Do you love comicbooks? Do you read them in public, say while commuting to work on the train?
I don't. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite. But comics has a certain reputation for being juvenile, for appealing to creepy old men who've always wondered what Wonder Woman looks like under that goofy outfit of hers.
And, yes, there are the breasts. Those Marvel and DC superheroes sure do live in odd neighborhoods: Every woman who lives near them have pumpkin-sized breasts. How do they all stand up?
It's embarrassing, all right. C'mon, comicbook artists. Stand up to your publishers. Tell them there's nothing wrong with normal, human-sized breasts. They're just fine that way, really.
Now, all that being said, I'm looking at two different comic series today that both feature scantily clad, rather curvy (to say the least) heroines. One, though, is clever and funny. The other is a colossal bore.
Let's get the bore out of the way first. Writer Paul Dini's Madame Mirage, published by Top Cow Comics, features a title character who needs to buy some bigger shirts. Seriously. How she can run after a bad guy without killing herself, I'll never figure out.
Top Cow, like most publishers hoping to one day become Marvel or DC, has never shied away from the ultra-busty heroines. But Madame Mirage is a stretch even for them. In fact, the character's appearance really does distract from the story.
Though maybe that's not too bad. The story, your basic revenge yarn, isn't all that deep. In fact, Madame Mirage is little more than a slick excuse for women in tight outfights kicking the shit out of baddies. If that's enough for you, then check this out.
If it's not -- and it shouldn't be -- then instead explore Eve: Vampire Diva. An independent comic created by writer Frank LaPerch, Eve concerns the adventure of a vampire who also happens to be a fading pop singer. The pop singer angle is a lot of fun, as Eve is constantly reminded that she hasn't had a hit in quite some time. She also has to deal with a slovenly, piggish manager who provides some welcome comic reliefe.
Eve is a fun character, too. You actually like her. And, if you're like me, you're more interested in seeing if she can score another number-one single than you are in if she can defeat the monsters she's poised to battle.
Yes, Eve is a good vampire. She's also usually scantily clad. But there's something about the way Eve is drawn. She's not quite as maddeningly slick as is Madame Mirage. Maybe I'm just predisposed to like independent comics better than I am more mainstream fare, butEve left me wanting more, whereas Madame Mirage left me wanting to hide my face for even picking up her first trade volume.
For more about Eve: Vampire Diva, check out this Web site. For more about Madame Mirage ... well, find it yourself online. Shouldn't be too hard.
