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Actually, you're giving him far too much credit – and insulting pricks, everywhere.   😉

Iron Man = The neo-Dr Doom.  8) 

My own opinion is that we're a very long way off before its taken seriously in the comics, since they are a reflection of pop-culture and culture has (in the current era) acquired a distaste for real-world musclegals on the uberbuffed lines that we enjoy.

After all, if Lyman Dally couldn't make a go of his two comics, which should have had major appeal to our niche (cult?) audience, what makes anyone think a major player is going risk the invested capital in a mainstream character/title?

As for uberbuffed, the most muscular render of any was She-Hulk in Avengers: Search for the She-Hulk and they made her out to be a whackjob psycho towndestroyer, without any regards for the lives of others.  Hardly what I'd call the kind of positive reinforcement that we are looking for in buffed superwomen.

I wouldn't say that; it's because of instances like that have helped boost her reputation. Could be worst… she could be Powergirl… and get easily punked by Black Adam.  :-

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I'm not anti-comedy, but this thread is about how to take buff superwomen seriously.

But I think we're focused on also getting her liked by the crowd more than 'respected' right? There's a number of male and female characters out there that are respected… but nobody gives a damn about or outright hate (current Supergirl again at the top of the list).

I like Slott's approach much better than Byrne's if only because Shulkie breaking the "fourth wall" made the stories essentially irrelavant in the Marvel Universe. But Slott sets a tone of "light adventure" that works against she hulk a little. The "World Without A Hulk" arc was supposed to show shulkie able to handle Hulk level threats like the Abomination and Wendigo. The result? Abomination is "stupided"down so she can trick him, plus she has an assist from Iron Prick. Meanwhile, up against Wendigo, Shulkie gets another assist from Mr. Overexposed Wolverine to take him down.

But she threw Wolverine THROUGH the Wendigo. THROUGH him, without being mad. Pretty high level feat there. I can't remember the last character able to do that level of damage to him. That and I found the "fastball special" conversation and the Juggernaut freakout hilarious.

On the World Without a Hulk thing (that was about the court-trial dealie right?), I rather enjoyed him going a different direction with things. Seems like every superhero around when they have a story like that, are important because they were able to save the universe somehow in a way that supposedly nobody else could. Instead it focused on how she brought many lives together instead of being yet another world/galaxy/universal savior.

What happened to the muscles? Early on, Slott established that if Jen went to the gym to buff out (even little girly muscles) She Hulk would get progressively stronger. She should be able to take out Hulk level threats on her own with no assist from male heroes. But that would go against the "comedy" wouldn't it? I think too much comedy makes She Hulk harmless. And NO hulk should ever be harmless.

Comedy doesn't really affect the status of a character in my opinion. Deadpool's a comedic nutjob, but that seems to help his situation. Spiderman's pretty hilarious himself. And it's not like she's ever gotten into anime-level antics. Speaking of which, numbers ofanime-styled characters go through just that, but it never affects their view as far I know.

At the end of the day, she was still easily stronger than Hercules for a time, took down Champion, threw wolverine THROUGH Wendigo, and took down a Thanos clone that was manhandling "Stargod" or whatever his name was.

And I think it's just an artist's interpretation. Some people draw Powergirl buff, some don't. Some draw Shulkie buff, some don't, etc, etc. Heck, sometimes, Hulk is 7-8 feet tall, sometimes he looks over 4 yards and 2/3's as massive. I doubt they will be able to keep a character's physique consistent from artist to artist, unless you are the artist.

Sorry about the long winded rant… I think this thread strikes a nerve (in a good way.)

BTX

Same I guess. I usually don't find myself too hesitant to get involved in threads like these.  🙂 But I guess I should say something every once in awhile.

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Hey all! I had an idea I'd like to put out for brainstorming: how does one get a buff and busty superheroine taken seriously by comic book readers?

When I say this, consider the ones who currently are taken seriously or at least have their own monthly series: Amazing Spider-Girl, Super Girl, Wonder Woman, She-Hulk, and Red Sonja, to name a few. While the body types vary amongst all of the titles' protagonists, some seem to get more credit than others. I find all the above entertaining, but how does one do this without being relegated to the cheesecake bin with Shi, Lady Death, Witchblade, and Gold Diggers?

(I love Gold Diggers as much as the next fellow because of Fred Perry's love of Star Wars and anime references, but no one I know takes it seriously because of how the characters are depicted.)

