What if Superheros Weren't Attractive?

[Ex_]

I've always wondered: if superheroes were ugly/hideous, would people like them as much? Sure, a lot of them have masks on, and for that reason, people don't like them. Those without masks are loved by the public--but they're beautiful people.

What if Superman were hideous? What if Reed Richards was disgusting?

[Blind pugh]

Then they wouldn't have the public support they do.
People are shallow

[Henker]

Male characters? Wouldn't matter. Just look at Deadpool, he's hideous and still has a sizable fanbase. Female characters would have hard time gaining support though.

[Ex_]

Male characters? Wouldn't matter. Just look at Deadpool, he's hideous and still has a sizable fanbase. Female characters would have hard time gaining support though.

I'm not talking about meta..I mean in the MU.

Also, Deadpool is a mercenary and a nutcase. I'm talking heroes.

[Hrist]

Male characters? Wouldn't matter. Just look at Deadpool, he's hideous and still has a sizable fanbase. Female characters would have hard time gaining support though.

No, superheroes are highly sexualized on both sides of the equation. While female characters have boobs out to here, male characters have hyper-defined muscles and the tight spandex suits to show them off. Deadpool's an exception, but even he cuts a nice enough figure in spandex. Still, it's like saying, the Thing is ugly, so all heroes can be. The things ugliness works in part because it's such a contrast from the stereotypical superhero.

But yeah, if we're talking in-universe, I'd imagine they'd be less popular if they were ugly. I mean, that's presumably one of the reasons they distrust mutants, for all that most the prominent mutants are super-attractive, too. I mean, part of Daredevil's in-universe appeal is his backside, and we saw in Alias that Jessica Jones kept a picture of Johnny Storm on the wall, so their sexuality is part of their popular appeal.

[Ex_]

No, superheroes are highly sexualized on both sides of the equation. While female characters have boobs out to here, male characters have hyper-defined muscles and the tight spandex suits to show them off. Deadpool's an exception, but even he cuts a nice enough figure in spandex. Still, it's like saying, the Thing is ugly, so all heroes can be. The things ugliness works in part because it's such a contrast from the stereotypical superhero.

But yeah, if we're talking in-universe, I'd imagine they'd be less popular if they were ugly. I mean, that's presumably one of the reasons they distrust mutants, for all that most the prominent mutants are super-attractive, too. I mean, part of Daredevil's in-universe appeal is his backside, and we saw in Alias that Jessica Jones kept a picture of Johnny Storm on the wall, so their sexuality is part of their popular appeal.



Would people trust them if they were hideous? If Man-Thing were the hero of New York City, how many people would be cool with that?

[striderhirryu2]

Watchmen had ugly heroes and that didn't seem it affect it's popularity. But it wasn't your typical superhero book so that may be moot.

[Ex_]

Watchmen had ugly heroes and that didn't seem it affect it's popularity. But it wasn't your typical superhero book so that may be moot.

Who was ugly? Of the unmasked guys, I thought Ozymandias and Silk Spectre were hot stuff.

[Hrist]

Would people trust them if they were hideous? If Man-Thing were the hero of New York City, how many people would be cool with that?

I think it depends on the situation. I could see a story written convincingly where they were trusted in spite of their physical appearance (I mean, again, there's Ben Grimm) but I think it would be a lot less likely, and the story would probably be centered around that difficulty, if that makes sense? It would definitely be a huge barrier to public acceptance.

[Arckangelus]

We wouldn't see nearly as many of them having sex as we do now.

[Ex_]

I think it depends on the situation. I could see a story written convincingly where they were trusted in spite of their physical appearance (I mean, again, there's Ben Grimm) but I think it would be a lot less likely, and the story would probably be centered around that difficulty, if that makes sense? It would definitely be a huge barrier to public acceptance.

We've seen MANY instances of people being afraid of Ben Grimm, though. He's been with the FF for years (even in comic time), and people are still disgusted by him. He has a good amount of support, but he's easily the least popular of the FF.

[striderhirryu2]

Rorsiarch was skinny and gingery, Niteowl was fat and curly, Doc Manhattan was blue, Comedian was kinda dirtbag looking.

[Ex_]

Rorsiarch was skinny and gingery, Niteowl was fat and curly, Doc Manhattan was blue, Comedian was kinda dirtbag looking.

You're looking at it from the reader's perspective.

