Too Much Pepper

[Monty_Cristo]

My therapist has helped me get to the bottom of my hatred for Pepper Potts. it's not that she was pushy about being upgraded into R.E.S.C.U.E after berating Stark for turning her into a weapon. it's not that she guilted Tony into pulling Happy Hogan's plug right before hitting on Anthem (and then later Tony, himself). what it comes down to is her look. Larocca has her looking like a post-botched-plastic surgery Nicole Kidman...if you left her out in the rain, overnight. i could forgive Pepper anything if she were cute as she is impetuous. me, i think she should look more like Bryce Dallas Howard or Christina Hendricks. i just don't buy Nicole Kidman as a super administrative assistant. plus, the iffy plastic surgery makes her a poor role model for young women. won't someone think of the young women?!! are you with me on this?

[IronMagnus]

Should she look more like Gwyneth Paltrow?

[TonyStark1012]

My therapist has helped me get to the bottom of my hatred for Pepper Potts. it's not that she was pushy about being upgraded into R.E.S.C.U.E after berating Stark for turning her into a weapon. it's not that she guilted Tony into pulling Happy Hogan's plug right before hitting on Anthem (and then later Tony, himself). what it comes down to is her look. Larocca has her looking like a post-botched-plastic surgery Nicole Kidman...if you left her out in the rain, overnight. i could forgive Pepper anything if she were cute as she is impetuous. me, i think she should look more like Bryce Dallas Howard or Christina Hendricks. i just don't buy Nicole Kidman as a super administrative assistant. plus, the iffy plastic surgery makes her a poor role model for young women. won't someone think of the young women?!! are you with me on this?

I don't care for her looks, but it's the other stuff you mentioned Monty that pisses me off.

[Monty_Cristo]

Should she look more like Gwyneth Paltrow?

i'd be for that. but it's almost too obvious.

[rpriske]

She is the best part of Invincible Iron Man.

Not that it is a ringing endorsement.

[Smoothesuede]

She is the best part of Invincible Iron Man.

Not that it is a ringing endorsement.

I agree with this, but without the last bit. I find her character very readable and I enjoy her scenes just as much if not more than Tony's.
Larocca.... Not so much. I don't see the botched Kidman look you're referring to, but his characters in general are hit-or-miss. Some of her panels look stunning; others are homely.
But then she was never intended to be at Carol Danvers level of beauty.

[Vic Vega]

I was hoping this was a rant against spicy food.

Curses, foiled again.

[rpriske]

But then she was never intended to be at Carol Danvers level of beauty.


Hmmm... it is hard to guage this directly since it changes from artist to artist, but my 'mental picture' of Pepper has her being much better looking than my 'mental picture' of Danvers.

Neither of them reach Mary-Jane or Spider-Woman.

[Hrist]

Hmmm... it is hard to guage this directly since it changes from artist to artist, but my 'mental picture' of Pepper has her being much better looking than my 'mental picture' of Danvers.

Neither of them reach Mary-Jane or Spider-Woman.

There was a post on CSBG (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/06/29/foggy-ruins-of-time-2/) about Pepper's original appearance and then her later glamorization into a more conventionally attractive character.

Anyway, I find the way Fraction has handled the character off-putting, largely because of that sex scene where Tony was losing his mind/memories. Skeevy.

[Monty_Cristo]

I agree with this, but without the last bit. I find her character very readable and I enjoy her scenes just as much if not more than Tony's.
Larocca.... Not so much. I don't see the botched Kidman look you're referring to, but his characters in general are hit-or-miss. Some of her panels look stunning; others are homely.
But then she was never intended to be at Carol Danvers level of beauty.

i'm not asking for her to be stunning. i said she should look like Bryce Dallas Howard i.e. cute but intelligent. that seems to be the characterization Fraction is going for. but Nicole Kidman's look doesn't fit that characterization, imo.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/19940/450080-pepper_potts_01.jpg

[marvell2100]

My therapist has helped me get to the bottom of my hatred for Pepper Potts. it's not that she was pushy about being upgraded into R.E.S.C.U.E after berating Stark for turning her into a weapon. it's not that she guilted Tony into pulling Happy Hogan's plug right before hitting on Anthem (and then later Tony, himself). what it comes down to is her look. Larocca has her looking like a post-botched-plastic surgery Nicole Kidman...if you left her out in the rain, overnight. i could forgive Pepper anything if she were cute as she is impetuous. me, i think she should look more like Bryce Dallas Howard or Christina Hendricks. i just don't buy Nicole Kidman as a super administrative assistant. plus, the iffy plastic surgery makes her a poor role model for young women. won't someone think of the young women?!! are you with me on this?

