So DC announces a Black Canary mini. I can’t say I’m interested, but whatever. What does interest me – and not in a good way – is the cover for #2:
Just look at that pose. It manages to combine all the worst attributes of “Look at my ass” cheesecake and “I’m going to punch you, the reader,” badass. (It’s true: There’s a whole lot of ass, both literal and figurative, on that cover) If you want to make Black Canary look tough, how about giving her a stance in which she could actually throw a punch with any force? Or, if you just want to be gratuitous about it and remind everyone that she’s a hot babe wearing fishnets, just abandon the pretense of her fighting anyone and trot out a real T&A pose.
I was going to swear off pointing out stupid covers like this, because hey, it’s just too easy. Note, for example, that I have not gone anywhere near a Michael Turner cover lately. But this stands out a bit more than usual, I think, because of another recent cover that made Black Canary look tough and hot at the same time without totally disregarding the laws of anatomy or physics:
Granted, plenty of artists will look sucky next to Adam Hughes. But that’s just about a perfect cover: It manages to convey the beautiful-but-deadly cliché with just the right mix of drama and silliness. That is what a Black Canary cover should look like. She’s tough and she can kick your ass without even trying, but it’s still a character who’s been wearing fishnet stockings while fighting crime for nearly 60 years.
Yes, it’s still a pinup of a hot blonde. But it’s a good pinup of a hot blonde. If we’re going to give in to objectification, let’s at least do it properly, shall we?