What juvenile, sexist crap. This trailer speaks of vengeance… murder… intrigue… but leaves out giant breasts with no nipples, which is the main focus.

Instead, how about:

Madame Mirage… can she fulfill two grown men’s fetish for giant breasts?

Mr. Bowman,

Breasts are not the same thing as muscles. You are naive if you think the main focus of this artwork is anything other than the character’s breasts.

One aspect of the sexism and juvenility (if that’s a word) is that this woman has no nipples in the picture where that portion of her breasts is exposed. It’s tacky and cheesy just like Vampirella was. (Tho’ maybe she, being a space alien, had no nipples.) I do think it’s juvenile to draw human characters (male or female) with giant, grotesque muscles that have never appeared on a real human being – a la Bart Sears in the recent Captain America and the Falcon series.

They changed the cover of the first issue in response to “retailer feedback”. I have to imagine the retailer feedback had to do with the prominence of the character’s breasts, not the “period feel”.

Huge boobs aside, I think the art is good. The picture of Madame M. with her blonde partner (I assume), who has a humble B cup, looks great. So I’m gonna conclude that this artist doesn’t need huge knockers on a women to show off his talents.
As for the comments of exposed breasts with no nipples. Where was that?
Every image I saw was of covered up breasts…barely covered up, but there was still something there. So we have to assume nipple placement is within the material. No 2 people have the breast structure and nipple placement…unless someone wants to post a link to the porno where such a thing exists.
Also, if you guys are pissed off about this did anyone of you see the Mighty Avengers #2 preview??

mtx, I’m sure there were slutty women back then, too.

From what I hear, Madame Mirage is based on Dini’s wife, whom I understand has big boobs. At least the artist drew them correctly, unlike the dreck that Michael Turner “draws”. As for nipples. Good bras can hide nipples in the coldest weather. Maybe she’s got a super-duper bra on?

If they draw a nipple will that make it better? If you really want to read it, but can’t stand her boobies, put your
finger(s) over them every time they appear. Then it shouldn’t be a problem and you can enjoy the rest of the book.

Filip don’t bother arguing with Matches there’s no point and Matches thanks for the free publicity.

Much appreciated.

Matt Hawkins

Bwa-hahahahahahaha! I Love it!

Also love this little arguing about her breasts and the time this story develops, to be sincere, maybe it take place in a wonderful next-vortex dimension… and about her breast, who cares, a 40-something year old fan? C’ mon! It’s just a comic.

Roy.

Hmmm . There is a great saying “Never judge a book by it’s cover” or in this case it’s trailer. The fact you’re so preoccupied with the breast thing leads one to think your’re protesting too much. It is a comic book pure and simple. As long as it is there to be read for escapism and enjoyment who cares how the woman are drawn. Would the fact they were all drawn with A-cups make it a better book? I doubt it, and since it isn’t your book to draw/write it isn’t your perspective being used. And if FS says her look is all part of the story then I say it looks to be a well developed story!!

Peter (who apparently knows Filip Sablik) asks:

“As long as it is there to be read for escapism and enjoyment who cares how the woman are drawn.”

I’m willing to bet anyone who buys this cares how the woman (sic) are drawn.

Arguing with Matches Malone might be pointless, but I’d like to propose a counter-argument for everyone else’s sake..

From what I’ve read, this character uses illusion as her power or her ‘gimmick.’ Paul Dini has always struck me as an intelligent and thoughtful writer. And I give him the benefit of the doubt to see some of the pitfalls that Power Girl represents as a character in DC. I think he’s too smart to repeat a mistake that is only going to take away from his credibility.

The boobs are part of illusion of ‘who is Madame Mirage?’ A dodge, a trick, a hussle…

Dini has already promised that if you stick with him for six issues, he’s got some real surprises up his sleeve. I’m betting that this “book” really does have another cover entirely. The theory also works will with what Filip Sablik has said in this very thread of comments.

And if I’m wrong? Well then I’m wrong.