Rorschach was skinny and gross, but he had a large coat on, a mask, and he wore lifts. He was a creepy unknown guy. Nite-Owl became fat and gross, but in the time he was fighting crime, he was jacked.

Doctor Manhattan is God.

[Hrist]

We've seen MANY instances of people being afraid of Ben Grimm, though. He's been with the FF for years (even in comic time), and people are still disgusted by him. He has a good amount of support, but he's easily the least popular of the FF.

Sure, but I'd say he's still more popular than Spider-man or, hell, pick a mutant, any mutant. The public of the MU is fickle and difficult to understand.

[coldstar]

Rorsiarch was skinny and gingery, Niteowl was fat and curly, Doc Manhattan was blue, Comedian was kinda dirtbag looking.

Yeah, and look how popular they all were in-universe... :rolleyes:

From an external perspective, a lot of people could probably deal as long as the writing was good. Actually, I wish they'd do this more often--not care about sexualizing the characters and instead focus on the story/personalities involved. I mean, seriously, if you look at how the characters in spandex are presented... every male is a lifelong, crazy-diligent bodybuilder (even the ones with mental powers), and every female has boobs about twice normal size. Honestly. I would think one of the major points of skintight clothing is that females wouldn't have their boobs hanging out in a fight. But nope, all of them are so marvelously endowed... :rolleyes: Same with the males (to a lesser extent) whenever they show crotches in drawings.

From an in-universe perspective... I'd say it'd depend on the publicity the character gets--and, of course, how much time (s)he spends with the mask off. People are fine praising ugly people who do good works--they just don't want to look at them on-TV. Probably every superteam would end up having a few media favorites who would become their PR people, just because they're the faces the public likes best. And solo heroes would get media love based on their appearance first, and achievements second--ugly people could get approval, but they'd have to work a hell of a lot harder.

...people suck. :frown:

[striderhirryu2]

You're looking at it from the reader's perspective.

Rorschach was skinny and gross, but he had a large coat on, a mask, and he wore lifts. He was a creepy unknown guy. Nite-Owl became fat and gross, but in the time he was fighting crime, he was jacked.

Doctor Manhattan is God.

Well they yanked off his mask and outed his identity to the world. Then his landlady went on about how he made sexual advances on her.

[Munkiman]

An unrealistic ratio of superheroes (especially heroines) are attractive because they're not meant to be realistic. If they were then they wouldn't be able to fly or shoot lasers from their eyes.

Watchmen is different because it had putting the unrealistic idea of superheroes into a harshly realistic and cynical setting as a major theme. But besides occasional subversions like Watchmen or, say, Runaways with Gertrude Yorkes, superheroes are attractive, and that's because they are fictional characters primarily designed to entertain and sell comic books, and frankly a lot of guys are much more likely to pick up a comic book they see on a newsstand if there's a huge pair of boobs on the cover.

Ask yourself honestly (this is directed at the (straight) males in the audience): do you not want to see skinny women with big boobs in spandex costumes kicking the crap out of supervillains?

That's what I thought.

[Silvercrow]

I think normal everyday heroes that only work at night could get away with it e.g. Daredevil, because well no one see's them but nationally icons such as Captain America imagine id he was fubared i don't imagine him being loved by the public as much even if he did fight a war.


BTW first post

[MTL76]

Funny topic.

I think there's a difference between someone like the Thing, who's "ugly" in a cool, comic-book style way (add any number of mutants to that list), and a character who's just run-of-the-mill ugly. Can't think of any of those off the top of my head that are superheroes, it would be an interesting idea. As in, "Hey, guys, why do they keep cropping my face out of the team photos in the newspaper? What a coincidence, huh?"

Or maybe not, I dunno.

[ScottyQuick]

No, superheroes are highly sexualized on both sides of the equation.

No, they aren't. Are you really trying to say that there's a comic where Batman is drawn with his humongous junk barely staying in his pants, with Superman to the side, ass and junk visible, and Ollie on the other side, with a painful wedgie so we can see his butt, like the depictions of Diana, Dinah and Mari in JLA (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f3SZ5Tu916o/RxYOUv0C89I/AAAAAAAACXw/sAhOCVo9oOk/s1600-h/2mxn8uh.jpg)?

-ahem-

I think that's a interesting question. I mean, certainly they wouldn't be as well trusted if they looked like Deadpool, but if they were a norm so that every city was with an ugly superhero, who knows?

