine mini back in the 80's/90/s (can't remember when) where Wolvie actually looked the part...hairy, not very good looking, rosy cheecks and dis-proportionate forearms and legs...if anyone has not checked it out...that to me is the epitome of what Wolverine would look like....and yet I've never seen him look like this since.

 

2) Miller's Daredevil

 

3) Bagley's Spiderman

 

4) ...the creepy, skinny, twisted take on Deadman...can't remember where I read it.

 

etc etc.

 

People are diverse...our heros should be too!

 

2c

 

R.

 

 

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