Posted by
Saliv
- Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, bringing you news on a very touchy subject: sexism in comic books.
You might be asking yourself, "Damnit, what happened now? Did someone introduce a female character who is a total idiot, but is hot? Did a current female character act sexy when she should be the symbol of female empowerment? Did a male superhero put down a female superhero?" Well, the answer is: none of the above! This time, a potentially racy variant cover has created an uproar. Why? Well, let's take a closeup look at it.
Look! It's a heart…it's a couple hams pressed together…it's SPIDER-WOMAN! Specifically, it's the variant cover of the new Spider-Woman #1. Now, let's take a look at the full cover.
It doesn't take a genius to see why people have reacted negatively to this. At first glance, it does indeed appear suggestive. That is, until you look at it a bit longer (not for that reason) and realize that she's just in a wall-crawling pose. We've seen Spider-Man in similar poses, so why is it wrong for Spider-Woman? Well, Megan Friedman of Elle wrote a harsh review of the variant cover titled "This Is What Happens When Men Try to Draw a Female Superhero." The cover was drawn by renowned artist Milo Manara. In the article, Friedman said
"It's hard out there for a female superhero. When Wonder Woman finally ended up in a movie, the Hollywood powers that be made her look like Xena, cutting out all her campy fun. And when Spider-Woman gets a rare comic book series, she ends up looking like a porn star. […] Spider-Woman looks like she's simply covered in body paint, flashing the city she's ostensibly protecting. […] All in all, the image seems to toe the line of pornographic; imagine Spider-Man in that position instead, and the concept would have never gotten this far."
Strong words, and with many assumptions thrown in there. I won't touch on her Wonder Woman comments, but let's get down to business:
- Megan Friedman refers to Spider-Woman getting a "rare" comic book series, when in reality, she's had a decent run. Volume 1 (50 issues) ran from April 1978 to June 1983, Volume 2 (4 issues) ran from November 1993 to February 1994, Volume 3 (18 issues) ran from July 1999 to December 2000, and Volume 4 (7 issues) ran from November 2009 to May 2010. Now, those numbers aren't stellar, and she definitely hasn't had the attention other major heroes have gotten, like Spider-Man or Iron Man, but she's gotten more than some more well-known heroes, such as Hawkeye. Now she's getting a brand new series, so I wouldn't exactly call her series "rare." Common? Probably not, but not rare.
- She looks like a porn star? Really? Look, anyone with common sense can see that her butt is sticking out, but it's not like she's biting her lip, bent over a table, and waiting for some man to grab her ass and start plowing. Let's relax for a second. Also, saying she looks like she's in body paint and flashing the city? Does she not know that nearly all superheroes, male or female, have hyper-unrealistically tight costumes? You can almost always see every muscle, every vein, and yes, even every bulge in those tight-ass suits. So is she trying to make the case that when a man does it, it's okay, but when a woman does it, it's pornography? Doesn't that violate the very argument she's trying to make?
- "...imagine Spider-Man in that position instead, and the concept would have never gotten this far." Yes, let's try our hardest to imagine Spider-Man in such a pose. It would probably look something like this:
So, if Spider-Woman is flashing the city and displaying herself like she's in a porno, does that mean Spider-Man is doing the same thing? No, it's the classic wall-crawling pose common among Marvel's Spider heroes. Also, this is a variant cover for Spider-Woman #1, so it's optional; if you don't want to buy it, you don't have to. For anyone interested, here's the official cover:
As elegantly stated by YouTube channel host Maddox, "If you don't want to sexualize her, then don't sexualize her." I feel the whole argument comes down to some people shaming the human body and making sex this ugly thing that should be looked down upon. Even though I don't find the cover to be that big of a deal, I can still understand why it's a topic for discussion. Sexualizing the female body has been a problem in comics for a long time, and only in the past few decades has there been a shift in perception. However, shaming the artists who created the cover and comparing Spider-Woman to a porn star is downright disrespectful. When people try to make the argument that men would never be found in this pose, even though they have been, and that it's a grab for male attention, you also end up telling women what they can or can't do. Fans of Milo's artwork, both men and women alike, have celebrated it as empowering the female form and something that makes the public realize that the female body is nothing to be ashamed of. Also, to suggest that this happened because a man drew it is flat out sexist.
