Spotlight on The Fanservice Question

Over the last few weeks, I've been collecting opinions on female comic book costumes and the treatment of women in comics, not only with the poll but also with posts on ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com and LiveJournal, and discussions with people I know in real life. While everyone has a different opinion on the topic, there were a few points on which everyone could agree.

1. Costumes should be plot- and character-relevant. Zatanna's costume, although it shows off all her assets as much as possible, makes sense for her character, because she is a stage magician, and a performer should always try to draw her audience's attention. She also doesn't make a habit of attempting physical combat with an unprotective costume; her powers can be used as a distance. On the male side of things, Robin's original costume, which would certainly be called sexist if Dick Grayson had been female, makes sense because it is based on his costume from his days as an acrobat. On the other hand, a costume like Donna Troy's, with its inexplicable plunging neckline, or certain incarnations of Supergirl's costumes, do not appear to be at all influenced by character or plot decisions, and serve no purpose other than the titillation of the readers. (While titillation can be a fine motivation, that sort of thing belongs in a very different kind of comic.)

Zatanna, Robin, Donna Troy, Supergirl

2. The anatomy of these women should be drawn correctly and accurately, and not distorted solely to show off their assets. Gotham City Sirens has been a particularly bad offender on this point, with contorted poses that cannot be duplicated by the human body. Many drawings of Power Girl, well-known for her impressive endowments and the "window" in the chest of her costume, do not seem aware of what such a large bosom would actual look like, and also ignore basic laws of gravity.

In this image: Power Girl. This was in fact drawn by a woman, and one who is generally an excellent artist, but something is definitely off with Power Girl's anatomy.

3. When an artist draws a "cheesecake" shot (an image designed to show off a character's sex appeal), this image should make sense in the context of the story, and should not detract from the dramatic tension of the moment. When, at the end of Zatanna #1, there is a panel of Zatanna undressing as she prepares to relax in the bath after a stressful battle, that's completely fine. It's in-character and appropriate for the calm and sensual atmosphere of the scene. When (and I'm deviating into Marvel territory here, because it's a fine example) there is a panel showing nothing but She-Hulk's posterior in the middle of a tense and politically charged argument, that is not only tasteless, but also distracting to anyone who was actually trying to follow the plot. And even the first, tasteful kind of cheesecake shot should be used in moderation. If half of the pages in an issue are devoted to semi-naked women in plot-irrelevant scenes, then that isn't much of a superhero comic, and it is off-putting to readers of both genders.

In this image: The political commentary of Marvel's Civil War is interrupted by a pointless exhibition of She-Hulk's endowments. From Civil War #2.

Spotlight on Free Comic Book Day

Few days hold greater joy in a geek's heart than the first Saturday in May. Since 2002, comic book shops the world over have hosted an annual Free Comic Book Day, a day not only for the acquisition of unique comics but also for socialization with fellow comic book fans and an excuse to dress up in silly costumes. Several major publishers, including DC Comics and its longstanding rival Marvel, release special comics for store owners to distribute for free.

Free Comic Book Day is not only great fun, but also good business. People who have never set foot in a comic shop before are lured by the promise of free goods (and sometimes free food, as well). They barely get in the door when they notice that comic shops are pretty cool places, full of bright colors and friendly people, and walk out not only with the free merchandise that they were promised, but perhaps other comics that the wise shop owner had on sale specifically to take advantage of the large crowd of customers. Free Comic Book Day is a great chance to introduce new readers to the world of comics.

Comic book publishers are not idiots, and they do not let this opportunity pass them by. DC had two releases this year: War of the Supermen #0, which continues as a regular series this month; and DC Kids, an anthology of DC's kid-friendly titles. Both of these comics have the very specific intention of enticing readers to pick up the regularly-priced issues. It's a marketing ploy, of course, but it's a marketing ploy that introduces people to new and exciting comic books.

Free Comic Book Day is excellent publicity for less-known publishers, as well. Some of the best of this year's free comics came not from DC and Marvel, but from companies that few have heard of outside the industry. One of the best offerings from this year's Free Comic Book Day came from Archaia Comics. Archaia's free comic featured two stories: one from its long-running series Mouse Guard and one from a new title starting this month, Fraggle Rock.

Plenty of the adult patrons coming into the stores for Free Comic Book Day grew up watching Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock when it first aired in the 1980's, or when it reran on the Disney Channel in the 1990's. While the new Fraggle Rock comic is ostensibly for kids, it relies heavily on the power of nostalgia, bringing back the spirit of Muppet-filled fun, and it succeeds; this first taste of Fraggle Rock has all the charm of the old show. The only downside is that a comic book cannot duplicate the wonderful music of the original.



This video is from the Jim Henson Company's official YouTube page. Fraggle Rock is the property of the Jim Henson Company.