Are Peter's Love Interests Shallow Characters Due To Being Drawn As Attractive?

[Mister Mets]

And MJ being more attractive proves that Peter retained that shallowness? All you're doing is viewing Mary Jane in terms of her sex appeal. What about anything else relevant to why Peter would have been dating her at the time?

I'm showing how Peter's lack of interest in Liz when she came back to the book isn't proof of anything in this argument.

I’m not sure I agree with this. I like women who are attractive. I also like it when they’re kind, funny, and smart. Do any of these things make me shallow?

In Peter Parker’s case, I don’t think he’s dating these women for the sole reason that they’re attractive. Gwen, MJ, and even Felicia aren’t one-dimensional characters that exist as the sole embodiment of beauty—they’re well-developed characters with personalities and backgrounds all their own.

There are degrees of shallowness.

One extreme would be a guy who prizes women exclusively due to beauty, and I don't think that's Peter. He seems to have other criteria as well, although plainness seems to be a deal-breaker.

[Tuck]

It's the comic book sexy effect; just about everybody in comics that's not some weird monster is impossibly beautiful. Sure, it's a bit silly when you try to create a "realistic" girl like Carlie Cooper only to make her look like a Sports Illustrated model. Not saying that cover models aren't normal, but it's still a bit ridiculous. Nevertheless, that's how comics are and probably for the most part always will be. I've always been of the mind that MJ is the one of the few self-aware women in comics, as nearly every woman of note is drop dead gorgeous, yet only MJ seems to is aware of the fact and uses it for a career.

Honestly, I think a lot of comic book artists are psychologically incapable of drawing a plain female character. It's like a mental block.

[Tuck]

Yes and No, a main protagonist being aimed for males is always going to have elements of wish fulfillment to the reader who imagines themselves as the hero with the hot chick for all of his achivements. But some women are portrayed as self sufficient women who's role isn't second banana to the hero but there own character.

Anyone for whom Spider-Man is wish fulfillment needs to see a shrink, post haste.

Orphan. Uncle dies. Girlfriend murdered by best friend's dad. Best friend dies (or I guess didn't now). Captains Stacy and De Wolff. Baby murdered.

Yeah, sign me up for that!

[Anubhavkumarc]

Characters being written shallow and being drawn attractive are two different matters. Writer writes story as well as characters, artist draws them.

[Agent Z]

Anyone for whom Spider-Man is wish fulfillment needs to see a shrink, post haste.

Orphan. Uncle dies. Girlfriend murdered by best friend's dad. Best friend dies (or I guess didn't now). Captains Stacy and De Wolff. Baby murdered.

Yeah, sign me up for that!

Not to mention how many of his friends become criminals.

[Phantom Roxas]

I'm showing how Peter's lack of interest in Liz when she came back to the book isn't proof of anything in this argument.

Confuzzled's argument was that Peter didn't show any interest in Liz, and you confirmed what he was saying, so you actually invalidated your own argument. You were implying that Peter valued Liz's physical more than her personality, but by citing Mary Jane, you're saying that Liz's physical appeal wasn't a factor either. If Peter wasn't attracted to Liz for the very thing you were suggesting Peter prioritized, why even bring her up in the first place? She doesn't fulfill either of the "criteria" you were using, so citing her was completely meaningless.

Then again, your reasoning wasn't just that Peter happened to already be dating someone else, it's that his current love interest was "hotter". If there's anyone here being shallow, it's you. Correct me if I'm wrong, but what's more important to you there? Is it Mary Jane's sex appeal, or Peter's ability to commit to a relationship?

And don't try to say I "misread" your post, because I was arguing about Peter's interest in physical appeal, and by saying that personality wasn't a factor, you were saying that an alternative was not the case, and as such, my question of "is he interested in them solely because they're good-looking?" was answered by you with a "yes".

[Dr. Jay]

I don't really understand this thread at all. Compared to other comics where the significant other is always super hot, Peter has dated more homely women than other heroes and even in one case a manish appearing woman. Deb Whitman and Carlie Cooper were not attractive women.

[Darthfury78]

I don't really understand this thread at all. Compared to other comics where the significant other is always super hot, Peter has dated more homely women than other heroes and even in one case a manish appearing woman. Deb Whitman and Carlie Cooper were not attractive women.