What do YOU think of the Spider-Woman #1 variant cover? Is it overly sexualized and degrading to women? Is it empowering? Should people stop putting labels to things when there's no reason to? Let us know what you think in the comments section! Thanks for reading, everyone! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!
Posted by
Saliv
- Monday, September 8, 2014
Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, bringing you some news from the world of Hollywood!
Robert Downey Jr.—the man who gave us Tony Stark and kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe—said in an interview with Variety that the future of the Iron Man franchise isn't looking well. When asked about the possibility of doing Iron Man 4, Downey said:
"There isn't one in the pipe. No, there's no plan for a fourth Iron Man."
Cue the sound of doves crying and children being let down. We know that Robert Downey Jr. had to renegotiate his contract to appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron and the so far untitled Avengers 3, but fans realized that a fourth Iron Man film wasn't part of the deal. This has led to huge fan speculation as to whether Tony will end up joining the Guardians of the Galaxy, as he does in the comics, or if he'll be killed in the second or third Avengers film, or if he'll be just a background character that only pops up here and there or is only mentioned on occasion.
Another idea that's been thrown around is that Marvel will simply recast the Armored Avenger. When asked if he'd let Marvel recast the character, he said:
"I like that the idea is that it would be up to me, like I'm casting director for Marvel."
Obviously Downey doesn't have authority over at Marvel Studios, but he's definitely been their cash cow for years now. However, with the success of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, who's to say Marvel even NEEDS Iron Man right now? Chris Pratt completely took us by storm as Star-Lord, people are going nuts over Rocket and Groot, Tom Hiddleston's Loki is still adored by fans, and Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier has become a new fan-favorite. With Thor, Black Widow, and all of these other characters that Marvel hasn't even introduced yet (Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Ultron, Vision, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Captain Marvel), do they really need a fourth Iron Man?
Look, if they announced tomorrow that Iron Man 4 starring Robert Downey Jr. would be part of Phase III, I'd lose my shit just like anyone else. Unfortunately, I really don't think Marvel needs Iron Man anymore. He's a great character, performed by a solid and much adored actor, and has been the backbone for the MCU, but he had his trilogy, he'll still be in the next two Avengers films, and there is a pool of characters yet to be utilized. I think it's time to share the love we've given Robert Downey Jr. to other great talents in the Marvel universe.
What do YOU think about Robert Downey Jr.'s words? Do you think they'll eventually do Iron Man 4? Will they recast RDJ if they do? Could Iron Man die in Avengers 3? Let us know what you think in the comments section! Thanks for reading, everyone! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!
Posted by
Unknown
- Sunday, September 7, 2014
This has been rumored for some time now, and it's officially a reality. Ever since The Walking Dead crushed all ratings and expectations during its inaugural season, there have been rumors and Internet chatter about AMC looking to expand the universe with spinoffs taking place in the same world. Now it's happening, as AMC has ordered a pilot episode for the yet-unnamed series. This is super awesome news, depending on how they go with it.
If they coordinate storylines, perhaps showing another group of Zombie Apocalypse survivors in another part of the world and how they relate to what the original cast is doing, it could be great. But then how do you distinguish the new cast from the core group with Rick? My fear is that they will simply attempt to rehash the same kinds of situations, with a weekly zombie attack/human drama story, and it will be nothing but a cheap clone.
How do they give us more of the same but make it different enough to matter? They need to open up the rest of the world, maybe not go so far as some remote corner of the globe and what's going on there [it boggles the mind to consider the endless possibilities here, and thus the confusion inherent therein], but rather, something deeper about the outbreak itself and a possible endgame.
