Comments on: The Objectification of Women in Graphic Novels

By: Annie

Annie — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:21:19 +0000

Very nice article. I love female badasses in any form of literature and a gun and a skimpy outfit does not make a badass. The first comments are a little frustrating to me though. Not all comics objectify women (some of the best female characters can be found in comics). And most certainly not all comics are superhero comics (again, some of my favorite comics are of the superhero genre, but it annoys me that people think comic=superhero). If you take the time to expand your horizon, you will find that the comic world is not just DC and Marvel. I don’t mean to stereotype the two because there’s some great work coming from them, but I am referencing the more mainstream superhero publishers that treat women like objects. Billy Bedbug makes the point.

By: JerrySkywalker

JerrySkywalker — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:06:50 +0000

billy bedbug hit the nail on the head!

By: JerrySkywalker

JerrySkywalker — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:52:47 +0000

I agree w Alex Swindle some of vertigos and other indie comic lines have less vulgar shots. Also there are some women writers out there but for the most part im not offended. Y would any guy (majority of gamers and comic readers) want an ugly or hairy women as a hero?. To make it even better ill twist it around. Doesn’t batman and superman have spandex on? revealing there crotch and muscles? of course it is not as sexist but still in plain sight the men are strong and good looking and the women are good looking w coke bottle figures. I see your points but I don’t get bent out of shape as much as I used to and maybe it’s because I am a guy and therefpre have a diff perspective. I kno most actors that r guys r handsome and muscular or funny etc just like in the comics. Women are meant to be this sexual object of desire. Neither is a true accurate depiction of the majority of people or what we should always look for but it is for many what the masses want to consume and so what we pay for they’ll give. Alot of women I see also complain about these problems but then diet and shave there arms and still watch these movies and buy these comics/games. I like your solution the best which is if you dont like it then don’t buy it. I believe it hurts and also at the same time helps show comic writers and artists Hey. There is a wider demographic and that many women and young women look at wonder woman as a hero and a model or figure to follow in life and that they need to appeal to a wider audience then just the “typical male stereotype.” I didnt like some of the comment here tho associating stores and all comic fans as sexist Misogynist pig. I read comics work and pay taxes like n e one else. I am a bit sexist at times and rarely but sometimes perverted but I have many female friends whom i respect as well as a sister and mom that I love. I can talk to you and not oogle you every 5 seconds. Not only does that make for awkward conversation and is a bit creepy and perverted but it shows the guy is a pig and doesnt want to talk and know your feelings and get to know your true personality. Any whoot besides my long rant I just wanted to say not all comic fans r perverted introverted basement dwelling hermits. And as u stated as well as other comments more ppl will not onlt have to stop buying the comics but write to the artists or email which is way faster and let the creators kno y. And last time I checked the majority of comic readers were mail but the gap is closing in and I was never one for majority rules or mob democracy. I also am fervently against censorship. I like blood and sex and nude shots of women or men if need b in my comics. Good discussion and I hope they don’t continue ruining ur comic lines for u. I hope they will fix some of the problems many readers have with this sexist type of portrayals of women and I hope u start collecting agn soon…

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By: hel

hel — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:35:46 +0000

Wow. That is a whole shit-ton of mansplaining going down.
Apparently actually reading the article was just beneath you lot?

“Institutionalized sexism”
“Male privilege”
“Mansplaining”

Google is your friend, lads.

By: Best Art Blog » The Objectification of Women in Graphic Novels by The …

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:35:01 +0000

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By: billy bedbug

billy bedbug — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:20:08 +0000

all these comics are from a particular genre (action/adventure/fantasy/superhero etc) and do not represent the medium as a whole.
they are made to fulfill a particular market, to entertain a certain kind of reader, one which i will refrain from describing.
if you watch a crappy van damme movie, do you declare film to be a crappy format?
try some alison bechdel or phoebe gloeckner.
check out gilberto hernandez’ ouvre.
and just, fer cryin out loud, avoid stuff with gun-totin’ and/or cape-wearing Heroes and all that bull, because it’s obviously rubbish, no matter how well it sells.
there’s plenty of really good stuff, it’s just that, as with any other medium, it’s not the stuff that’s being rammed down yr throat, promotion-wise.
make an effort.
just ’cause coca cola is toxic, doesn’t mean drinking is bad for you.

By: Sonny Crockett

Sonny Crockett — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:42:52 +0000

Comic books take us from normal humdrum lives to the fantasy filled world of super heroes. No-one is really built like Superman, yet he epitomizes power, mental strength, compassion and an innate sexiness, as does Batman and many others. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE seeing a powerful and sexy woman in a hero or even a non hero capacity!
Power Girl, Wonder Woman and a whole slew of others are women we dream about. The “objectification” of women is in the eye of the beholder. Women are objectified; men are objectified; get over it. It’s the way the world works. Being sexy is one of the facets of the diamond that is our humanity and besides, cleavage and muscles sell. Who wants to see a wimpy Superman or a flat chested Power Girl?!
I am BLESSED, when my wife “objectifies” me, which she does often. Sadly, America is way behind Europe when it comes to sexual hangups, which is what this article is basically all about.
Peace,
Sonny Crockett

By: The ‘First Page’ Game « We Who Are About To Die

The ‘First Page’ Game « We Who Are About To Die — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:06:15 +0000

[...] my search, I found an old blog entry about the objectification of women in comic books that talks about some of the pitfalls I’m noticing in my search. The article deals a lot [...]

By: Guy Hatheway

Guy Hatheway — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:33:13 +0000

As one male reader of comics and graphic novels, my own take is this. It isn’t that the objectification of women in comics for the sexual pleasure of young males is bad in and of itself. Rather, it is bad in that it is almost the only such depiction of women available. Thus it becomes a dominating stereotype that oppresses women and girls.

Were there a wide range of images of women available, there would be little motive for anyone to gainsay the young male heterosexual his fantasy pleasure. Boys like what they like and won’t stop liking it just because girls like something else. Similarly, nobody should expect heterosexual girls to be attracted to all the same things that appeal to heterosexual boys.

Just as many heterosexual boys like buxom, scantily-clad comic book heroines in erotic poses that mimic sexual arousal or ecstasy, many heterosexual girls enjoy the Twilight novel and movie series, which features buff, scantily-clad, but sensitive males who will love you forever. These too have been criticized for their superficiality. There are also romance novels that many women, young and old, enjoy. And these also offer stereotypical images of women and men and are dominated by sexuality.

Simply put, a market for sexual titillation will remain with us into the foreseeable future. And sexual titillation often flows along established, stereotypical lines. Moreover, tastes differ between the sexes, genders, and orientations as well as between individuals. A deep mix of biology and socialization plays out here. And once a particular type of image is imprinted in a person as arousing, it’s extremely difficult to render that image non-arousing and replace it with something else. Mere consciousness raising isn’t normally potent enough to bring about revolutionary changes in the sexual tastes of any given individualthough such tastes can be modified across generations.

So it isn’t necessary to conclude that the things boys like are inherently disgusting or socially harmful. It would be fairer to argue that, in the world of comic books and graphic novels today, those that appeal to the prurient interests of young heterosexual males overwhelmingly dominate. And that imbalance needs to be redressed with far more non-sexualized characters as well as heroines with deeper characterization who empower female readers, young and old.