[Hrist]

No, they aren't. Are you really trying to say that there's a comic where Batman is drawn with his humongous junk barely staying in his pants, with Superman to the side, ass and junk visible, and Ollie on the other side, with a painful wedgie so we can see his butt, like the depictions of Diana, Dinah and Mari in JLA (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f3SZ5Tu916o/RxYOUv0C89I/AAAAAAAACXw/sAhOCVo9oOk/s1600-h/2mxn8uh.jpg)?

Uh, no, I didn't say they were equally sexualized. I just said that males are sexualized, and they are. I don't see any actual police or military units walking around in spandex that displays every ripple of muscle. I mean, the easy criticism of the genre is that it's an "adolescent male power fantasy", right?

[Arschloch]

The thing is that muscles make otherwise ugly people attractive. I have a cousin who was hard to look at, but then he started juicin and hitting the weights, now he's a freakin Adonis.

It would take a really hurting looking face for the muscle factor not to work. Kirby used to be able to make muscled people pretty ugly (like Loki and the Wrecker), but not many artists can or do.

[NickFury90]

Frank Quitely has based his entire career on this very topic.

[striderhirryu2]

Along with Humberto Ramos.

But seriously if we're talking from the common person's view, then this question is kind of irelevent. Most heroes have secret identities to cover their faces so if it's not from the reader's perspective then it doesn't have much of an effect.

[coldstar]

But seriously if we're talking from the common person's view, then this question is kind of irelevent. Most heroes have secret identities to cover their faces so if it's not from the reader's perspective then it doesn't have much of an effect.

It's not irrelevant. First off, we've (so far) been talking more about the over-sexualized body type: skinny with big boobs for females, hypermuscular (even when it makes no sense) for males. This can be (and is) displayed easily with or without masks. And secondly, we're talking about more than just the secret-identity heroes; public heroes like Rogers, Stark, and Frost would probably have a harder time finding acceptance (or positive media, anyways) if their faces weren't viewer-friendly.

[striderhirryu2]

Oooooh okay well then, Tony wouldn't have a problem he's a rich business man. Emma's had plastic surgery. Steve's an old man, and no one checks out old men, so he clear. My little brother and I were counting all the blonde hair blue eyed nazi poster models and there are an astounding amount of them. Starting with Emma, Ms. Marvel, Sue Storm, Stature, Moonstone, Sharon Carter Steve Rogers Hawkeye Baron Zemo Swordsman Hulkling Genis-Vell Quasar. That's just off the top of my head too.

Edit: Crystal Cloud 9 Thor Girl Ultra Girl Jennifer Kale Johnny Blaze

[KrullWall]

It would be boring.

[JaredMilne]

I've always wondered: if superheroes were ugly/hideous, would people like them as much? Sure, a lot of them have masks on, and for that reason, people don't like them. Those without masks are loved by the public--but they're beautiful people.

What if Superman were hideous? What if Reed Richards was disgusting?

It already works that way to a certain extent in the Marvel Universe itself. In addition to the Thing, look at how humans reacted to Sleepwalker when he first appeared. Sleepwalker is a very tall, sometimes very skinny alien with long, spindly limbs, olive green skin, and glowing buglike compound eyes.

When he first began fighting crime, he ended up being attacked by the very people he tried to protect, who often thought the criminals he captured were innocent humans that he attacked. He ended up getting treated a lot like a mutant would under similar circumstances...or at least one of the ugly, inhuman-looking ones would, like a lot of the members of Gene Nation, for instace.

If people could see at least some part of Spider-Man's actual body, they'd probably think more highly of him, although at least part of his problem is J. Jonah Jameson's vendetta that uses the Daily Bugle to make him look bad. Hell, if they could actually see what he looked like, he'd probably get his own female fan club. :P

Other heroes who wear all-encompassing costumes might have similar excuses, or not. I wouldn't be surprised, for example, if your average layman thinks Iron Man is actually a robot, at least until Tony Stark revealed his identity. Likewise, many people probably don't know the Hulk's story-all they know about him is that he's a big green/grey creature that causes a lot of destruction whenever he gets mad, and could easily think he's a mutant, an alien, or something else entirely.

[BBeeryan]

Then Ororo Iqadi T'Challa wouldn't be considered a Superhero.

[Ex_]

It's just an interesting concept to think of. What if the most public, esteemed hero was unmasked and disgusting?

If Superman was gross, or if Captain America was covered in lesions? I think things would be pretty different.

