Blog - Study: Comic Book Superheroines 'Improbably Busty'

[Sal]

WASHINGTON (CAP) - Female comic book characters tend to have much larger breasts than real-life women, according to a new study out of the Pew Research Center.

The study, which looked "very closely" at more than 100 female superheroines and sidekicks, found the average character's cup size to be closer to 38DD than to the national average of 36C, says Dr. Francis Spitznagel of the Pew Center.

"Our team of 24 researchers spent close to six months comparing color drawings of female comic book characters with photographs of human models dressed in Spandex bodysuits similar to what you might find in a comic book," explained Spitznagel. "The findings were very curious."

Spitznagel pointed out that his researchers found characters like Ms. Marvel, Dawn and of course Wonder Woman to be "improbably busty," to the point where, if they actually existed, their prodigious bosoms might actually interfere with their ability to fight crime.

"Our researchers would carefully measure the breasts of the characters using an adjustable utility micrometer," explained Spitnagel. "They would then do the same for the female models and compare the results."

The work was fairly grueling, said Spitznagel.

"Typically we would have a team of six working for about 20 minutes before they would have to take a break and be relieved by another team," he continued. "Usually they'd each go off by themselves for a few minutes of alone time and come back much more refreshed."

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[BetaRayRyan]

How.....HOW does this get funding?

I wonder if the Pew Center is hiring. Maybe I can get on board for "Is Water Wet?" study.

[adam_and_comfort]

That was a delightful little faux article. This is Comfort writing here, and as a lady and even though this was being facetious, I can't help having a, 'no shit Sherlock' moment.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem drawing giant bazongas on a girl if that’s what the character calls for. Heck, there have even been some times that Adam has had to tell me to rein the jumbalies in.


A couple of my recent commission pieces.

Now, that all being said - it does bug me when just about every woman in comicdom has bosoms to Tuesday. Character-wise, it just doesn't work for every character. For instance, when people draw regular X-Men Rogue all rack-a-licious, I can totally buy it. She's a fun, curvy, and sometimes sultry lady of the south that struck me as a 40’s style bombshell personality - something you’d see painted on the side of a B52 or hung in a pilot’s locker. I am down with her having big boobs. On the other hand giving ginormous - or even C or D cups - to little Ultimate Rogue-- skinny, gothy, quiet Ultimate Rogue? Well, that just doesn’t make any sense.


Barring the fact that Ultimate Rogue isn’t looking as ‘gothy’ as she usually does, it still shows the difference well enough. Of course, 616 Rogue looks like she’s sporting a really bad boob job, but most of them do, really.

It’s all about character and intention. And to some degree it has to be about reasonability. I have no problem with Wonder Woman and Power Girl having big-ol’ ta-tas. But when they get to the point where they are so huge they would snap in half like some kind of Mortal Kombat fatality - it all just gets a little too much like soft core porn and not enough about strong women kicking ass and taking names.

Of course, it would help if the large-breasted women weren’t always drawn in ‘please come sex me, Mr. Man’ poses, but the hyper-sexualization of women in comics is something I consider separate and independent of bust size issues.

So yeah, boobs. I love ‘em, I’ve got ‘em, I draw ‘em. They are a good and natural part of a lady’s anatomy. But Christ, people-- for respectabilities sake, just pull it back a tad every now and again? If every woman you draw is so racktastic she’d make a porn star blush, big boobs loose their specialness, and who wants that? Not me. ‘Strong women’ in gratuitous positions with very little clothing pretending they can kick @$$ should be Top Cow’s job. Not everybody’s.

[feltmartin]

I've never noticed myself.

Basically Comfort said it all. A little variety isn't too much to ask.

[bstuart]

I think it depends more on the artists than the characters. A lot of comic artists draw unrealistic looking women, some less so. The look of all comic characters can change drastically from artist to artist, even the breast size. All Frank Cho drawn women are gonna have big boobs and bigger bums, for instance. All Greg Land women are gonna look like supermodels and porn stars.

While none of it particularly bothers me, I always prefer more realistic looking women, so they don't look so damn clumsy. It's possibly to draw both capable and attractive into one figure.

A related pet peeve, I prefer when artists can draw children to actually look like children.

[adam_and_comfort]

I think it depends more on the artists than the characters. A lot of comic artists draw unrealistic looking women, some less so. The look of all comic characters can change drastically from artist to artist, even the breast size. All Frank Cho drawn women are gonna have big boobs and bigger bums, for instance. All Greg Land women are gonna look like supermodels and porn stars.

While none of it particularly bothers me, I always prefer more realistic looking women, so they don't look so damn clumsy. It's possibly to draw both capable and attractive into one figure.

A related pet peeve, I prefer when artists can draw children to actually look like children.

Agreed. Although as artist I know it's possible to do variety. Maybe not for Greg Land seeing as he is beholden to copying pictures out of magazines. But, you can have an artist that does bustier ladies then usual - but you should be able to draw more then one body type. Look at Adam Hughes. A perfect example is the difference between his Power Girl and his Supergirl. It's all about ability, understanding, and lack of laziness.

And also may I say how much I agree with you about kids (and for me) teens in comics. Most people only seem to only know how to draw and unfortunately, write the 35 year old characters. Disappointing.

[Purple Grant]

The men are pretty muscular too.

It's almost as though superheroes represent some sort of romanticised ideal.

[adam_and_comfort]

The men are pretty muscular too.

It's almost as though superheroes represent some sort of romanticised ideal.

When men are drawn unrealistically, it's to make them look stronger and more powerful. When women are drawn unrealistically, it's to make them look sexy and more bone-able. There's a difference, since what women find sexy and bone-able is rarely the over-stuffed, hyper muscled comic hero.

Again, both have their place, but it's fair to say that both men AND women should be drawn with more variety in comics. You shouldn't draw Superman and Kyle Rayner the same way any more than you should draw Wonder Woman and Zatanna the same way.

-Adam & Comfort

[El Dave]

Dang it, now I want to know what a boneable male superhero looks like.

Answer?

[BetaRayRyan]

.....I'm a moron.