I blogged a couple of weeks ago about Frank Cho’s Hulk#1 cover not being accepted for the Hero Initiative charity auction. Now, courtesy of Lying in the Gutters and a “Wizard serf,” the cover sees the light of day:
Rich Johnston comments:
Have to say, as earlier rumoured, that is exactly the same level of nudity as appeared in the Hero Initiative auction for Frank Cho’s Spider-Man piece last year. Yet this year, it was totally unacceptable.
What changed?
Anyone remember the 2000 Hulk annual, where the Hulk tries to hook up with She-Hulk? Yeah …
July 16th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Ah, incestuous sideboob. Hey, it’s for charity.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
At some point Frank Cho’s gimmick will stop being fun, drawing nice looking ladies is fine and all but he seems unable to grow up and keeps taking it further and further each year, he knew a cover like that could never get accepted yet he chose to draw it anyway
July 16th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
So…every single variant Frank Cho will ever draw is a female character’s nude backside? Always from the same angle no less?
Sigh.
And to answer Rich’s question, implying an incestuous relationship is what changed.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
That cover is shit. I guess that’s why it’s a variant for Loeb’s Hulk series.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
No, I do more than women’s backsides. I do their front sides too.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
“And to answer Rich’s question, implying an incestuous relationship is what changed.”
And with them both being corporately own properties used in all ages media, yeah I think censorship is reasonable in this case (since it isn’t like it furthered a story plot or anything ((see that same hulk 2000 annual))…Cho should change his quote to, “I guess American’s have a problem with incestrial (spelling?) female nudity.”
In that case, um yeah pry.
For what its worth, it is a pretty funny cover.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
*incestrial
incestrious? no clue how to spell that.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Yeah, I think the problem was the “incest angle” with that cover, ah well, at least it’s in the net now, that means is gonna be around forever. Peace.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
It’s incestuous, guys.
And ew.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
All becomes clear.
It’s a tacky picture with incest overtones. It’s not about art or prudishness. It’s about a charity that knew what good taste was and an artist that didn’t.
Please, no crying wolf next time Cho.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Jesus Christ, lady! Lighten up.
July 16th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Frank Cho seems to have the healthiest attitude of all pros when it comes to handling criticism (constructive and otherwise).
July 16th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Easy to see how it was rejected… Frankly is disgusting and even worse, except for the bad taste joke, is the same tripe this hack been cranking it up for years. Sure comics aren’t for kids anymore… but isn’t even more reason for people stoping being childish and accepting softcore porn in the place of good comics art? I mean, if you are an adult there must be better places for porn than the funnybooks (hell, you may even go to the porn comic books, at least is more honest and appropriate for the material.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:04 am
Am I the only creep that’s noticed the nip slip in the mirror above the “WTF” balloon?
Maybe I need to leave the house more.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:42 am
Also I agree with Zeitgeist (funny that, and I was thought I was a loner and know I’m agreeing with “the spirit of the age”), if this isn’t arrested development (the lack of maturity problem not the spiffy show or that band that used to sing Mr. Wendall), I don’t know what is… Maybe is worth doing a top ten most childish creators? I think that the John Byrne tantrums look quite like the ones you expect from a four-year-old.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:55 am
Nice one Beheader, this cover just gets better and better ;D. Peace.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:29 am
“No, I do more than women’s backsides. I do their front sides too.”
Oh, I’m aware. It’s just that the Hero Initiative Ultimate Spider-Man cover, the Ultimates 3 variant cover and this cover all feature naked women viewed from behind and at similar angles all done in a chiaroscuro rendering.
Variety is the spice of life, no?
July 17th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Without the word balloons there’s no way to tell it’s supposed to be She-Hulk.
Just pointing that out.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:04 am
I agree with Kevin H; Cho has the right attitude, “keep doin what you want, and if people don’t like it, well, ‘F’ it, it’s their loss.”
Your work and your attitude make me smile Cho.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Well, Cho had that hissy fit on the old Newsarama boards when people fairly criticized him on Mighty Avengers #6 for acting like working hard for 6 weeks to finish the last issue was this great strain. Also, the whole biting off more than you can chew that led to the delays in the first place.
Maybe he realized how badly he came off in those interviews and his changing his attitude.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
“Jesus Christ, lady! Lighten up.”
Not a chance. I’m a humourless hardass.
Seriously though, this is what you said about this, “C’mon. It’s me. It can only mean one thing – too risque. Americans fear female nudity.”
So…Maybe you could have lightened up then, tucked the picture away for something else and not made an issue of this? Especially when there seems to be a little more to the matter then simple nudity. Especially since it’s cast the charity in a light it may not deserve?
July 18th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
First cousins routinely marry in many cultures. So there?
July 18th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
I like well written stories and good art. I also like naked women occasionally. Is it art? Is it quality? I say yes and I buy them.
I do not like well written stories, good art and violence. I do not buy them.
I do not like well written stories and manga. I do not buy them.
Have fun debating whether Cho does “art” or “crap”. It’s a fun but pointless conversation.
Comics, like everything else, is a business. Cho gets work as long as people buy it. Cho gets money based upon how many people buy his work. (Although I guess you could make a case that Cho gets work as long as some one will hire him, too.)
When you advocate what some one can and cannot do, bloggers, you are advocating censorship, which you cannot do. Hero Initiative censored his work, as they do have a right to do.
But let’s be honest, here. No one, Hero or anyone else, should be surprised what Cho did. He’s been consistent his whole career. It’s kinda like buying a beagle and complaining that it barks, digs and runs away. It’s what beagle’s DO!
By the way, if you type in WORD, you can spell-check, then cut and paste. Avoids typos that way.
Incestuous. See? Not that hard.
December 1st, 2008 at 2:27 pm
hi, im comic fan also, if you want, you can visit my web, I think frank cho – he is one of the best drawer in the world ce sont son peints qui j’admire le plus, alors bye-bye, you can leave me message (not massage
*) there in section comics, if you want, liberty meadows is fine.thanks bye
June 10th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Frank Cho kicks ass. He draws women beautifully. I only wish he drew hardcore pornography. I think this was funny. Then again, I’m not a prude, loathe censorship, and love freedom. God bless you, Frank, for not being immature enough to believe that the carnal side of mankind is evil.