I don't know the comics. I don't know what happens at the end or if they ever discover what happened to cause the Zombie Apocalypse in the first place. However, my hope is that the end of The Walking Dead will not be a cop-out, Ã la Lost, and we get no answers. Please, please, please, don't do this, AMC! Finish the story and don't leave us hanging.
Will they drop the ball and give us endless seasons that go nowhere? An ineffectual, meaningless spinoff series that simply compounds the mysteries rather than answers questions? Sound off below.
Posted by
Fanboys Anonymous
Fanboys Anonymous is partnering up with TV Store Online for a special giveaway in honor of the 30th anniversary for the classic animated series Voltron.
Although Voltron only ran from September 10, 1984 to November 18, 1985, it has ingrained itself in pop culture history and become one of the most recognizable icons of '80s cartoons. Adapted from the Japanese series Beast King GoLion and Armored Fleet Dairugger XV, the Voltron franchise has spawned everything from follow-up series to comic books, toy lines, and may even be receiving a live-action film adaptation soon.
To commemorate this occasion, TV Store Online and Fanboys Anonymous will be holding a contest where the winner will receive a free prize pack of 2 Voltron t-shirts!
HOW TO WIN
Participants can earn the equivalent of one raffle ticket for each of the following tasks they complete.
There are no limits on how many points you can earn:
1) Like the Fanboys Anonymous Facebook page [ www.facebook.com/fanboysanonymous ]
2) Follow Fanboys Anonymous on Twitter @FanboysAnon (and our former account which is now a backup @FanboyAnonymous)
3) Subscribe to the Fanboys Anonymous YouTube channel [ www.youtube.com/fanboysanonymous ]
4) Follow the Fanboys Anonymous Tumblr account [ www.fanboys-anonymous.tumblr.com ]
5) Share an account from above or FanboysAnonymous.com on social media [20 total points]
6) Earn 1 point for each website post that you share on social media [indefinite amount of points]
The more points you earn, the more chances you have to win! The winner will be chosen in a random draw and contacted through their social media account next week.
DISCLAIMER: The prize(s) that may be awarded to the eligible winner are not transferable, redeemable for cash or exchangeable for any other prize. If the winner has not redeemed his or her prize in 7 days, a new winner will be chosen. No points will be awarded to contestants who unsubscribe and resubscribe to an account. Only one point is awarded per account subscription. No members of the Fanboys Anonymous team are eligible to win.
Thank you for supporting Fanboys Anonymous and TV Store Online!
Posted by
Saliv
- Saturday, September 6, 2014
Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, presenting a little theory and discussion on the Infinity Stones of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)!
Now, most of the general movie-going audience probably isn't familiar with the Marvel Comics Infinity Gems, Thanos, or the Infinity Gauntlet, but this article will generally focus on the film versions of these items, not the comics. So when you see the phrase Infinity Gems, we're talking comics, and when you see the phrase Infinity Stones, we're talking movies. Ready? Let's jump into it:
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| Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet with all 6 Infinity Gems. |
It is Thanos's ultimate goal to obtain the Infinity Gauntlet and the Infinity Stones. Although not stated in the films, it's assumed that the MCU version and the comics version should be about the same: whoever possesses the Infinity Gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones will obtain God-like power. We've met Thanos at the end of The Avengers and in the middle of Guardians of the Galaxy, so we know enough about him to draw the conclusion that he already strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies and is confident enough in his own power to fear no one in the entire universe. But enough about Thanos, let's get into the meat of the article: the Infinity Stones!
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| The Infinity Gems of Marvel Comics. |
There are six (6) Infinity Gems in Marvel Comics:
- Space Gem: Grants limitless manipulation of space, allowing for teleportation, dimensional manipulation, creation of wormholes, etc.
- Mind Gem: Taps the user into the universal consciousness, allowing for unlimited manipulation of psionic powers, including telepathy and telekinesis.