Donj't blame Pepper, blame Salvador! Look at what he's done to poor Rhodey! He's gotten shorter and he changes looks like de chameleon! One minute he looks like Don Howard and the next he looks like Terrance Cheadle!

[Monty_Cristo]

Donj't blame Pepper, blame Salvador! Look at what he's done to poor Rhodey! He's gotten shorter and he changes looks like de chameleon! One minute he looks like Don Howard and the next he looks like Terrance Cheadle!

that's just it. i'm not blaming Pepper. i think she just needs a new face. i started out loving the idea of Rescue. but they made the armor bland looking and that made me notice that she looks like a doped up Nicole Kidman.

[marvell2100]

that's just it. i'm not blaming Pepper. i think she just needs a new face. i started out loving the idea of Rescue. but they made the armor bland looking and that made me notice that she looks like a doped up Nicole Kidman.

He started out making her look plain early on. Maybe he just "dolled" her up for the big party for Stark Resilient. At least I hope. But you're right, Pepper shouldn't look like a model or Hollywood starlet.

[PympMyQuinjet]

I don't really mind Pepper so much, its the new Rescue suit that irks me. The first incarnation looked soooo cool, literally what a female Iron Man suit should look like. But now she just looks exactly like Tony's suit. Not fun.

[Pixie_Solanas]

I hate that dumpy girl friday.

Bring back some of Tony's classic ladies, one not afraid to flaunt their sexuality as part of their weaponry.

[marvell2100]

I hate that dumpy girl friday.

Bring back some of Tony's classic ladies, one not afraid to flaunt their sexuality as part of their weaponry.

Madame Masque. Bethany Cabe. Natasha Romanov. Kathy Dare?

[Pixie_Solanas]

madame masque. Bethany cabe. Natasha romanov. Kathy dare?

yes yeees yeeeees yeeeeeees!

[Monty_Cristo]

I hate that dumpy girl friday.

Bring back some of Tony's classic ladies, one not afraid to flaunt their sexuality as part of their weaponry.

Bethany Cabe Bethany Cabe Bethany Cabe!

[Taiso]

My therapist has helped me get to the bottom of my hatred for Pepper Potts. it's not that she was pushy about being upgraded into R.E.S.C.U.E after berating Stark for turning her into a weapon. it's not that she guilted Tony into pulling Happy Hogan's plug right before hitting on Anthem (and then later Tony, himself). what it comes down to is her look. Larocca has her looking like a post-botched-plastic surgery Nicole Kidman...if you left her out in the rain, overnight. i could forgive Pepper anything if she were cute as she is impetuous. me, i think she should look more like Bryce Dallas Howard or Christina Hendricks. i just don't buy Nicole Kidman as a super administrative assistant. plus, the iffy plastic surgery makes her a poor role model for young women. won't someone think of the young women?!! are you with me on this?

I think she should look like Pepper Potts, not like some real life movie star.

The movies should never define the comics version of the characters. The comics should define, absolutely, the movie version of the character.

As for being a role model, who said Pepper had to be a role model to anyone?

Yes, I'm aware that your post is meant somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

But no, I'm not with you on this.

I think Pepper as R.E.S.C.U.E. is a bigger stretch, but I'm enjoying Fraction's Iron Man enough that I'm willing to give it a chance for good story opportunities.

[gorthon616]

i'm not asking for her to be stunning. i said she should look like Bryce Dallas Howard i.e. cute but intelligent. that seems to be the characterization Fraction is going for. but Nicole Kidman's look doesn't fit that characterization, imo.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/19940/450080-pepper_potts_01.jpg

holy crap, she does look like nicole kidman.

that said, i don't see anything wrong with her look. i don't get really hung up on faces of comic women, since rarely do the facial features ever look the same for very long even amongst the same artists.

[KNuff]

I'm not a big fan of the Nicole Kidman look too. It is kind of distracting but not enough to distract from the story. I remember being distracted more by Penance/Speedball played by Edward Norton's giant head (Ellis' Thunderbolts) care of Deodato. THAT was distracting. Can't find that picture online though

[Talisman]

I hate that dumpy girl friday.

Bring back some of Tony's classic ladies, one not afraid to flaunt their sexuality as part of their weaponry.
Or who have personalities other than cranky c u next tuesdays.

[Talisman]

Madame Masque. Bethany Cabe. Natasha Romanov. Kathy Dare?

<3<3 You read my mind!!!!!!