>

I support your right to be a self-righteous, self-important purveyor of good taste Matches. Glad you have the time. If you’d like to have a serious debate rather than your drive-by internet postings on the issue name the convention (a big one, not some local show) and I’ll arrange the panel and we can make it very public. I support everything we do, nothing we’re doing is for children, we specifically target adult men for the books we do. I do really appreciate you getting on here and making fun of us controversy always helps build awareness and lord knows negative reviews help movies and TV shows anymore.

Thanks again,

Matt Hawkins

InnerCaine presents an interesting theory. It has actually gotten me MORE interested in this series. Of course, the ridiculous kneejerk reaction from MM caught my attention and kept me coming back for more (laughs from MM & info from others). So thanks go out to both of you because you’ve just made it certain that I try the first six issues of the book.

yeah, i did. i actually have a huge poster of that very image which they were giving away at the Top Cow booth at the convention.

(Realizing the complete inanity of the current of this discussion) If her boobs are as massive as you say, there is still a whole lot of breast remaining beneath the fabric, more than enough to hide small nipples. its like an iceberg, only 10% is out while 90% remains beneath the surface. In this case that ratio is reversed.

anyway, you sound set in your opinion of the comic. I think it is sad that her breasts are only what you choose to focus on rather than the possibility for a fantastic story, and, if the promo pieces are any indication, great art.

>

So do you boycott everything that has a woman with big boobs? If so, don’t walk down the streets in LA you might have a heart attack.

Say, wasn’t the JLA cover with Power Girl on it an alternate cover?

wow, sound like some people have never seen shows like Chicago (the actual SHOW, because while the movie was good, the live show is even better) My WIFE has started actually reading comics now, and this looks like something she would love. She has mentioned before how most women look a bit over endowed, but she honestly just ignores it (unless of course I’m coloring an entire book of nothing BUT scantily clad women, THEN she wonders LOUDLY how I can call that work ) hehe, I think Kenneth has some great elements to his style, and while it might not be for everyone *cough, cough* it is FAR from crappy.

Mr. Hawkins,

That was a rhetorical question, for the benefit of anyone reading this forum, not just for you.

The forthcoming Power Girl JLA cover strikes me as porny too, as does Star Sapphire’s outfit on the forthcoming issue of Green Lantern. (Ivan Reis’ cover illustration is ridiculous. Daniel Acuna’s depictions of Star Sapphire on the interiors is a bit more restrained – this is surprising given how porny his depiction of Phantom Lady was in the Freedom Fighters miniseries.)

For what it’s worth, I have no objection to adult entertainment, commonly known as porn, or large breasts for that matter. I just think the illustrations of Madame Mirage, Witchblade, etc., are tacky and cheesy in how far they go to titillate while trying to seem like they’re doing something else.

Well, thanks to Matches whining, I added it to my pull list today.

Bah! I’d pay $2.99! Plus tax.

Btw, just checked, and the Power Girl cover does appear to be an alternate one, like most of Michael Turner’s covers have been. Maybe the Ed Benes cover will be more restrained when it comes to “boobery,” as the fine people at scans_daily like to call it.

Oh, and I second the kudos for Nicola Scott’s and Mike Alred’s art.

“Peter (who apparently knows Filip Sablik) asks:

“As long as it is there to be read for escapism and enjoyment who cares how the woman are drawn.”

I’m willing to bet anyone who buys this cares how the woman (sic) are drawn.

Comment by matches malone — March 27, 2007 @ 5:37 pm”

Nowhere did I say I know Filip Sablik, I merely mentioned what he had stated in his post. As a note I do not know nor have I ever met Filip. Oh and thanks for highlighting my spelling error. I think you should get off your pedestal with the “I don’t buy comics that blah blah blah wah wah wah”. BTW- I for one, am buying this on the premise, being a fan of the noir crime fiction, and not the shape of the (possible) lead character. Your arguement is just weak minded psychobabble that any armchair analyst could spout.

I got to add to my previous post.. after all this nonsense from Matches Malone, I hope that her figure isn’t an illusion!

For pity’s sake.. If you don’t like the product, don’t buy it!

Yes, it’s a public forum and you’re free to comment that you don’t care for the art. But for God’s sake, one post was more than adequate! You stated your opinion, it was considered, now leave off.

And hey Matt Hawkins! This will be my first TopCow comic I ever bought. You can thank Paul Dini and an original concept for that..

