Marvel Superheroes – Unhealthy Weight is Acceptable
Sean Kleefeld’s wrote this post based on a study on Marvel Woman being unhealthily under weight. While they are under weight, these characters are fictional. Marvel is a lot more fun, and fanciful then DC. DC’s characters and writing may be superior in many respects. I read both titles for different reasons, and believe its important to look at the reasons about why they are so under weight.
Marvel is just sticking to its brand promises.
I remember the excitement of reading some of Stan Lees earlier work. It was fun, fresh and pure escapism. Marvel has always been the funkier of the two by printing what the audience demands. I know I’ve enjoyed seeing some of the males in various states of undress, no matter how unattainable their body shapes.
Males are equally out of proportion in the Marvel Universe
This image was taken from the latest Ultimate Spider-Man issue. Iceman is far more unrealistic than Liz. While both are too thin, Liz at least has some definition to her body.
Liz has enough curves to make her realistic. Iceman looks completely out of whack in comparison. Yet while reading Ultimates, I haven’t really cared what the characters look like. I read it because awesome story lines transcend any perceived body issue flaws.
I’ve noticed many features in the Ultimate Universe are either over exaggerated, or under defined. In the first few issues, MJ had a large head in comparison to her body.
In Japan, women are under weight in manga
Look at Rei in the opposite picture. Her legs are too long and her waist is too narrow. This is typical of most manga where girls frequent the pages in their short skirts.
Adding sexuality to fictional characters doesn’t have to be offensive. If viewed as a crucial part of the medium, it can actually contribute to the positive interpretation of a title.
Entire anime titles such as Please Twins and DearS are overly sexualized yet both the sexes are turned into objects. I don’t look at these characters and want to attain their unhealthy bodies, nor do I want to look like Barbie.
One of the comments on Seans post said
” Fortunately, the unnatural physiques found in Marvel comics are countered by the more realistic proportions from D.C. and other publishers. The many impressionable young women reading super hero comics have much better models for appropriate body-image in Supergirl, Catwoman and, obviously, Power Girl.”
I agree that its good to have realistic role models, but people choose what aspects of people they want to idolize. In Spider-man, its MJ’s willing to sacrifice and inner strength. I don’t get the urge to suddenly try and become a super model.
Marvel comics is evolving – perhaps our views should too.
This is yet another image from Ultimate Spider-man #119. I’ve noticed that nakedness is a lot more frequent than in the general titles. Often this happens in humorous situations.
Many aspects of their style has changed over the past 50 years. In some titles theirs less dialogue and manga inspired drawings.
Conclusion
Character weight is not the only aspect that is unrealistic in comics. We choose what we want to take out of the reading experience. Their weight exists in a fictional inked world. This world is open to our interpretation.
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