Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Is This Gratuitous: Cover to The Mighty Avengers #3


The Mighty Avengers #3
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley.
When I first saw this cover I was going to give it a bye because I am such a Frank Cho fan and I didn't think I could be objective. Then I got to the comic book store and really looked at it again. I love ya Frank, but I can't let this one slide by.

While I like the spy aspect of the Black Widow panel, the fact that her ass seems to be more prominent then her muscular shoulders and back is a bit off-putting. It seems a bit gratuitous to me, but it isn't the main focus of my logic here.

What made me put this in the gratuitous category is Tigra's pose. Her butt is sticking in the air like she is in serious heat. The "porn face" just seals the deal. Girlfriend looks like she wants to grab Sentry and give him a fierce roll in the hay.

I just want to know why I can't see some guy's back sides instead of always seeing the chick's rear ends. It would be a nice, cleansing experience. I know Frank could draw a hunky guy, so I think it is about time for equal opportunity gratuitousness!

Now it's your turn. Is this gratuitous?

13 comments:

Ragnell said...

Come to think of it, its been a while since I posted any male backsides.

Anonymous said...

Well, that look of Tigra's transferred into the actual story, since she makes it pretty clear she wants Hank Pym to be her new "scrathing post" (ahem). It was a pretty steamy sequence.

But...yes. The cover IS gratuitous...which is exactly why Marvel hired Frank Cho.

Gotta say, though...besides the T & A (which seems to be Cho's main "product"), he's also amazing at facial expressions. Very subtle stuff.

Lisa said...

Cho is cho, and most of his women are pretty sexual looking.

We had a good laugh yesterday about Tigra and her thong with tail opening.

Carl said...

MEOOOOOOW! Hmmmmm, this cover screams "mount me big boy!" I used to love Tigra when I was a lad, but kind of got upset when they sexed her up back in the '80s. And truthfully, if you asked the average male comic book fan about the male heroes bum thing you would get the response that it would look gay. Remember, women can pose in pretty much any way or artists can draw them in ridiculous poses but men/boys (especially the more nerdy among us) will eat it up. I remember being rudely awakened when I first began to date when I found that women didn't act like fantasy creatures or porno stars...

Awet M said...

Art is either well done or poorly done. It is never either moral or immoral. Frank Cho's art is well done. Therefore, whether it is gratuitous or not is irrelevant.

Art is not beholden to morality. Never was, never will be.

Heidi Meeley said...

Ragnell, I am ready for some new backsides whenever you post them. Always a palate cleanser!

Heidi Meeley said...

Mark, that is what confused me so much. The Tigra look is fitting with the story but it still frustrated me. Damn but it is gratuitous!

I love Frank Cho. I have met him and hung out and he is the sweetest, brightest guy to be around. I adore his Liberty Meadows. It is hard for me to separate the person from the art. I just couldn't ignore the butt in the air though!

Heidi Meeley said...

Lisa, amen. We got a good laugh as well!

Heidi Meeley said...

Carl, you are too funny! I was wondering about fanboy expectations after being spoon fed some of this stuff growing up. :-)

Heidi Meeley said...

Otto, I find art to be completely subjective so I gotta disagree with you. I think that art evokes an opinion from everyone, and that each person has their own personal belief system which makes their perception keener. Art is in the eye of the beholder.

Heidi Meeley said...

Otto, I find art to be completely subjective so I gotta disagree with you. I think that art evokes an opinion from everyone, and that each person has their own personal belief system which makes their perception keener. Art is in the eye of the beholder.

Swinebread said...

Why didn't they have these covers when I was 12 and really needed 'em?

Heidi Meeley said...

Swinebread- I can only shudder to think!! :-)

My hubby says that it is kinda like Lynda Carter was that for the guys back then.. is that true?