David Finch Clarifies His "Wonder Woman" "Feminist" Stance

[kidstandout]

Just want to say that, as a former gymnast of a decent amount of skill, that yes, I could (in my youth ) strike that pose.

And it's very uncomfortable to lean and curve the spine that much. It's by no means a 'natural' position in which to stand.

As a former SCA fighter who has gone sword and board in combat? That's a dumbass way to stand. Defensive positions usually involve the spine curving the other way, tucking in rather than bowing out. I know this is super strong WW we're talking about, but using the muscles in the back to curve the spine in the manner she is doing while bending slightly forward at the waist is putting muscles in the direct opposition to the blocking with a shield from that angle. The right leg is crossed over in front of the left leg, preparing for a possible pivot to the left, but the balance is all wrong (and one of the basics of footwork, both in medieval combat as well as fencing, is never to cross your feet as it makes it very easy to trip up/lose your balance)

In other words, it doesn't serve any purpose either from a gymnastic perspective or a combat one. It's there just to stick her butt out and flash her cleavage at the same time.

As a woman, I think it's stupid.

as a guy, i agree

[Carabas]

Just want to say that, as a former gymnast of a decent amount of skill, that yes, I could (in my youth ) strike that pose.

And it's very uncomfortable to lean and curve the spine that much. It's by no means a 'natural' position in which to stand.

As a former SCA fighter who has gone sword and board in combat? That's a dumbass way to stand. Defensive positions usually involve the spine curving the other way, tucking in rather than bowing out. I know this is super strong WW we're talking about, but using the muscles in the back to curve the spine in the manner she is doing while bending slightly forward at the waist is putting muscles in the direct opposition to the blocking with a shield from that angle. The right leg is crossed over in front of the left leg, preparing for a possible pivot to the left, but the balance is all wrong (and one of the basics of footwork, both in medieval combat as well as fencing, is never to cross your feet as it makes it very easy to trip up/lose your balance)

In other words, it doesn't serve any purpose either from a gymnastic perspective or a combat one. It's there just to stick her butt out and flash her cleavage at the same time.

As a woman, I think it's stupid.

Thank you very much.

[TheFearlessDefender89]

Just want to say that, as a former gymnast of a decent amount of skill, that yes, I could (in my youth ) strike that pose.

And it's very uncomfortable to lean and curve the spine that much. It's by no means a 'natural' position in which to stand.

As a former SCA fighter who has gone sword and board in combat? That's a dumbass way to stand. Defensive positions usually involve the spine curving the other way, tucking in rather than bowing out. I know this is super strong WW we're talking about, but using the muscles in the back to curve the spine in the manner she is doing while bending slightly forward at the waist is putting muscles in the direct opposition to the blocking with a shield from that angle. The right leg is crossed over in front of the left leg, preparing for a possible pivot to the left, but the balance is all wrong (and one of the basics of footwork, both in medieval combat as well as fencing, is never to cross your feet as it makes it very easy to trip up/lose your balance)

In other words, it doesn't serve any purpose either from a gymnastic perspective or a combat one. It's there just to stick her butt out and flash her cleavage at the same time.

As a woman, I think it's stupid.

Thank you Gaelforce, I find this informative! And as a woman, I concur.

[DochaDocha]

I'm not going to excuse Finch for the T&A focus, but I will excuse him for not understanding what's a realistic battle pose. Your primary job as an artist, or fight choreographer for a movie, whatever, is to make stuff look cool to your mostly-untrained audiences' eyes.

[Blacksun]

I'm not going to excuse Finch for the T&A focus, but I will excuse him for not understanding what's a realistic battle pose. Your primary job as an artist, or fight choreographer for a movie, whatever, is to make stuff look cool to your mostly-untrained audiences' eyes.

nah. many artist go for references. realistic fights can look really beautiful ( Avatar series anyone?)

[DochaDocha]

nah. many artist go for references. realistic fights can look really beautiful ( Avatar series anyone?)

Wait, you consider Avatar series "realistic fights"?

[kidstandout]

Wait, you consider Avatar series "realistic fights"?

LMAO post of the day! so sig worthy

[Carabas]

Wait, you consider Avatar series "realistic fights"?

Not so much realistic but definitely well-researched and based on existing martial arts.

[DochaDocha]

Not so much realistic but definitely well-researched and based on existing martial arts.

I figured that's what she meant. The techniques might have real world basis, but the application is still meant for show, i.e. look cool. TV and movie fighting is still form over function.

[kidstandout]

I figured that's what she meant. The techniques might have real world basis, but the application is still meant for show, i.e. look cool. TV and movie fighting is still form over function.

that and korra's fighting stances didn't come off as attractive looking.
but that's my point when it comes to fighting stances, it's not supposed to be pretty. it's supposed to be tough looking, male or female. certain situations call for certain looks. which is why finch's "pose" makes her look out of place.

