Friday, June 29, 2007

is This Gratuitous?: The Ride: Die Valkyrie #2 Hamner Cover

Well after last week's cover, I know better then to pick on the devil's daughter. She is a little too subjective, and I totally get that.

So...

For this week's cover, I have selected The Ride: Die Valkyrie #2 with cover by Cully Hamner. The thing that catches my eye that might be a bit gratuitous about it is, well, the crotch area. Girlfriend is doing one better then Paris and Britney by the sheer fact that she is wearing panties, so I give her that.

BUT...

She is showing lots of thigh and crotch type interaction with the readers. Plus she is being a bit kinky and hugging a scarecrow.

Hmmmm... nice. What does she know that I don't?

So gentle reader, I am at your mercy on this one.

Is this gratuitous?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

"We're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz!....."

Yoiks. I'd say that's gratuitous.

Swinebread said...

Well, Scarecrows should always be well-hung...

Unknown said...

Manga fans would call this "fan service."

Nick said...

Wow, I didn't know they could show that much butt...makes Witchblade almost look tame.

Carl said...

It looks like one of CrossGen's Route 666 covers. "CrossGen Gals Gone Wild!!!" Yeah pretty much, it looks like she has no undies and had a been but a lad buying my books now, it would be a must-have! Or I would have to examine the book *very closely*, ho ho!

Siskoid said...

Totally gratuitous upskirt, I agree.

Swinebread said...

sorry that should have been "hung well"

Heidi Meeley said...

Wow, this is definitely a unanimous vote for gratuitous! The very first one to be so! The flash of white panties brings it all home, and the naughty scarecrow just continues to awe.

Tamora Pierce said...

Oh, for cryin out loud! Why did she bother to wear the skirt?!

bunny mazonas said...

Yeah, it's gratuitous. You can easily show a similar pose without a pantie-shot, but here they've jacked her leg up ridiculously high and angled around for a good oggle. I keep envisioning some perv down on his knees, craning round with his camera.

"Oh yeah baby, lift your leg a bit higher girl...mmmh. Thats great"

Heidi Meeley said...

Tamora, that is pretty much what I was wondering. Yikes.

Heidi Meeley said...

Bunny- OMG that is so correct! Perv photographer meet comic book medium! Heheheh!

Lea said...

Even if there wasn't so much ass and panties showing, the pose is still highly sexualized (why is she half-straddling a scarecrow?) and her facial expression matches it.

bellatrys said...

I realize that this is kind of peripheral, but - how come her right wrist growing out of her lumbar vertabrae? Yes you can twist your arm around so it goes like that, but why? It *hurts*!

Cully Hamner said...

If I may: Yes, it is gratuitous. Gratuitousness is the entire point of this character. I think what you you'd really like to know (or perhaps the opinion you'd like to reinforce) is whether or not it's OFFENSIVE.

The answer to that is in the eye of the beholder.

Best,

Cully Hamner

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