Women in Comics...

Been reading this morning on some stuff that went down at SDCC about DC's new relaunch and the lack of female creators/creative teams on the books coming out. Some good backlash from the fans at SDCC was displayed so some of the DC editors were visibly bothered by it. You can listen to some audio and read more about it on THE BEAT which is right HERE

But then I am following up on some of this and run across this Bleeding Cool article about ZATANNA's NEW OUTFIT and I am left agape.



Wow. I mean really, why wear pants?? Its just shitty design in my opinion.

Listen, I LOVE the female form. Okay? My career is practically being built on me depicting it in all sorts of ways. Skimpy outfits, no outfits, etc. Trust me, with what I got coming, you're all gonna see how much I love drawing females nude. Its just what I know. (wink) However, I think there's a time, place and context for it. This outfit is just rediculous. Some girls look up to that character. WHY DRESS HER LIKE THAT!?!!?!??!! ITs not necessary. Its the old arguement of why do all female characters in comics have to dress like whores?

This arguement is something I kept in mind when I created ANNA POCALYPSE. Be sensible. It is possible to show sexuality or some sort of "womanhood" without being blatant or over the top with it. I guess it works for some contexts sure. But in my "serious" comics, I prefer a dose of common sense and reality. I didn't want a girl like Anna here to be fighting bad guys in a skimpy skirt with fishnets and all that. No she wears ripped jeans, a tank top... something you'd likely see her in if such a world like hers existed. And in the new book, its the same thing. In fact, when Anna suits up in book one to fight the bad guys for the climax, she gets into all black army type of gear. No crotch riding outfit. I wanted it sensible. This outfit here? Makes NO FUCKING SENSE!!!!! I mean, you got an inch of coverage around her moose knuckle there! Whats the point of pants!?!?! WHATTSSS THEEEEEE POOOIIIINNNTTT!!?!?!!?

Sorry. I know, I sound like a damned hypocrite, the way I draw girls with tentacles around them and all the fetish artwork I do. Plus the erotica comics I got coming... I sound and look like all the rest. I guess I just think in serious comics, there should be a bit of common sense when it comes to your design. There's a time and place for an outfit like that. I'd expect an outfit like that from something like LADY DEATH or any Jim Balent comics... which are just FINE BTW... but not in DC's finest. Its just shitty design. It rubbed me the wrong way. Sorry. Maybe you agree or don't. Doesn't matter. I guess it just makes me reflect on me as a creator and me taking note of what feels right for the character I wrote and to his (OR HER) story and place. Keep that in mind when designing your characters out there folks. Don't show titties and va-jay-jay unless it makes sense for character and context.

Soapbox over.

(Hey, at least my ranting isn't about politics anymore. You should see me in the car, as my wife will heartilly attest to.)