[celticguy]

well someone like spider man who nobody knows who he is I don't see it mattering.


the thing is ugly but he has won people over it can be done

[coldstar]

the thing is ugly but he has won people over it can be done

Eh, the Thing is ugly in a superhero way. As in, he's kind of freaky to look at... but not ugly as such. Not repulsive, just bizarre and possibly frightening. I mean seriously... he's big, kinda squarish, and made of rock. That's pretty much all the ugly he's got. He looks nonhuman, not human and butt-ugly. People find it easier to be repulsed by someone when they can see them as like them, but worse-looking. The Thing isn't "like them".

[striderhirryu2]

Well how about Doctor Strange or Hulk? Bruce Banner is a pencil necked sissy and a big gross green brute. Dr. Strange is wrinkly and has that gross Ron Burgandy-esque moustache

[Crowforge]

I'm not talking about meta..I mean in the MU.

Also, Deadpool is a mercenary and a nutcase. I'm talking heroes.
It would be accepted as being part of the price of power. A lot of inter-hero dating and possibly a few escort services that cater to the worse off capes.

[IamBATFAN]

whats physically attractive about Wolverine/Logan? or the movie version of Mystique? yeah it was Rebecca Romijn but she was covered in scales and pointy stuff; or what about the regular blue version Mystique in the comics? she has a nice body but she's blue and has no eyes!

Imagine if Steve Rogers looked like Clint Howard
http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/w/L/8/curious01280613.jpg

Hardly anyone's fantasies involve "ugly" people which is what comics are, by the same token take into account the time comics exist.
If comics were around the time of DaVinci or Michelangelo when full figured women were considered attractive for that time, by todays standards those fantasy ideals would be considered absurd to some.
Also take into consideration the artist. Someone brought up Frank Quitely, even his version of Emma Frost isnt that good looking.

[desanth]

If superheroes weren't so attractive, I think they'd have more full masks, rather than be left open/covering just the eyes.

[$5 Milkshake]

I think there's no question that superheroes would be less popular if they were fugly. It works on the same line as movies, how many unattractive actors/actresses lose work to hot ones who arent half as talented?

[LungerTony]

I think it'd be funny and cool if there were more superheroes/heroines that were in godly shape. Having out of shape superheroes would be funny, and I guess it goes with them not being super attractive.
Obviously though your not going to have an-out of shape Iron Fist/Daredevil power-set type of character, but you know what I mean.

[Crowforge]

Blue Beetle was out of shape.

[Ex_]

I think there's no question that superheroes would be less popular if they were fugly. It works on the same line as movies, how many unattractive actors/actresses lose work to hot ones who arent half as talented?

Again, I'm not talking about meta...I mean if the heroes were ugly and unattractive in the Marvel Universe, would the public trust them less?

[$5 Milkshake]

Again, I'm not talking about meta...I mean if the heroes were ugly and unattractive in the Marvel Universe, would the public trust them less?

lol ahhhhhh, so you mean the fictional populace of the MU? Sorry, I did the "I didnt read the whole thread" mistake.

I doubt it would make a difference. There's lots of ugly cops and firemen, but I wouldnt trust them any less than the ones who look like strippers in costume.

[striderhirryu2]

Again, I'm not talking about meta...I mean if the heroes were ugly and unattractive in the Marvel Universe, would the public trust them less?

Well in that case yes because the populace is stupid.

[Crowforge]

On the flip side I can imagine them becoming something to emulate if they did really amazing, save the world type stuff. They'd have their own groupies and ugly guys pretending to be superheroes. Cleft palate? No I'm a super, baby.

[mattmanbass]

In my humble opinion, comic books are a form of fantasy, and who the hell fantasizes about ugly people?

[celticguy]

Eh, the Thing is ugly in a superhero way. As in, he's kind of freaky to look at... but not ugly as such. Not repulsive, just bizarre and possibly frightening. I mean seriously... he's big, kinda squarish, and made of rock. That's pretty much all the ugly he's got. He looks nonhuman, not human and butt-ugly. People find it easier to be repulsed by someone when they can see them as like them, but worse-looking. The Thing isn't "like them".

the thread was talking about superheros no?

he is ugly he spent his first decade saying little else.

[Ex_]

the thread was talking about superheros no?

he is ugly he spent his first decade saying little else.

Yeah, the Thing is ****ing disgusting. He looks bearable in the illustrations, but the way he's described within the books, he is hideous and terrifying.

[James Conniff]

Yeah, the Thing is ****ing disgusting. He looks bearable in the illustrations, but the way he's described within the books, he is hideous and terrifying.

