What's Wrong With This Picture?

NOTE: This topic is pretty darn serious. Some of these images aren't suitable for kids, and some of them may offend you, but we're highlighting a very important issue today that I think you'd be better off knowing.

Good morning to you all,

Today, we're here to talk about cheesecake, and I'm not talking about the dessert. It's very delicious, enjoyable, and people who enjoy it have good taste, unlike the cheesecake we're talking about today.

Cheesecake is defined as a type of art in a comic that exploits women and young girls. And it looks like this:

Or this:

Now, as much as I have a problem with the first image, with its many conveiniant holes, (from Comic Book Resource. Check 'em out.) I have more of a problem with the second. For those not aware, Supergirl is Superman's Kryptonian cousin. She's also 16. Think about that. She's 16.

If this was an exception to the rule, not the norm, I'd be angry, but not furious. But, you should meet Mary Marvel, 16 as well.

I have even more of a problem with this image, as it's drawn by the otherwise excellent and awesome Alex Ross. He doesn't usually resort to this.

I don't need to tell you that this is gross, sick, and wrong. Seriously, if this was a real person's photo, you'd get arrested for it. The real question, though, is this: What drives an artist/writer/comics company to do this?

It's kind of sad, really. The truth is that this was probably editorially mandated, which means that Dan Didio, head honcho of DC Comics, told Alex Ross to draw the cover this way. You don't argue with your boss. And why did he do that? Sales. 95% of comic readers are middle-aged men. Like it or not, they want this stuff. It sells books.

That being said, I think the reason why there are not many women reading comics is that underage superheroines are dressed like this. It's disrespectful. And don't tell me girls don't like comics. The Dark Knight was the second-largest grossing movie of all time, and to acheive those kind of numbers, you've got to have cross-gender appeal. Same goes for Iron Man, a smash hit with both genders. Smallville, about a young Superman, is one of the most popular shows on the CW with female audiences. The problem is that this kind of art is acceptable in the eyes of the artists, writers, and editors of DC Comics.

This is how you draw a woman:

Cover to DC: The New Frontier Absolute Edition , written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke

Cover to DC: The New Frontier Volume 1, by Darwyn again.

Cover to New Frontier Volume Two

And this is how you draw a girl:

No cheesecake required.

The bottom line here is that comic book sales are dropping like a rock, and if comic companies want to stay in business, they need to bring in the female audience. And this

is not the way to do it.

Do you think this is acceptable? I don't.

If you agree with this statement, click the agree box. If you disagree, click disagree. You know the drill. Also, you can make your voice heard in the comments section.

(Thanks to Ocassional Superheroine for the images. Link in the sidebar.)

Thanks,

Tomato