- Soul Gem: Grants limitless manipulation of souls both alive and dead. Also, it has shown to be able to evolve or devolve a being's physical self as well as his/her mental capacities.
- Reality Gem: Locally or universally alters the natural laws of the universe to the wielder's will.
- Time Gem: Grants total control over all aspects of time, including time travel, stopping time, slowing down or speeding up the flow of time, and to accelerate or slow down aging.
- Power Gem: Controls all of the power in the universe. It can be used to augment or inhibit any force.
So, I now ask you MCU nuts out there: Do any of these sound familiar to you? At least a couple of them should. Let's now run down my Infinity Stone theory in the MCU:
WARNING!! SPOILERS AHEAD!! TURN BACK NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!
The Tesseract: First introduced in the post-credits scene of Thor and the central MacGuffin of both Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers, the Tesseract (or "the Cube"), is an item of limitless energy. At the end of Captain America: The First Avenger, we see it rips open a portal to outer space and sucks the Red Skull into it. Also, in The Avengers, it acts as a doorway that transports Loki to Earth, opens the wormhole that allows the Chitauri to invade, and also allows both Thor and Loki to return to Asgard at the end of the film.
Infinity Stone: Space
Why?: This one has been confirmed by Kevin Feige, the President of Marvel Studios, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise, right? I mean, the Tesseract is pretty damn powerful, but we didn't really know about the Infinity Stones being a thing for sure until the end credits scene of Thor: The Dark World. I'd say with Feige's word, this one is a closed case. One special note, though, is that in the comics, the Space Gem is purple, but in the MCU, it's blue. This'll be important later.
The Aether: Introduced as the ancient artifact of Thor: The Dark World, the Aether is a force that is said to have existed before the Nine Realms (Asgard, Earth, etc.). A unique feature of this item is that, according to Odin, it is the only Infinity Stone to be in a liquid form. Malekith planned on using the Aether to plunge the universe back into darkness so that he and his Dark Elves could rule again. He planned to accomplish this by using the Aether to convert all matter into dark matter.
Infinity Stone: Reality
Why?: This one has yet to be confirmed by anyone, but it's really a process of elimination/logic argument. It's obviously not the stone of Time, Soul, Mind, or Space, which leaves Reality and Power. In the comics, the Power Gem is red, which left us Fanboys all imagining that it's obviously the Power Stone. However, as we'll discuss next, the Orb from Guardians of the Galaxy is the Power Stone, which means the Aether has to be the Reality Stone. And this should make sense, right? In the comics, the Reality Gem alters the natural laws of the universe to the user's will. Who was the user? Malekith. What was his will? Converting matter into dark matter. So, it should stand to reason that the Aether is capable of doing more than just what Malekith wanted it for, making it the only true candidate for the Reality Stone. Back on the topic of color, this makes the MCU Reality Stone red, but the comics Reality Stone was yellow. Again, this will be important.
The Orb: The MacGuffin of Guardians of the Galaxy, the Orb's purpose is not understood for over half the film. We finally learn of its true nature when the Guardians take the Orb to Taneleer Tivan, aka "the Collector." It's here where we learn that the Orb is actually the container for a small purple stone of unimaginable and unequaled power. Simply touching the stone to the surface of a planet will destroy it, and no single being can hold it without being destroyed themselves.
Infinity Stone: Power
Why?: Well, for this reason:
I'd say that pretty much confirms it, right guys? Which definitely means the Aether isn't the Power Stone, reaffirming my belief that it is the Reality Stone. Lastly, hammering home my point on colors, the comic book version of the Power Gem is red, but in the MCU, it's purple.