[Vic Vega]

Salva would probably have an easier time of it if somebody just told him outright to make Tony RDJ, Rhodey Don Chedle and Pep Paltrow.

He seem to be stuck between using the Iron Man movies for references and just using famous actors in general.

Of course they may have already asked Paltrow if they could use her likeness and she said no.

[rpriske]

His Stark isn't RDJ. It is the dude who played Sawyer from Lost.

At least he consistantly copies the look, as opposed to what Land does.


The art has me close to dropping the book.

[Exo]

Arguably the worst thing to come out of Fraction's run, I don't like the way he's been molding her character at all. Pepper comes off as being infantile in WMW through SR and she's taking up more space with each issue.

She needs to be sent off on a much needed vacation to deathsville.

[Smoothesuede]

I'm not a big fan of the Nicole Kidman look too. It is kind of distracting but not enough to distract from the story. I remember being distracted more by Penance/Speedball played by Edward Norton's giant head (Ellis' Thunderbolts) care of Deodato. THAT was distracting. Can't find that picture online thoughTom Cruise as Nightcrawler during the Extremists was also highly infuriating, or Cable's John Travolta look on the cover to some of the later issues of his most recent series.





http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/19940/450080-pepper_potts_01.jpg
Eh, I still don't see the resemblance, but I'm willing to say that's because I don't know actors and actresses to save my life. She just looks like Pepper to me. I'd be more apt to say Kidman looks like Potts than the other way around, haha.

But I think her recent look has been close to what I personally place her mental image as. Larocca's better panels do a good job of conveying cute-but intelligent to me. More often though I'm starting to see something of a Wednesday Afternoon Soccer Mom kind of deal; frumpy hair and slightly tired expressions with casual clothes, letting us in on the fact that she wishes for more, thanks to the suit. I think that also works to her favor, and I'm pleased with that look for her right now.

[Soundrave]

http://shirtoid.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/tigers-love-pepper1.jpg

[KNuff]

Tom Cruise as Nightcrawler during the Extremists was also highly infuriating, or Cable's John Travolta look on the cover to some of the later issues of his most recent series.

Tom Cruise? that's funny. I completely missed that though. I shall look back.

[Froggy]

I'm dying of laughter cause o this thread


this is awesome

srsly though it hasn't bugged me that much

i hate it when it's not hitch doing it and people make it way too obv

[Whitster]

It strikes me as odd that so many people can be fans of Iron Man but want Pepper taken out of the series despite her being part of his supporting cast for years? :confused:

[Hullababy]

It strikes me as odd that so many people can be fans of Iron Man but want Pepper taken out of the series despite her being part of his supporting cast for years? :confused:

Meh. The only time I liked Pepper was during Busiek's Iron Man run. And Larroca's art is a major turn off for me. I like Fraction's writing but the art nearly kills the book.

And Bethany Cabe FTW!

[Monty_Cristo]

It strikes me as odd that so many people can be fans of Iron Man but want Pepper taken out of the series despite her being part of his supporting cast for years? :confused:

i didn't ask for her to be removed. i just don't want her to look like Nicole Kidman.

[Talisman]

It strikes me as odd that so many people can be fans of Iron Man but want Pepper taken out of the series despite her being part of his supporting cast for years? :confused:
Because he's had better supporting cast members??? Why is it odd that people don't enjoy an annoying character?

[Exo]

It strikes me as odd that so many people can be fans of Iron Man but want Pepper taken out of the series despite her being part of his supporting cast for years? :confused:

So? Some of the best IM stories told doesn't include the "amazing" Pepper Potts (extremis and haunted come to mind). I wouldn't mind it so much if Fraction downplayed her part a bit.

[Monty_Cristo]

so when is Spymaster going to pull off his Ms.Arbogast mask?

[marvell2100]

so when is Spymaster going to pull off his Ms.Arbogast mask?

Mrs. Arbogast is a vampire?

[Monty_Cristo]

Mrs. Arbogast is a vampire?

Spymaster is a vampire??

[Talisman]

So? Some of the best IM stories told doesn't include the "amazing" Pepper Potts (extremis and haunted come to mind). I wouldn't mind it so much if Fraction downplayed her part a bit.
Or the entirety of the Michelinie/Layton run.

[KNuff]

with the exception of his work on Captain America, I find D'Armata's coloring of people a bit too shiny sometimes. it suits Iron Man's uh.. suit, but when the people are shiny too, it kinda looks weird for me.

[KNuff]

Whatever happened to Maya Hansen? I thought Tony met his match on an intellectual level, possibly a better match for him than Pepper.

