Posted in: Comics | Tagged: amazing spider-man, Comics, dan slott, entertainment, humberto ramos, marvel, Marvel Comics, spider-man

An Amazingly Naked Spider-Man #1 (SPOILERS)

Published Wed, 30 Apr 2014 05:48:50 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Sat, 03 May 2014 16:53:47 -0500

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One of the many problems with the modern day superhero comic is its obsession with sexualising its characters.

Presenting them in a series of ludicrously skimpy costumers that would most likely impede close quarters hand to hand contact and not exactly protect the combatant in question.

Exposed cleavage, exposed legs, exposed – well – pretty much everything.

And this week's relaunch of Amazing Spider-Man falls right into that trap, not that you'd know it from the cover (if you got the main cover, that is)

Because the cover presents a rather happy Spider-Man in full costume with his mask off, the goofy smile indicating that Peter Parker has returned to his noggin as opposed to the dour Doctor Octopus who has been living there for the past year.

But inside those pages? We get the exact opposite.

Mask on, eveything else off…

How typically exploitative of Marvel comics to present its men in this way. Clearly there aren't enough men working on this book to give it more of a male viewpoint. I mean one of the stories in this comic has a female colourist which is clearly skewing the gender balance of opinion in this comic.

I mean, take about creating art for "the female gaze".

Clearly this will not do, there's hardly any point to this plot twist (and to discover how it comes about, you'll have to read the comic – there should be plenty of copies around.)

Okay, there is one side effect, I suppose, for the character of Peter Parker, newly regaining his body. And yes, we do see a lot of his body.

Instant acceptance by the superheroic community again. Ta da!

But does that justify such behaviour on Marvel's part? Even Cap is bend over, assuming the position, ready for Spider-Woman to treat him as her property, and she's even eyeing his butt. Clearly something must be done.

Amazing Spider-Man #1 is published today by Marvel Comics. Comics courtesy of Orbital Comics, London, who will be presenting a live Orbital podcast event on Saturday for Free Comic Book Day, from 3pm to 7pm, with plenty of surprise comic creator guests!

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