The Chitauri Scepter: The scepter (or "staff/spear") was given to Loki by Thanos and the Other at the beginning of The Avengers. Using the scepter, Loki is able to fire blasts of energy, kill using the scepter's blade, and most importantly, control people's minds. By placing the scepter on an individual's chest for a moment, the victim's eyes turn black, then fade into a milky blue. At this point, they are Loki's servants. The only known method of breaking Loki's grip on the victim is a hard and quick blow to the head, knocking the victim back to normal. The last we saw of the Chitauri Scepter, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker of HYDRA possessed it, and it was somehow being used to give ordinary humans super powers (as with Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch) in a post-credits scene for Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Infinity Stone: No.
Why?: Fans have been speculating up and down that the Chitauri Scepter is the Mind Stone of the MCU. Here are a few reasons why Fanboys and Fangirls have been thinking this way:
- Thanos is the one who gives Loki the scepter.
- The scepter gives Loki the power to control people's minds.
- There's a scene in The Avengers where Loki, while holding the scepter, seems to mentally communicate with the Other.
- While on the Helicarrier in The Avengers, the scepter seems to be able to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of the group while they're arguing, even making Bruce pick it up without realizing it.
I admit, all of these points appear valid. However, here's my list of reasons why I feel the Chitauri Scepter is NOT the Mind Stone:
- Thanos has been tracking and collecting the Infinity Stones so that he may finally wield the Infinity Gauntlet. Would Thanos really lend out one of the Infinity Stones in his possession to Loki? Some pathetic Asgardian whom Thanos probably doesn't even respect or like? Now, the Other does say at the very end that the humans aren't as weak as they were promised, so maybe Thanos gave Loki the Mind Stone thinking it would secure him the Space Stone, but I just don't see Thanos as the type of villain who would let anyone else have one of his Stones. He wouldn't even let Ronan use the Orb in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ronan seemed more like the kind of guy to get shit done, more so than a Frost Giant/Asgardian who couldn't even beat Thor one-on-one. It just doesn't seem like Thanos's style.
- As compelling as it is to assume the scepter is the Mind Stone because Loki controlled people's minds with it, how does banging someone upside the head break the grip of a freaking Infinity Stone? One warps reality, one can destroy a planet with a touch, one is an energy cube that can rip holes into the fabric of spacetime, but whacking someone's head breaks the Mind Stone's grip? I don't buy it. Not to mention the scene where Loki can't control Stark because of the arc reactor. Seriously? One of the six most powerful objects in the universe can't control Tony Stark's mind because the tip of the scepter's blade didn't "technically" touch him? Do you see how ridiculous that sounds now?
- I'll give you guys these two points: It is compelling that Loki telepathically communicated with the Other while holding the scepter, and that the scepter made everyone go ballistic on the Helicarrier. But how does the Mind Stone grant humans super powers? Seems better suited for the Reality Stone or something, wouldn't you say? Unless the gamma radiation from the Tesseract was able to mutat-…I mean, alter a normal human's DNA. Which brings me to my next point:
- In The Avengers, there are numerous references to the scepter being powered by the Tesseract. One Infinity Stone shouldn't have to power another one. Selvig says the reason why the scepter was able to shut the portal down was because it was powered by the Cube, and "you can't protect against yourself," or something. You could argue that one stone was able to beat another stone, and that's why it worked, but look at the scepter itself: the power source is BLUE! The Infinity Gems in the comics, and from the scene in Guardians of the Galaxy where the Collector was showing the backstory of the stones, it's apparent that the six Infinity Stones in the MCU (just like the comics) are all different colors. So, the Mind Stone and the Space Stone should not be the same color. I've made the whole "color" thing a big deal in this article, because the MCU isn't following the color scheme of the comics, and each Infinity Stone is a different color, so logically, the power source of the Chitauri Scepter cannot be a different Infinity Stone; it is as the characters say it is: powered by the Tesseract, aka the Space Stone.
