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Topic: The White Queen - Evolution? (Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post ReplyPost New Topic
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John Byrne
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Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 5:58am | IP Logged | 1  

Looking up reference for the montage commission I posted yesterday, I came across this comparison:

Even allowing for the very different styles of the artists involved, it's virtually impossible to credit those two images as representing the same character. But this is not the fault of the artist on the right. This is something that started happening to Emma the moment I let go of the character.

I designed the White Queen to be, well, flat chested. A contrast to Jean Grey, who made a very voluptuous Black Queen. Emma's cleavage was supposed to be created by her bosom being squeezed in and up, which is what those bustiers are meant to do. (Scientific Research: If you look very closely at my Emma, you will see that her cleavage does not extend far below the top of her bustier, as it would if she had large breasts. I did that deliberately.) But for many (most?) artists, a female character cannot be sexy unless she is blatant about it. Emma was intended to be cool -- Frost. Get it? -- and sophisticated, not the type to drape herself all over the furniture with legs akimbo. But that's not what you'll find if you Google the character. (NSFW, believe me!!)

But here's the amusing part of all this. My check of images of Emma Frost also produced this, drawn by yours truly a few years ago:

Not much of my original Emma to be found there, is there? In fact, the face and figure bear more than a passing resemblance to the Quitely version, seen at the top of this post.

Apparently, without even realizing it, I have also been drawn down the primrose path, and draw the White Queen more as she IS, than as I INTENDED her to be!!

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Martin lill-axel Jansson
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 6:19am | IP Logged | 2  

No question who's the best and sexiest of the three. 
Number one, for me. She look both younger and older.  She's coolest, sexy, well dressed and (pardon me) a milf. 
 Number two, never reed it.
Number three, good enough. Looks younger, bigger lips, more up to date for a present Emma Frost.
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Matt Hawes
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 6:25am | IP Logged | 3  

Either way, she has to be the sexiest teacher ever, outside of a Van Halen music video. ;-)
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Peter Martin
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 6:39am | IP Logged | 4  

Interesting analysis. It is like  there is a pull with time towards homogenising the look of characters, no matter how carefully the creator tries to come up with some clearly differentiating aspect.

Incidentally, great backgrounds in that commission.
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John Byrne
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 6:46am | IP Logged | 5  

Interesting analysis. It is like there is a pull with time towards homogenising the look of characters, no matter how carefully the creator tries to come up with some clearly differentiating aspect.

••

True dat! Look how Kitty Pryde turned into Brooke Shields, and Cassie Sandsmark turned into Britney Spears. (Hm, shields and spears!)

Many young artists -- and I was one myself, once! -- have a distinctly limited catalog from which to draw (no pun!). If a female character is supposed to be "sexy," they have only one way to play it. How else to explain something like this:

I mean, seriously! Could anyone really imagine my Kitty could even have "grown up" to look like that?

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Michael Penn
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 7:12am | IP Logged | 6  

JB, you're still young at heart.

If Emma Frost isn't at the very least JUST as classy as she is seductive, then there's something off-kilter, perceptibly. The more the imbalance, the worse the rendition. Of course there's should be alluring elements about her, but, please... nothing porn-y!
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Bill Collins
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 7:29am | IP Logged | 7  

My problem with the Quitely image is that the clothing defies gravity,and the blatant bulging `camel toe`.Can you imagine a parent buying that comic for their kid?
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Bob Harvey
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 7:58am | IP Logged | 8  

Is the first photo more appropriate for young children? Slightly, at best.

It MIGHT be worth noting that the modern White Queen is supposed to have had cosmetic surgery done, including breast implants. Whether that trait is in-line with the character as created by JB is another matter. I would assume it's not.
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Bill Collins
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 8:12am | IP Logged | 9  

I`d say the first image the only flesh on display is a bit of thigh,which is no more or less than classic Wonder Woman displays.The second image is overtly sexual.
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John Byrne
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 8:42am | IP Logged | 10  

It MIGHT be worth noting that the modern White Queen is supposed to have had cosmetic surgery done, including breast implants.

••

I file that under the same heading as DC giving us a "reason" Clark Kent always wore a blue suit and a red tie. Instead of, you know, varying color.

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Michael Penn
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 8:45am | IP Logged | 11  

This is awesome -- now I have a convenient way into teaching my 7 year old boy about boob jobs!
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Bob Harvey
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Posted: 29 July 2015 at 8:49am | IP Logged | 12  

Bill, if the White Queen's costume doesn't strike you as overtly sexual,  whether because of some arbitrary skin allowance or otherwise, we're never going to agree.
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