Women do not get a fair shake in comics. That is not debatable. Male characters are often displayed in a better light, get more storylines, and overall experience many advantages over their female characters. But the most glaring difference has to be the way the characters are drawn. Women are often drawn in short, revealing costume... very objectified and hard to take serious. Men are often portrayed in regal and majestic forms, and taken much more serious then their female counterparts. Is it fair? Nope. But it is the way it is. So The Hawkeye Initiative was started to help level the playing field. The creators of the blog have asked artists to take an objectifying panel or cover that features a female character and re-draw it using male superhero Hawkeye in place of the woman. Give Hawkeye short shorts, back breaking poses, and remove a few of his ribs for the slender look. This is such a fun idea, and it lends itself well on two levels. One, the pics that are being submitted are funny as shit. I especially love the ones that highlight Hawkeye's bulge... very realistic! But above all it does a good job showing how ridiculous these female characters have been portrayed throughout the years. Balance is a virtue. if you wouldn't draw Hawkeye like that, why Power Girl or Wonder Woman? Check out the blog by clicking here and see my personal faves after the jump...
One of the other problems this highlights is that sexual objectification is viewed differently for men and women. When a male is posed in a provocative position, it just becomes comedic rather than sexual. I'd be more interested in seeing the reactions to art actually intended to be as sexually charged as the art portraying women in comics.
ReplyDeleteI don't make the rules. I just enjoy them. But someone made their point with Hawkeye who seems to be the Justic Bieber of comics (fame wise) lately.
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