Have Marvel Villains Become Better-looking?

[Michael Watkins]

sure, you could chalk it up to changing art styles. but I've noticed the slight beautification of a few villains, recently. it all started with Bentley Wittman aka the Wizard. when I say that Bentley was monstrous-looking when first introduced, I'm not engaging in hyperbole. it was very clear why Johnny Storm's popularity would have driven him mad.


^what is that growing out of his face?


here he is today? cosmetic surgery?


link (in case the picture doesn't show): https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._QL80_TTD_.jpg



can you think of other examples? I'd say that Mister Sinister has changed stylistically. he's a pale nobleman instead of albino Colossus. Doom has his face fixed. Magneto at least attempted to rock the shaved head for awhile. Kingpin noticeably lost weight. even Mandarin's a little slicker than he used to be. I don't really have a point here. I'm just tired of talking about supeheroes in reality tv shows. do you approve of villains and villainesses getting makeovers? if so, who should they tackle next?

[MichaelC]

even Mandarin's a little slicker than he used to be.

Eh, he's always looked like Stark with some hints of the Devil and a neanderthal thrown in.



That said, everyone looks prettier than they usually did in the silver age. Computers have made art in general cleaner, though this means there is also less personal flavor, except for those artists who truly focus on it, and have enough pull that they are allowed to work slow.

[Dermie]

Yes, Wizard has definitely improved a lot since his original appearance--it started pretty much right away when he transitioned from being a Torch-specific foe in STRANGE TALES to being a foe to the entire FF in their series. Not that he immediately became handsome or anything, but there was a very immediate softening of his original appearance.

The same thing happened with Paste Pot Pete becoming the Trapster. He not only apparently lost a bunch of weight and worked out, his face also improved just like Wizard's.

Loki is another one since Tom Hiddleston started playing him in the movies.

Fixer giving himself a makeover was a plot point in the early days of THUNDERBOLTS.

[Alan2099]

Dr. Octopus used to be a creepily little toad of a man with a bad haircut, but you rarely see him drawn that way anymore.

[Michael Watkins]

Eh, he's always looked like Stark with some hints of the Devil and a neanderthal thrown in.



That said, everyone looks prettier than they usually did in the silver age. Computers have made art in general cleaner, though this means there is also less personal flavor, except for those artists who truly focus on it, and have enough pull that they are allowed to work slow.

I almost didn't include Mandarin. I picked up an Iron Man annual detailing his origin story (where he kidnaps the director). that story could really have used better art. I could not make out what was happening in a few panels. but his look in Fraction's run was, at the very least, better than his elderly man look.

[Michael Watkins]

Dr. Octopus used to be a creepily little toad of a man with a bad haircut, but you rarely see him drawn that way anymore.

true. he also benefited from getting a brand new body. he's close to being handsome now.

[Michael Watkins]

Yes, Wizard has definitely improved a lot since his original appearance--it started pretty much right away when he transitioned from being a Torch-specific foe in STRANGE TALES to being a foe to the entire FF in their series. Not that he immediately became handsome or anything, but there was a very immediate softening of his original appearance.

The same thing happened with Paste Pot Pete becoming the Trapster. He not only apparently lost a bunch of weight and worked out, his face also improved just like Wizard's.

Loki is another one since Tom Hiddleston started playing him in the movies.

Fixer giving himself a makeover was a plot point in the early days of THUNDERBOLTS.

I forgot to mention Loki. Hiddleston playing him was the greatest thing to every happen to the character (from a looks standpoint). I didn't really have a face in mind before they cast him. but I would have described him as goblinesque. Fixer, even after he returned to the bald look, is still better looking than his Siege of Avengers mansion days. he used to be very very pudgy. but that had changed by the time that Zemo recruited him for the T-bolts. he had made himself a device that exercised his body for him. while I'm talking about masters of evil, Abe's looks greatly improved when he became a Thunderbolt, as well. I don't think that he was even wearing one of Fixer's disguises, yet. he just grew his hair out.

[protege]

Dr. Octopus used to be a creepily little toad of a man with a bad haircut, but you rarely see him drawn that way anymore.

He even looked like peter Parker at one point!

[Michael Watkins]

I suspect that Mysterio will be the next to get the cosmetic upgrade; if that Jake Gyllenhaal stuff is for real.

[Michael Watkins]

how do you improve on this?

[Holt]

Compare Jack Kirby's Loki with the new body Loki gained in Gillen's Young Avengers.

[Michael Watkins]

[Michael Watkins]

this


to Ian Somerhalder overnight

[Michael Watkins]

no more filed down teeth and count Dracula motif.

[SuperiorIronman]

The thing you need to consider is that ugliness in comics can be a visual indicator of the morality of the character. Characters initially displayed ugly not only gave the artist a bit more freedom in expressions and design, but also made it clear to the reader who was who (Hero or Villain). That wasn't an over-encompassing reason but it was a major factor. Character design is important in telling the audience whats up without saying it. So because comics could be treated as disposable entertainment, it was often overlooked because you don't need to dig really hard into the character or design, you knew in some cases immediately. This also benefits the artist because while it does give them more freedom, it can also allow them to crank work out quickly because who cares if they're ugly, their the bad guy.

Now comic art has changed immensely over the decades and that has led to different references for characters (like Norman Osborn being once modeled on Tommy Lee Jones). Synergy in movies may also affect a product by reflecting similar characteristics or even being modeled off the actor. The reasoning is that the company might want the product consistent across all platforms which to be fair, is an entirely justifiable thing to do. Characters may also be modeled after all kinds of references because in today's world the art just isn't as consistent as it was and artists have different styles. Standards have changed and things need to be a bit cleaner and higher in detail.

It is a thing that happened and I wouldn't look too much into it because it is just a real-world example of changing practices among artists.