Why are male X-Men allowed to be fat but female X-Men aren't?

[spirit2011]

Attachment 89099

like in this image.

This could have worked better with a much better art, there is some intention here. Still I don't remember Bishop even getting shirtless or doing absurd poses to look sexy.

I suspect the majority of comicbook READERS are also straight men - knowing who your target audience and how to market to them is hardly a bad idea.

they still seem to be majority, but the fast growing demographic is female readers. Still not smart upset a big part of your readership

[Michael Watkins]

This cover is from 2004, it is a well known pose but I don't see the penciller trying to make it super sexy and exploitative.
There is many covers sexualizing female characters, anyone can google and see it

you're not acknowledging the difference between cis gendered males and females in what they find attractive. or, more importantly, what a male artist might expect women to be attracted to. the reason Logan isn't arching his back to show off his ass like Psylocke might is because that wouldn't be attractive to women. it would be effeminate. instead, he's trying to look tough while also having his butt, triceps, & every muscle in his back on full display. i don't see how it's any less "exploitative" than a similar depiction of a woman. real clothing would hide much of that detail. Logan's clothes are basically painted on.

[jwatson]

This could have worked better with a much better art, there is some intention here. Still I don't remember Bishop even getting shirtless or doing absurd poses to look sexy.



they still seem to be majority, but the fast growing demographic is female readers. Still not smart upset a big part of your readership

its the context a gay twink coming in to see some "bbc" stretched out on the couch. cause thats all that matters. It instantly left a bad taste in my mouth and felt thirsty.

[bladeofdarkness]

This could have worked better with a much better art, there is some intention here. Still I don't remember Bishop even getting shirtless or doing absurd poses to look sexy.



they still seem to be majority, but the fast growing demographic is female readers. Still not smart upset a big part of your readership

Making a female character overweight is likely to turn away potential male readers - making a female character physically attractive is far less likely to turn away potential female readers.
It's the smarter move.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

you're not acknowledging the difference between cis gendered males and females in what they find attractive. or, more importantly, what a male artist might expect women to be attracted to. the reason Logan isn't arching his back to show off his ass like Psylocke might is because that wouldn't be attractive to women. it would be effeminate. instead, he's trying to look tough while also having his butt, triceps, & every muscle in his back on full display. i don't see how it's any less "exploitative" than a similar depiction of a woman. real clothing would hide much of that detail. Logan's clothes are basically painted on.

Not to the same extent as on, say, Rogue or Psychlocke. In fact, this just looks like an idealisation of physique rather than true exploitation; no clothing is torn around the lower area, especially not anywhere it might be considered a 'tease,' there's been great pains taken to detail over the rear and, last time I checked, arms and shoulder blades weren't exactly the raunchiest feature of anyone. It's very mild by comparison.

[spirit2011]

you're not acknowledging the difference between cis gendered males and females in what they find attractive. or, more importantly, what a male artist might expect women to be attracted to. the reason Logan isn't arching his back to show off his ass like Psylocke might is because that wouldn't be attractive to women. it would be effeminate. instead, he's trying to look tough while also having his butt, triceps, & every muscle in his back on full display. i don't see how it's any less "exploitative" than a similar depiction of a woman. real clothing would hide much of that detail. Logan's clothes are basically painted on.

he seems more menacing than looking sexy, I think the artist was right to draw him this way. The sexyness is secondary.
Also many women think that vulnerability is sexy, less masculinity and more sexy

Making a female character overweight is likely to turn away potential male readers - making a female character physically attractive is far less likely to turn away potential female readers.
It's the smarter move.

I don't think so. People read comics for good stories

[Star_Jammer]

you're not acknowledging the difference between cis gendered males and females in what they find attractive. or, more importantly, what a male artist might expect women to be attracted to. the reason Logan isn't arching his back to show off his ass like Psylocke might is because that wouldn't be attractive to women. it would be effeminate. instead, he's trying to look tough while also having his butt, triceps, & every muscle in his back on full display. i don't see how it's any less "exploitative" than a similar depiction of a woman. real clothing would hide much of that detail. Logan's clothes are basically painted on.

Pretty much.

It's certainly okay to be upset that cis-gender straight male artists don't understand what might really attract a "woman's eye" or that these depictions aren't personally attractive, but it's silly to expect a cis-gender straight male to objectify male characters the same ways as female characters.

[spirit2011]

Yeah, that's nowhere near the same level of exploitive a female character would get.

