I was reading some articles online today, many of which had to do with the uproar that happened a week or two ago over the Mary Jane statue. Here's what that fuss is all about.
Sometime last week the attention shifted from the statue to an upcoming cover for Marvel's Heroes For Hire #13.
After reading these comments and opinions I ended up really irritated. Most of the outrage was directed at the artists of these two pieces. The statue being based on an Adam Hughes drawing and the cover by Japanese artist Sana Takeda.First of all, come on. It's Adam Hughes. Getting upset over Adam Hughes drawing women showing cleavage is like getting mad at 2-Pac for rapping about the hood, or Hulk Hogan for ripping off his tank top. That's what he does.
As far as getting upset at Sana Takeda for her cover, well I could go in depth about the differences in Japanese and American culture, but instead I'll just say that as a freelance artist you're never the one that gets the final say in what goes to print, your art director or editor is. If you want to direct your anger at someone direct it at the people who have the power to publish.
What I really can't stand is the people who have round table discussions (be it virtual or actual) about how horribly offensive, or bad, or whatever something is and make no attempt to add to the industry they're criticizing. Don't like the statue? Go sculpt one that doesn't have cleavage showing. Don't like the cover? Go draw one that doesn't have the sexual undertones and get it published.
I don't like the way Asian men are depicted in popular media, so I wrote a short story with a strong Asian male lead and it's getting published. I don't like how most female leads in comics are over sexualized, so I wrote a story starring a strong female who isn't all pouty lips and enormous breasts and that too will be published.
If you have an opinion, fine, we all have one of those and more often than not, those opinions will differ, but expecting people to change something just because you don't like it isn't a good enough reason. It's easy to sit back and point out the flaws in someone else's creation, it's much harder to put a piece of yourself out there for critical eyes to see.
3 comments:
If you have an opinion, fine, we all have one of those and more often than not, those opinions will differ, but expecting people to change something just because you don't like it isn't a good enough reason.
It is if you're a potential customer.
It's kinda like saying that if you're treated badly by the police, you shouldn't complain, but just become a police officer yourself. :\
What you suggest is ALSO a good way to get change. :) But there are other ways, including activism.
Also sometimes ppl just want to talk about things that bug them in a group? :)
I think that opinions are never a bad thing :)
Btw, I'm glad you're publishing something about an Asian male lead :D There rly aren't enuf of those out there :(
Thanks for your comments Ami.
I think the example of the police treating you badly isn't a fair comparison considering police officers are enforcers of the law in a country where one is innocent until proven guilty. You're comparing men and women who's duty is to protect and serve the public to a publisher of comic books.
I respect your opinion, but more often than not I hear people saying things like, "well if I was in charge I'd do [insert comment] instead," but rarely do these people do anything more than sit around and complain.
I'm all for open discussion, but don't we have to draw a line between a healthy discussion and round table talk that leads to negative assumptions about an artist just hired to do a job?
right on jon
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