Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Secret Wars #4 variant by Simone Bianchi


18 comments:

FSaker said...

It's always great to see the X-Men reunited (even Jean is there - or Phoenix posing as Jean, whatever...), so I can forgive that Bianchi chose to draw Psylocke in her blue ninja bathing suit.

But why are there two Cyclopses in it? I like Scott, but one is enough.

Unknown said...

FSaker,

Maybe one of them is Raven. :-p

Unknown said...

Also, hasn't Jean/Phoenix been retconned back per Morrison run to essentially be one and the same again as Claremont intended. All maifestations of the same entity... a la The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost?

Tazirai said...

I love Bianchis art, hate he put her in that suit. But the art is always amazing.

Wendell said...
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Wendell said...

I must be the only fan that like her bathing suit. It's her most popular outfit and I really like it, even though I like her current uniform too. That suit might be considered sexist, but I just don't understand why most people think that characters like Wonder Woman or maybe Storm (in the past) can wear a bathing suit and still being a strong woman, but Psylocke can't. I think she is perfect in every way, whether wearing a fully covered uniform or a bathing suit.

Unknown said...

Wendell,

Neither Storm nor Wonder Woman were constantly shown with their ass in the air. Nor did they grow progressively stupider as time went on and their ass showed more. Psylocke, unfortunately did both when Claremont and Lee left Marvel and she fell into the clutches of orher writers/artists throughout the 90s and 00s. People associate the Hand suit with that unfortunate time in her characterization.

Tazirai said...

Basically what Rahsaan said. I loved it when it debuted. But Psylocke became the thong. I mean look at even the pose she's in on this piece of art. She's literally the ONLY character showing her ass. Storm is half naked yet looks powerful, sexy, and graceful. Psylocke looks like her vagina is broken. She looks neither powerful or graceful, or honestly sexy.

Psylocke poses in that suit. Wonder Woman fights, and doesn't jut. Psylocke lost who she was, and became the stereotypical asian ninja fetish. Now I'm a white Psylocke fan, primarily because there's a ton of actual asians they could use. But primarily because she stopped being Betsy Braddock, and written like crap. If Asian Psylocke had been regarded with the Respect Storm, Emma, Wonder Woman, Power Girl, Star Fire, etc. were given, then most would probably have no issues with it.

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Taz,
Exactly. Even in the photo above, the focused totality of her telepathy is manifested as a mere accessory while her body is poised to take it doggy style.

Beer said...

These conversations always end with the same rhetoric by the same people. You are entitled to your opinion. I think both versions of Psylocke are great. I think the essence of ninja Psylocke is lost on many artists. Her sexuality is such an integral part of her character now, but the way they choose to draw it is too overt. I love the costume other than the thong emphasis. There wasn't such an emphasis in the Lady Mandarin days.

Beer said...

I will add that while I think both are great, current Psylocke is edgier and more interesting in my opinion. But it depends on who's writing and drawing.

FSaker said...

My problem with the blue bathing suit isn't really that it shows a lot of her skin (Psylocke has the body to show it off as much as she wants). My problem with it is that it's so old. Every other X-Man has continuously changed uniforms after some years, yet Psylocke kept the same uniform for DECADES!

Really, during Fraction's run, Storm had THREE different uniforms (Bianchi's white African bathing suit, Land's black conventional bathing suit, and sometimes she would wear a black uniform covering all of her body except her arms and shoulders). Even people who remained with old uniforms for decades as well, like Gambit, Nightcrawler and Colossus, got new uniforms during that time. Meanwhile, Betsy's bathing suit remained the same as it has always been - I would be fine with it if it were at least visually updated, like it was in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

I know that it is an iconic look, but it's awful how often she's shown in it, like if she never had another outfit in her entire existence. Wolverine's 1990s uniform is iconic as well, yet even in these special cover arts he's almost always in one of his more recent outfits - same goes for Storm, Rogue, Cyclops and so on. Plus, the uniform that Kris Anka gave her is so good, it should get more love from artists like Bianchi.

Unknown said...

⬆️⬆️THAT!!

Plus, it's so plain and boring. I initially loved it when Lee first drew it, but after that it got real played out!

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

The silver lining is that her iconic look is not that really shitty one she had when she wore the bandana after the 6-month gap following The Twelve storyline. LOL. I never ever liked that one!

Tazirai said...

I never liked that Revolution look either. So cowboy stupid. The thong would be okay with a visual update, and less emphasis on her impossible posing, with greater characterization. Every alternate Universe Psylocke not drawn in that "iconic" look is awesome, Asian or not. Because they don't focus on the totality or her ass.
When Storm would fly around booty butt naked, it was never emphasized that all she did was pose for the readers. she look POWERFUL, embracing her sexy. Psylocke was purely for oogling. I don't mind anka's suit, I think it needs more personality, and color, it's a great suit.
Psylocke is a character that can be an amazing fighter physically and mentally, without being stuck as pure T&A. I bet most fans are against that Psylocke even though the Asian stereotype is dated.

Vigmed said...

I've something to add but I must leave for work. Hopefully I'll remember to post...!