So, for all of you readers not keeping score, that means the Power Stone (the Orb) and the Space Stone (the Tesseract) are the confirmed stones, while the Aether is suspected to be the Reality Stone. The Chitauri Scepter, in my opinion, is not an Infinity Stone, which means we still have the Time, Mind, and Soul Stones unaccounted for. So, how will these appear to us in the MCU? I've got some ideas:
Adam Warlock: In the comics, Adam Warlock (aka "Him") is created in a place called the "Beehive" to be the perfect human. He enters into a cocoon to revive himself (long story, read the comics or Google it), hence the cocoon we see in Thor: The Dark World and Guardians of the Galaxy. James Gunn himself confirmed that inside the cocoon is Adam Warlock.
Infinity Stone: Soul
Why?: In the comics, Adam Warlock possessed the green Soul Gem! Do you see the significance now? Granted, in the MCU, there's a strong possibility the Soul Stone won't be green, but it's the most likely source we have at the moment, especially considering you eagle-eyed geeks. Confused about what I mean? Well in the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy, if you're quick enough to catch it, you'll notice that in the rubble, the cocoon is broken—and empty! This means that Adam Warlock is walking around the MCU! This, on top of Gunn saying that he wants to introduce a new member to the Guardians of the Galaxy in the sequel, points to Warlock. Again, you may ask why, and the answer is: Adam Warlock is a member of the Guardians in the comics! The sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy is practically writing itself.
Doctor Strange: Dr. Stephen Strange, once the world's greatest and most egotistical neurosurgeon, shatters the bones in his hands in an automobile accident. Seeking a cure that medical science cannot provide, Strange seeks out the help of the mystical arts and finds himself in the company of a monk known as the Ancient One in the Himalayas. Using artifacts such as the Eye of Agamotto, the Orb of Agamotto, the Book of the Vishanti, and the Cloak of Levitation, Stephen becomes Earth's next Sorcerer Supreme and one of the Marvel Universe's greatest heroes.
Infinity Stone: Time or Mind
Why?: This is purely an educated guess, but Doctor Strange makes perfect sense to introduce another Infinity Stone in. You have a guy who can enter other dimensions and uses ancient artifacts as the source of his powers. I'd like to share a quote from Kevin Feige concerning the possibility of a Doctor Strange film:
"I just watched the Neil deGrasse Tyson 'Cosmos' series, which is amazing, and which may as well be an acid trip. It is mind-bending and it's all based in physics and based in quantum mechanics. We're going to play a lot with the notion of that as an explanation for how the sorcerers do what they do."
Since the Reality Stone isn't necessarily confirmed, part of me wanted to imagine that this stone might be linked to Doctor Strange, but if they want to explain Strange's magic using quantum physics, then it stands to reason that there's no need to warp reality here; it'll all be based on the normal workings of the universe. As someone who studied quantum mechanics and physics in college, this is exciting to me, and it's why I feel either the Mind Stone or the Time Stone would suit this film.
This leaves only the Infinity Gauntlet undiscussed. As many Marvel fans know, the Infinity Gauntlet was an Easter Egg in Thor:
Since we know at the end of Thor: The Dark World that Loki is now posing as Odin and sitting on the throne of Asgard, the only way for Thanos to obtain the Infinity Gauntlet is to either invade Asgard or force Loki to cough it up. Or, if the rumors are true and the third Thor film will involve the Norse apocalypse, the Ragnarok, it's possible in the chaos of that film that someone steals the Gauntlet and delivers it to Thanos. There are so many possible scenarios that can play out right now that it's nearly impossible to know what Feige is planning next.
So, if the Chitauri Scepter isn't the Mind Stone, and Doctor Strange does contain an Infinity Stone in the film, that leaves one missing, either Time or Mind, depending upon which is featured in Doctor Strange. Honestly, it's still up in the air to me how everything will fall into place. What do YOU think will happen? Is the scepter the Mind Stone? Will Adam Warlock appear in Guardians 2 and have the Soul Stone? Will Doctor Strange find one of the stones in another dimension? How will Thanos obtain all of the stones and the gauntlet? Let us know in the comments section! Thanks for reading, everybody! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!