I stopped reading Director of Shield after Haunted. Did she pop up somewhere? Or were things with her concluded during that War Machine thing?

[Vagabond]

Whatever happened to Maya Hansen? I thought Tony met his match on an intellectual level, possibly a better match for him than Pepper.

I stopped reading Director of Shield after Haunted. Did she pop up somewhere? Or were things with her concluded during that War Machine thing?

No, she subsequently fell off the face of the planet at the conclusion of Haunted and hasn't been seen since the return of Wonder-Pepper. Blech. But since Extremis has been reworked/undone, I suppose there isn't much need for it's creator to be around anymore?

[Monty_Cristo]

Whatever happened to Maya Hansen? I thought Tony met his match on an intellectual level, possibly a better match for him than Pepper.

i should say so. i had hoped that it'd be who he would wind up with (no offense to Rumiko). Tony could certainly have used her brain for his new start-up company.

[PrinnyWesker]

My therapist has helped me get to the bottom of my hatred for Pepper Potts.

Your therapist lets you vent about comics? Lucky bastard. Seems like mine only wants to talk about my rapist uncle. :(

[mikekerr3]

Whatever happened to Maya Hansen? I thought Tony met his match on an intellectual level, possibly a better match for him than Pepper.

I stopped reading Director of Shield after Haunted. Did she pop up somewhere? Or were things with her concluded during that War Machine thing?

Since she should be spending the rest of her life in a cell, i I don't think she would make a great regular character.

[Monty_Cristo]

Your therapist lets you vent about comics? Lucky bastard. Seems like mine only wants to talk about my rapist uncle. :(

mine too but i refer to my uncle as Xorn.

[Jason Abbadon]

i'm not asking for her to be stunning. i said she should look like Bryce Dallas Howard i.e. cute but intelligent. that seems to be the characterization Fraction is going for. but Nicole Kidman's look doesn't fit that characterization, imo.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/19940/450080-pepper_potts_01.jpg

A bad photo reference plus Larocca not knowing what's inside a human neck led to that disaster (hint: humans have two carotid arteries).
Dont get me started on his Rhodey....man.

Really, we just need Pepper to get out more and she'd be fine- Oliver Copiel needs to do an Iron man run....maybe some Alan Davis covers?

[TonyStark1012]

A bad photo reference plus Larocca not knowing what's inside a human neck led to that disaster (hint: humans have two carotid arteries).
Dont get me started on his Rhodey....man.

Really, we just need Pepper to get out more and she'd be fine- Oliver Copiel needs to do an Iron man run....maybe some Alan Davis covers?

I love larrocas art, but once again I with you Jason. they could put the price up a dollar if they put coipel on this book and I wouldn't care. Even though it was Tony getting his ass kicked in Thor #3 I thought this guy has got to do more Iron Man. Also they way he drew Tony at the end overlooking asgard and thinking about his next move was amazing. I said THAT IS TONY STARK RIGHT THERE!

[Jason Abbadon]

I generally LOVE larocca's art...but some things, particularly some faces, seem oddly put together- like Pepper's neck there- it looks like her head is from one reference and the body another.

but man, that "I like doughnuts" scene of the new armor in "BFG mode" made me squeal like a kid with his first switchblade.

[KNuff]

i should say so. i had hoped that it'd be who he would wind up with (no offense to Rumiko). Tony could certainly have used her brain for his new start-up company.

yes I agree. there's potential there for some drama regarding issues of Tony asking her to bring back extremis, and maya not wanting to, or vice versa

potential love triangle drama with Pepper too

[idiopathic]

yes I agree. there's potential there for some drama regarding issues of Tony asking her to bring back extremis, and maya not wanting to, or vice versa

potential love triangle drama with Pepper too

Tony should remember the Maya from his youth. Though he would have to to rely on his 'notes' since the 'Maya Extremis reveal' happened after Tony was Extremis enhanced.

[Exo]

Tony should remember the Maya from his youth. Though he would have to to rely on his 'notes' since the 'Maya Extremis reveal' happened after Tony was Extremis enhanced.

Or they can simply ignore the memory issue like they did with Hill (who's a total stranger to Tony yet still hangs around).

[Jason Abbadon]

Or they can simply ignore the memory issue like they did with Hill (who's a total stranger to Tony yet still hangs around).
If a hot chic suddenly started hanging around you, you'd tell her to leave?

Remember, Tony's a freaking genius- he's not making that play.

[Exo]

If a hot chic suddenly started hanging around you, you'd tell her to leave?

This is borderline stalking. Either Fraction gives her a purpose (than sulking around) or have Tony file for a restraining order.