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Topic: The Hypersexualization of Women in Comics Post ReplyPost New Topic
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John Byrne
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Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132135
Posted: 18 September 2017 at 11:50am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

That particular mask style seems to have originated with Alex Raymond, in a Flash Gordon adventure that took place under water. The headpiece was worn to equalize pressure in the ears.

Of course, it also looked cool, so it became a standard trope in sci-fi, and later superheroes. Angel, in the X-Men, adopted a few variants on the form.

It's a style that works for me only with relatively short hair. When Captan Marvel kept his (white) hair trimmed, the mask worked, especially when Neal Adams drew it. When Starlin made the (blonde) hair long, I could not understand how it worked. Had Mar-Vell cut away the sides of his headgear, or was he a literal mop-top?

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Eric Sofer
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Joined: 31 January 2014
Location: United States
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Posted: 18 September 2017 at 1:02pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply

I greatly appreciated that mask style with Kid Flash, and also with Quasar for the brief time he had it.

I don't recall it being used for women too often... undoubtedly reflecting Mr. Byrne's sensibilities that long hair probably just wouldn't work with that style. To that end, it occurs to me that there just weren't a lot of women with short hair in comics until... I think I gotta go with the Wasp.

I guess that's one of the characters who was kind hypersexualized in her behavior that didn't relay in the least on her costume or appearance. Then again, I don't suppose Stan or Jack had a lot of experience being a teenaged woman...
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