I am very into X-men. It is my favorite superhero fandom, and though I love comics, I came to love it through cartoons, specifically X-men: Evolution. I like the original 90’s series too, but XME will always be dear to my heart because it drew me into the fandom. There is this message in the X-men stories about diversity, accepting those who are different and all that, that I really relate to, and that’s a big part of my love for it.
Anyway, there is a new X-men cartoon series coming out soon called Wolverine and the X-men. And looking at how they are representing the female body, I need to speak up. But first, here’s some image backstory.
This is some design work and a screencap from the original X-men cartoon from the 90’s:
They still look pretty thin, but they have curves, at least, and definitely look like they could be healthy bodies, not anorexic (I do wish they didn’t draw out the line where their ribs end though, yikes). So even though I’d love to see BBW superheroes, I’m good with this.
This is some design work from X-men: Evolution:
Ummm…..okay, I love this show, I really really do. Most of the X-men fanart I do is based on these designs, and the fanfiction I write is set in this universe. But I have to admit that they are much thinner, dangerously thinner, than the first series. It does get a little better at the very end of the series, though, when they show visions of the future. Here’s some of those:
Still thin, but better.
Now, here’s one of the promo images for Wolverine and the X-men(which, by the way, is also done by the same people who did XME):
Its kinda hard to tell here, but look closely at Emma Frost (the woman in white) and Shadowcat (the woman all the way to the right). Stick. Thin. Ugh. The men are uber skinny too, which shows even more how the impact of our culture’s body image bullshit is wearing into them, at least in cultural representations.
Here are some screen captures, taken from the intro and various clips online:
…wtf? Do they even have organs??? Storm’s hair is bigger than she is! Ugh!!!
Now, this could be a stylistic thing, but even if it is, that’s not the point. The point is, children are going to be watching this, looking at the bodies represented in it. Some of the male X-men are more muscular and appear to have more realistic body types, and there are some fat background characters of both sexes (most of whom have been anti-mutant, at least in the first 3 episodes; oh no, fat is eeeeeeevil!). But all the speaking female characters are THAT thin. That is UNATTAINABLE!!!!! So many children are going to get body image issues from this! …okay, not just from this, but I know it will contribute.
Why the hell can’t we have fat women superheroes? Why? Would it honestly destroy the superhero genre or something? I know that’s tied up in the whole fat=unhealthy myth too, so I shouldn’t even be asking, but this is just ridiculous. Looking at this progression, it’d seem like the examples of female superhero characters that are available to children and adults alike (through animation, comics are a whole different story) will keep getting more and more anorexic-looking, maybe until they vanish entirely.
Like I said earlier, a big part of what I love about X-men is the message about difference and tolerance. It really appeals to me, because of many reasons: my religion, my sexual orientation, my size. Only, it looks like different body sizes are the only kind of difference that the X-men message doesn’t promote. And that makes me very sad.
**EDIT, 8/28/2009** This entry has been mentioned in the blog of Levana, in a post about the fourth episode of the new series! Thanks Levana! Glad you think I’m witty and enlightening ;p
