Hey guys! Welcome back with a little interview with a very close to me person, Mr. Sosa, who will give us some of his opinions on superhero body image. Since he has been studying philosophy, his ideas can give us an insight about Superhero body image. Here is the interview:
Q1: Do you think superheroes are over sexualized?
A: "Yes, I do believe that superheroes are over sexualized, that includes both parties, male and female."
Q2: Who do you think is the most attractive superhero based on comics and comic movies?
A: "The most attractive Male superhero based on comics and comic movies would be Batman. Also, the most attractive Female superhero based on comics and comic movies is Firestar, from 'Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends'".
Q3: Have superheroes influenced your standards for the opposite sex?
A: "Nope, they have never influenced my standards for the opposite sex. They were irrelevant in that. They were just for entertainment."
Q4: Which superhero would you compare your body to?
A: "Nightwing".
Q5: Do superhero body image or costumes make you feel uncomfortable?
A: "They do make me uncomfortable and make me question my own body type from time to time. Costumes even more, especially when I can't fill them out with my body type".
Q6: How do you think superhero body image affect society including comic readers and non comic readers?
A: "Since their body image is associated with power, respect and attractiveness, naturally there will be a negative affect of looking at one's own image with disdain or seeking to change their body, but not for themselves, but rather the idea the idea of being attractive. In general society, there are many male superheroes being represented in films, and comics, rather than women. Masculine physique depicted by these films are a subtle way of demonstrating the growing social idea that every man should TRY to achieve a six pack, TRY to achieve skinniness, TRY to change yourself for the greater good, thereby paralleling the ideal superheroes have, to attempt to achieve a greater good for themselves and society. For women, it's the same story, although they are underrepresented in films, Black Widow for example has the 'attractive' looking 21st century physique of curved waist, gap between her thighs, and a decently rounded chest. The same concepts and ideals were the same in early comics, but all that has changed is the value of physical body parts valued today. Those mentioned above with the inclusion of semi-thick thighs, and curved athletically hips and stomach and butt, there is far more animosity when depicted an 'ideal' superhero woman than a man. Unfairly, depiction for men is lax and women receive far more scrutiny."
Q7: How do you view superheroes' bodies and the moral behind them?
A: "I view superhero bodies as being fairly representative of the impossible. The physiques depicted are terribly difficult to achieve and require too much loss in order to receive any gain. Bodies now just reflect the general consensus that most of society desires everyone to look good. The morals behind the bodies, well, the bodies themselves intend to provide a moral of good health, and physical fitness , but stab right at the self confidence people have of their own body image.
Q8: Do you think women are less compelled to read comics because of the way female superheroes are represented in them?
A: " No, the same can be said about magazines, they depict women in a much more realistic way that comic books ever could. Comic books are fake, they don't have the same power as the media does. Women could just as easily pick up 10 comic books and look over that female physique but it won't maintain permanence since its fictional beings. Women's magazines with models ahs a much more powerful effect for the fact that they attempt to make the impossible, actually possible, and they do this through fashion and commercialism. Women could definitely be compelled to read more comics, but the media based culture we live in doesn't pedestal comic books as the highlight of our society but rather a hidden pleasure for those that still enjoy the authenticity and adolescent and childhood nostalgia".
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