For one, on female characters, they always seem to see how much titilation they can get away with. Take Kwannon on the new Fallen Angels cover, or hell, Psylocke's whole visual history: notice how high her leotard seems to ride up her rear? Or even how thin the line of it always seems to be drawn over her groin, like it's always in danger of revealing a 'slip' of some kind. But actual leotards? At least, the one's used for sports like ice-skating (that I pretty much live in actually,) they don't do that; they're shaped and sewn to gather around the legs as much as possible. Additionally, spandex does not reveal the lines of your abs or navel, nor does it suction-cup your chest like you've been vacuum-sealed in. You see where ribs and hip-bones stick out, but that's about it.

Contrast all that to here: Logan's wearing jeans, take a lot of definition away from any of the 'sexier' parts--in fact, great pains seem to have been taken to even protect him from seeming too exposed. The clothing isn't torn below the lower body, as it might be on a female figure and what skin is exposed is just generally considered to be acceptable, even ideal for male models.

Exploitation of an equal measure would be, for one, a more exploitive pose showcasing perhaps the groin with the lower half of his clothing being drawn as if it were just about to give for an 'accidental' reveal of some kind.

Talking about Psylocke, I saw this variant cover and found the 3rd betsy very exploitative

Not to the same extent as on, say, Rogue or Psychlocke. In fact, this just looks like an idealisation of physique rather than true exploitation; no clothing is torn around the lower area, especially not anywhere it might be considered a 'tease,' there's been great pains taken to detail over the rear and, last time I checked, arms and shoulder blades weren't exactly the raunchiest feature of anyone. It's very mild by comparison.

he doesn't look invitative at all.

[Michael Watkins]

he seems more menacing than looking sexy, I think the artist was right to draw him this way. The sexyness is secondary.
Also many women think that vulnerability is sexy, less masculinity and more sexy

i'd have to see some science on that. it's certainly not reflected in movie casting.

[bladeofdarkness]

I don't think so. People read comics for good stories

For that to work, you first have to lure them into reading your comics.
The Art plays a huge role in that one.

At the end of the day, a good character design plays a HUGE part in how well a character is received.
I'm fairly sure Black Cat, Elektra or Red Sonja didn't maintain their popularity within the popular culture as a whole based on their strong characterization.

It's just the smarter decision from a marketing standpoint.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

Talking about Psylocke, I saw this variant cover and found the 3rd betsy very exploitative



he doesn't look invitative at all.

Yeah exactly! Case in point; Look how much of a risk has been taken to be 'risuqe' and, again, sports-leotards don't work like that!!!

[spirit2011]

i'd have to see some science on that. it's certainly not reflected in movie casting.

Girls love K-pop stars, timothee chalamet, tom hiddleston

For that to work, you first have to lure them into reading your comics.
The Art plays a huge role in that one.

At the end of the day, a good character design plays a HUGE part in how well a character is received.
I'm fairly sure Black Cat, Elektra or Red Sonja didn't maintain their popularity within the popular culture as a whole based on their strong characterization.

It's just the smarter decision from a marketing standpoint.

I think great art and interesting stories are more than enough to lure readers.

some characters popularity are based on objetification.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

For that to work, you first have to lure them into reading your comics.
The Art plays a huge role in that one.

At the end of the day, a good character design plays a HUGE part in how well a character is received.
I'm fairly sure Black Cat, Elektra or Red Sonja didn't maintain their popularity within the popular culture as a whole based on their strong characterization.

Then maybe the standards of what makes a 'good character design' need to be further challenged for female characters? Barbara's design in Batgirl of Burnside made a hell of a wave and attracted new readership based on its fun practicality, not its' 'sexiness.' Who's to say the same couldn't be done for Black Cat?

[Michael Watkins]

Not to the same extent as on, say, Rogue or Psychlocke. In fact, this just looks like an idealisation of physique

to what end? to get straight dudes hot for another Wolverine appearance?

especially not anywhere it might be considered a 'tease,' there's been great pains taken to detail over the rear and, last time I checked, arms and shoulder blades weren't exactly the raunchiest feature of anyone. It's very mild by comparison.

first, guys aren't known for teasing. is teasing something that attracts straight women? and boy are you ever off about the arms. anectdotely, 9 out of 10 times a woman is complimenting a guy on his physique, it's the chest or arms. the studies say that it's the length of a guy's legs. but all i hear are compliments on the arms, shoulders, and chest.

[bladeofdarkness]

Then maybe the standards of what makes a 'good character design' need to be further challenged for female characters? Barbara's design in Batgirl of Burnside made a hell of a wave and attracted new readership based on its fun practicality, not its' 'sexiness.' Who's to say the same couldn't be done for Black Cat?

Batgirl wasn't a character sold specifically on the premise of her being a sexpot - Black Cat very much is.

The cold hard fact is it works - I became a big fan of Birds Of Prey after Simone took it over, largely for her writing - but the main reason I picked up a comic I had zero interest in before was that they incorporated Huntress into it just after the Hush story-line gave her that new costume.
There's a reason why "sex sales" is a thing - it does.