One could say the same about Betty Brant or the human version of Jennifer Walters. Neither of whom were super models. Both of them had day jobs. And their personalities attracted Peter's interest.

[Phantom Roxas]

Apparently being a super model is the only qualifier for being attractive. Though we're talking about actual love interests for Peter, Darthfury. Dr. Jay brought up Deb and Carlie, so maybe you could keep Jennifer out of this one.

[klefmung]

Its funny how people always forget that Gwen was easily as smart as Peter and frequently helped him catch up on material he missed in school while "taking crime photos".

[powerpackers90]

I was thinking about this after that video in which Dan Slott gave his opinion on the 'real MJ'. In that video, he also spoke highly of Anna Maria and how she was proof of Otto valuing inner beauty since she wasn't drawn as a bombshell like Peter's typical love interests. Does anyone else feel like Peter's love interests are shallow characters because of their looks?

I think that just Dan Slott, being Dan Slott. He seems the say stuff like this all the time to defend "his girls". Like him saying that the fans are why Carlie failed. Cause we wouldn't give anybody not MJ, or Gwen a chance. which I don't really agree with since there a was few Peter/Norah, Peter/Carol, and even a few Peter/Michelle shipping going on in with fans during the BND era.

MJ is far from shallow, for reason that others have said.

Like look at Gwen, the only time I ever read a story that Gwen look shallow was in a BND one-shot. where they told a story of her and Carlie as kids. and that was basically another "let's show why Carlie is so perfect for Peter". By making Gwen a spoil brat, and Carlie this child genus solving cold cases in New York City.

[Huntsman Spider]

And let's be frank. Anna Maria isn't exactly ugly. She may be well below average height, but she is very far from being ugly. Also, like others have said, damn near every woman in comics is drawn as incredibly gorgeous, even if the artists try to cover it up with certain affectations or accessories that downplay their beauty. Peter being attracted to his various love interests isn't just because they're beautiful --- they're also often smart, witty, courageous, spirited, tenacious, passionate, loyal, and loving people, and that's what ultimately attracts him to them, more than their looks. For anyone to claim he's shallow because the women he dates, who have so many other worthwhile aspects and traits to them, happen to be stunningly beautiful on top of all of those aspects and traits would be to admit that they don't really know the first thing about his character.

[powerpackers90]

let's also not forget that post Ditko, Peter has also been drawn with looks that would make a male model jealous.

[jimishim12]

Anyone for whom Spider-Man is wish fulfillment needs to see a shrink, post haste.

Orphan. Uncle dies. Girlfriend murdered by best friend's dad. Best friend dies (or I guess didn't now). Captains Stacy and De Wolff. Baby murdered.

Yeah, sign me up for that!

His powers alow him to perform any gymnastic stunt and hone any martial art and become a living master at any equilibrium related activity and sport meaning he's the ultimate daredevil, he's a genius with brains to make his own inventions and become as rich as Stark, he's the funniest superhero in comics and his wit is seen in every street leveler currently, he's dated so many super hot chicks and got to kiss literal goddesses like Batman has, and he's been everywhere with other heroes and like us has gotten to experience fantastic things/meet all sorts of beings/save the world over and over which from his perspective would correlate to a fan living the dream of being a superhero.

Sure it's not batman level WF, but it's still a nerd fantasy to be in the shoes of a guy who's literal power is to be "Amazing".

[Phantom Roxas]

I think that just Dan Slott, being Dan Slott. He seems the say stuff like this all the time to defend "his girls". Like him saying that the fans are why Carlie failed. Cause we wouldn't give anybody not MJ, or Gwen a chance. which I don't really agree with since there a was few Peter/Norah, Peter/Carol, and even a few Peter/Michelle shipping going on in with fans during the BND era.

MJ is far from shallow, for reason that others have said.

Like look at Gwen, the only time I ever read a story that Gwen look shallow was in a BND one-shot. where they told a story of her and Carlie as kids. and that was basically another "let's show why Carlie is so perfect for Peter". By making Gwen a spoil brat, and Carlie this child genus solving cold cases in New York City.

So really, Slott was just criticizing that his preferred character "lost" when the women favored by other writers proved popular, while Carlie's only appeal relied on look like the "lesser of two evils".