Everyone takes Superman and his hyper muscularity seriously but you don't see him being regarded as eye candy for women ???.

Because that's not the focus of the audience. More guys read Superman than girls (same said for most comics actually), so that's almost never likely to happen. Also he's been around since basically the beginning, so it's not surprising he gets respected…somewhat. If you visit a comicbook messageboard, Superman's comic still catches his own chunk of flak.

But on his physique, Superman's build is normal stature for most in comics, like the supermodel physique is the norm for most female superheroes.

Why can't there be a female Superman who looks just as powerful as he does and get taken seriously? I know we have Power Girl, but a lot of people who don't read the comics pigeonhole her character fro two big reasons.

I'm thinking more along one reason; the writers don't take her very seriously. Nowadays, PG's track record is all over the place with people who didn't know what to do with her.

For instance, all the momentum built up by Infinite Crisis for PG; she was back to being full kryptonian; but what has she been doing lately to back up that status? Jack all. She's still being treated like she always has in battles and stories, only now she can shoot heatvision, (which didn't help much against Black Adam casually dealing with her), and has yet to do anything of significance.

Is there a way to have one's cake and eat it too? To tell a thought provoking, entertaining, humorous story AND have your main character look like she could take a tank apart with her bare hands AND be busty?

Probably not if you're going through the primary comic franchises(DC and MArvel), and if you don't have a unique angle, as DC and Marvel have practically cornered the market on every type of character out there, male or female.

My personal egocentric thoughts on the matter:

I would probably say if anything, she'd probably have to start out as a villian to catch any momentum. That and I would probably stay away from cliche 'anti-man' amazon personas, and 'angst-b***h' personas (like current Supergirl).

I think Collector's on the right path about badass scenarios. Wonder Woman probably earn the most respect I've ever seen from her, around the time she willingly blinded herself to take down Medusa(I don't even like Wonder Woman, and I have to admit that my care about her went up a notch after that scene).

On the otherhand I disagree with BTX; comedy can be a wonderful thing. 😀 I find that I can read and digest a story easier when there's either alot of good action, or atleast something that makes me smile once in awhile. And if you try to make people respect your character, just the opposite might happen.

That and……… the Spiderman trial was gold.

I didn't like Byrne's book; the jokes just weren't funny to me and the art and storyline was rather boring. But Dan's Shulkie book would have probably been like every other ongoing superhero comic out there if it wasn't for that; boring and angsty with a ton of pace-inhibiting narrating monologues (I'm looking at you, Superman). That ontop of actually doing some significant things in her book, (the power gem arc, taking down the clone Thanos), has rather brought her out above the other female superheroes at this point, and away from the 'I'm a green strongwoman with the name "she hulk" tagged on'.

Guh… I babble too much.

But most of this has just been stuff I've been muddling about lately myself.

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I agree with you guys said about the Superman/hero character stuff. On one hand, I admit that my occasionally S&M-ish side that escapes from it's chained closet on tuesdays enjoys reading about a Superdude dominated by really buff super-superwoman, that is when it's in a story that isn't meant to be taken too seriously (or atleast feels that way).

On the otherhand, few things bug me more than when a character is only used as marker for how much more powerful their own character is. Then again, that's probably different from taking down pegs, but both are just as generally annoying.

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Man, the hell are those shades made of.

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I love that last picture.  😀 HI-larious.

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…. ghn…. ! Agh… must… resist…… desire to….. find arcade game…!!

…..

Ahh, who am I kidding. 

Daymn that is HYUGE buffed mama. And that game looks like alot of fun, with alot of crazy off-the-wall characters Konami is known for. Thank you both for sharing!

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Eventhough she looks nice in that scene where she's holding starman, and I know it's not JLA where something needs to be pushed or whatnot every issue, I'd prefer to finally see her do something INTERESTING.  >:(

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I'd been thinking about this for awhile…

Mainly, I just listen to music, and try to picture really cool scenes to go along with it; usually fighting and action scenes of somesort. Then I try to write centered around making those scenes happen, and build everything up from there.

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I totally agree.
you are an evil bastard….

Can't say I don't agree either.  😉 But…. I can't say it's not a bad idea either as much, MUCH MUCH!!! as I hate to admit it, being a fellow lurker myself. Particularly in comparison to other 'post or be banned/lose your account' forums (which I think is rather counterproductive). Encourages more posting, only need to make a very meager amount monthly, and one day, shy lurkers may one day find their voice and become tommorrow's contributors. ;D

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