Marvel features spider woman's ass on cover of issue #1

[ancianita]

161. For decades I've read the exaggerated female anatomies in comic book art as symbolic to readers of

the matchup of women superheroes' powers with their femaleness and maleness.

From my past exposure, I've read the context of their power in these comics as coequal with all the male characters and in no way submissive or demeaned. I don't think the female depictions here are any more or less exaggerated than are the bodily features of the males. The bodies match the power fantasies of the readers, which are actually not sexual, since sexuality doesn't enter into the comic plots I've read. I think these visuals are part of the typical developmental stage of pre-pubescent fantasies of their own wished for future body images.

Based on my past associations with lots of pre-teen comic readers -- as a mom and high school teacher -- I don't think the misogyny argument really works for the comic book population, who are quite sensitive to gender inequities in their age groups and are aware of sexism in their society.

I just can't agree here about "calling this out." I've read this stuff and see that the stories don't support sexism at all.