“Sad thing about it this book would do so much better if it wasn’t too busy pandering to the mindsets of adolescent males.”

That’s about as far from the truth as you can get. Sex Sells. It sells newspapers, magazines, TV Shows and movies. Attractive women are specifically hired to be in most movies because that’s what the general public wants.

To sit there on your high horse and say that if the female main character wasn’t attractive is simply silly.

“Not everyone thinks a character that would fit nicely on a mainstream porn box cover is sexy.”

In 1964, Justice Potter Stewart tried to explain “hard-core” pornography, or what is obscene, by saying, “I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced . . . but I know it when I see it . . . ”

Again, Matches, you’ve given your opinion. Keep beating a dead horse and it comes across as harrassment. Just don’t buy the product, and use your own forum, blog, webspace, to advise others not to do so either.

BUT.. as Judge Stewart said above, you’ve not made your case. This isn’t porn.

You just don’t like it. And we heard you the first time.

Matches, that would be Mr. Caine. I do appreciate that you didn’t assume. Sincerely.

You did call it porn. Or rather “porny”. You did so on March 27th, 28th, and the 30th. That includes the remark about JLA’s cover looking porny “too”, as in like Madame Mirage. Now if you’re going to say that “porny” doesn’t mean porn, then I don’t how to respond to you.. because you’ll be playing with semantics and word games in order to just try to score a point. As in, not any sort of legitimate argument. Example: to say something is “humorous-like” is nonsense. A thing is either funny or it’s not. To point out something as not-quite-porn means it’s *not* porn. I believe you use the word porn because it’s evocative and provokes an emotional reaction. You’d be better off saying it’s objectifying of women- but that doesn’t get you the same reaction does it?

Come on Matches- logic, or melodrama and histrionics? I could take your perspective and do a better job.

As for Judge Stewart’s comments, I won’t put you down for not understanding the relevance- but I will explain it. If not for you, but for others. That is the standard that the United States Supreme Court uses (to this very day of March 30th, 2007) to determine what is pornography. That is, it can not be defined in words, but can be identified by a common standard of reason.

I mentioned it because you repeatedly called it porny (see above, and see how it all connects).

It’s not my perception that you’re engaged in either conversation or debate, merely confrontation, which is not the same thing at all. Conversation and debate require that both parties have some chance of influencing the other. I don’t sense any flexibility in anything you’ve said so far, just condemnation. I do see you trying to maintain an illusion of calm civil discussion, but that too is passive-aggressive.

You’ve insulted people Matches, fans and creators, and they’ve insulted you back. But you started it and you sunk to their level. When you’re taking the moral high ground, you can’t afford to ever do that.

And yes, I take your point about me telling you what to do because of your point of view. There’s a tiny little grain of truth to that, and so I won’t deny, I’ll embrace it. The reason I told you to stop however is not what you’re saying, but how you chose to say it.. which is entirely hostile and aggressive. You accuse the creator’s of having fetishes (which rings of ‘perverse’ or ‘unhealthy’ or otherwise ‘unnatural’), and then attack any fans who defends the fact that they don’t mind how the character looks. You try to project a sense of shame and guilt for what they choose to like. The fact is, people like what they like.

You do have a point. I wouldn’t want a child of mine to look at a cartoon character and think they’re not beautiful because they don’t fulfill a false notion of what a woman should look like..

There? See? Not unreasonable.

But those unrealistic body image concepts aren’t spawning from TopCow Comic readers. TopCow readers are too old. It’s happening with young children. And there are so many more worthwhile targets for your energy, like Hollywood, Maxim and Stuff magazines, major TV networks, Bratz dolls, Barbie..

So.. I will take your critique and honor it. I retract my remarks about not posting. Feel free.. But I’m afraid if you’re going to start out on the attack (as you certainly have) and then try to play the unassuming voice of reason, you’re not going to be taken as having any credibility.

And that’s a shame. The message you’re clumsily shouting is not unworthwhile.

MATCHES—

I think you mis-typed something wat up the thread. Let me fix it for you.

“Mr. Hawkins,

Thanks for the offer but I’m afraid to go out in public to a comics convention. “