[DochaDocha]

I guess we'll see what the action sequences in the panels end up looking like. I'm more picky about those than I am these covers, which are more meant to be eye-catching than anything, though not that I think Finch's art is particularly breathtaking. At least if you do the research, the worst someone can say is that your cover doesn't look cool. If you just wing it, then someone can say your cover doesn't look cool AND the stance is ridiculous.

[Auguste Dupin]

Yet it fills me with such joy.



Lol. Such as?



Eh? I get a "prime of life" attractiveness vibe from her. If you're currently at a place where you find the body of voluptuous twenty-something-year-olds disturbing, well, more for those who differ.



Victim complex? Read into it whatever you like, but when you say this...




... I'm clarifying that I don't read comic books just because of the hot women, the reason that's the focus is because unlike the other aspects of comics that give me gratification, this one is controversial. Thus, it will be the only thing we talk about, and frankly, an unknown plot doesn't necessarily stop folks from talking/pre-judging it anyway.

-.....Ewwww.

-Natural beauty. A beautiful, imperfect yet charming body that is not here for the sole purpose of pleasing your senses, but actually has an existence of its own, a mystery who only delivers her full potential to a few chosen.
Try it out, it's suprisingly arrousing. Diversifying your experiences is always a good thing.

-Well, I guess that if you're into unmatching faces and bodies.
I found out while growing up that I was a beautiful face was doing more for me than an anorexic body with unrealistic airbags up front.

-Actually, what I have an issue with is less you being pleased by cheesecake than you considering the very idea of women in comics not all being about cheesecake to be an unwanted outcome, that the very idea of female characters not appealing to you is a bad thing, and to say that every woman that doesn't look like some sillicon made monstrosity looks like a "boy".
In short.

[Lax]

-.....Ewwww.

-Natural beauty. A beautiful, imperfect yet charming body that is not here for the sole purpose of pleasing your senses, but actually has an existence of its own, a mystery who only delivers her full potential to a few chosen.
Try it out, it's suprisingly arrousing. Diversifying your experiences is always a good thing.

Wondy is presumably all natural and how perfect can a body you find disturbing be?

Are you talking about real women?

-Well, I guess that if you're into unmatching faces and bodies.
I found out while growing up that I was a beautiful face was doing more for me than an anorexic body with unrealistic airbags up front.

You keep saying the face and body don't match and I keep not knowing what you're talking about.

Anorexic? She looks plenty healthy to me.

-Actually, what I have an issue with is less you being pleased by cheesecake than you considering the very idea of women in comics not all being about cheesecake to be an unwanted outcome, that the very idea of female characters not appealing to you is a bad thing, and to say that every woman that doesn't look like some sillicon made monstrosity looks like a "boy".
In short.

I suppose you could call it a lack of faith in feminism's powers of restraint.

Because contrary to popular belief, women in comics are already not all about cheesecake. Lois, Amanda Walker, Granny Goodness and the like. I'm more-or-less fine with their non-cheesecake existence. What I'm not fine with is losing the cheesecake I already have in the name of an abstract concept like "diversity".

Primarily because there seems to be no consensus on what such a thing actually looks like. I repeat, consensus, so you talk about your idea of diversity while I feel it's fine as is and Ashley wants to go twice as far as whatever you had in mind.

All that feminist ever really seem to agree on is "we're not there yet", sooooooooo how much more then? And let us say that the "moderate" feminist actually find a way to agree and even achieve the "diversity" they seek. That would only be the tip of the iceberg because there's a whole other sub-group that finds the cheesecake outright harmful in and of itself and they've got keyboards too.

So, when that happens, if it hasn't already begun, should one expect "moderates" to speak up on behave of, well, a guy like me? Let's just say that's a level of naivete I can't swing, nor do I find it worth trying.

I said Mikasa looks like a boy because that's what she looks like, unless she strips or something but I imagine that would undermine the point.

[ed2962]

Sexy women and cute girls are never going to disappear from comics. They've been there since the begining, it's just not going to happen. It's not something to fear from "feminists"... or "conservatives" for that matter.

And contrary to what some believe, not everyone that calls themselves a feminist is anti-sex or anti-sexy girls. There's even feminist pornography out there, ya know?

[Blacksun]

Wait, you consider Avatar series "realistic fights"?

Not so much realistic but definitely well-researched and based on existing martial arts.

the moviements were all studied from real fight style. the bending part is not realistic sure, but coreography is very real. They look pretty great and don't need to appeal to cheesecake.
sometimes I see even artists using himselfs as models.