That's not why the Thing is good with the ladies.

[newscott]

I've always wondered: if superheroes were ugly/hideous, would people like them as much? Sure, a lot of them have masks on, and for that reason, people don't like them. Those without masks are loved by the public--but they're beautiful people.

What if Superman were hideous? What if Reed Richards was disgusting?

Well, the movies would be harder to cast, I suppose...

[zinjak]

well, while not always drawn this way, wolverine is short , super hirsute and not realy all that attractive and he still he seems to get the ladies based solely on his testosterone.

[newscott]

well, while not always drawn this way, wolverine is short , super hirsute and not realy all that attractive and he still he seems to get the ladies based solely on his testosterone.

That totally describes Hugh Jackman. I see why he was the perfect casting!

[celticguy]

Well, the movies would be harder to cast, I suppose...
or easier if you were going strictly for acting ability and not looks.

[zinjak]

That totally describes Hugh Jackman. I see why he was the perfect casting!


lol


isnt Jackman actually pretty tall?

and either many a lady is blinded by said testosterone or your in the minority i think on Jackmans looks.

[Deadpooligan]

The Thing isn't that disgusting. This guy induces vomiting on sight.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2261/uglydeadpool.png

[zinjak]

The Thing isn't that disgusting. This guy induces vomiting on sight.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2261/uglydeadpool.png

hehe that was a funny comic.

[Ex_]

hehe that was a funny comic.

That is HILARIOUS. What is that from?

[newscott]

lol


isnt Jackman actually pretty tall?

and either many a lady is blinded by said testosterone or your in the minority i think on Jackmans looks.

Yeah, he's 6'3".

And Australian.

I blame the 80's cartoons with Wolverine in them.

"What? Shey's nawt joinin' tha X-Men, izzshe? She's Justa kid!" - Pryde of the X-Men

[Deadpooligan]

That is HILARIOUS. What is that from?

Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular.

Paul Pelletier draws Deadpool's face the ugliest it's ever been seen. (And I mean that in a good way).

[zinjak]

Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular.

Paul Pelletier draws Deadpool's face the ugliest it's ever been seen. (And I mean that in a good way).


yeah that was a great one shot, all the stories in their were just so good. and yes pelletier draws deadpool as ugly as he can be, did he draw the issues of wolverine origins where deadpool was in it or did somebody just copy his look when wade took of his mask?

[zinjak]

Yeah, he's 6'3".

And Australian.

I blame the 80's cartoons with Wolverine in them.

"What? Shey's nawt joinin' tha X-Men, izzshe? She's Justa kid!" - Pryde of the X-Men

yeah i dont know why they decided logan was like that in the older x men cartoons, he had the same aussie accent in that episode of "Amazing Friends" too

[Deadpooligan]

yeah that was a great one shot, all the stories in their were just so good. and yes pelletier draws deadpool as ugly as he can be, did he draw the issues of wolverine origins where deadpool was in it or did somebody just copy his look when wade took of his mask?

Steve Dillon (of Preacher and MK Punisher fame) drew Deadpool's appearances in Wolverine Origins.

Ed McGuinness drew a pretty distinctively ugly Deadpool, though we only got scant glimpses of his face back when he was drawing his book.

[newscott]

yeah i dont know why they decided logan was like that in the older x men cartoons, he had the same aussie accent in that episode of "Amazing Friends" too

Both episodes. "The X-Men Adventure" and "A Firestar is Born".

[zinjak]

Both episodes. "The X-Men Adventure" and "A Firestar is Born".
i did not realise that there were two episodes with the x men, just firestar is born

[newscott]

i did not realise that there were two episodes with the x men, just firestar is born

There is another one, yeah, where they fight a Cyborg bad guy. Thunderbird is in it, too, but for whatever reason, he can turn into a bear.

The Firestar episode is the better of the two, but Juggernaut makes everything better.

[Libaax]

Frank Quitely has based his entire career on this very topic.

Thats why i also found him interesting. He doesnt draw super model looking people. Their faces are fun because its not uber good looking.

[Crowforge]

Ross Campbell does really nice, different girls.

[Samanthab]

its just like asking what if christ is as ugly as hell and buddha has no arms and legs

[Ex_]

its just like asking what if christ is as ugly as hell and buddha has no arms and legs

No, dude. It's not like that at all.

[Crowforge]

Sure it is. If some ugly guy saves your baby his looks really stop mattering.