gailsimone:

How is Scandal’s costume skimpy? She has her arms and a bit of her midsection exposed. 

Most of the characters who have skimpy outfits have them because they were designed by dudes for dude audiences in a different time (Vampirella, however, had her costumed designed by the most famous feminist in comics, Trina Robbins). 

It’s a long conversation. For one thing, I think ‘practical’ as used in these conversations is mostly bullshit. People are often okay with ridiculous outfits that are completely impractical or unworkable, if there is no skin showing. What they often mean in these cases is ‘less revealing,’ which is fine, but just say it.  I also think some of these outfits are goofy. But some have an iconography of fantasy to them, and I think that’s valid, to some degree.

By which I mean, you can’t just replace something that visually defines a character with something ‘practical’ just because it’s more realistic. If you put Vampirella in armor, sure, you may have made her more ‘realistic (arguably),’ but the question would be then, “Is this still recognizably Vampirella?”

I want these fixes made. “Practicality” is pretty low on my list of priorities. I want a visual pop, and a sensibility that works with today’s audience.  I don’t care if barbarian sword fighters in Hyrkania show skin sometimes, as long as it’s not just the girls. Have Sonja wear other outfits (we do) and armor when called for (we do that, too), and then, if we change her costume for good, I want it to be something that screams RED SONJA. 

It’s rarely as simple as making something ‘practical.’  Amanda Conner did an OUTSTANDING update of Power Girl’s outfit that kept most of the basic concept, but made it look far less dated, and it looked amazing. That’s a great solution, in some cases.

I say, ‘practical’ only works on characters who are ‘practical.’ Which doesn’t really define Vampirella or Emma Frost, does it?

brianmichaelbendis:

I used to work at a newspaper and I learned that anything you say about sex and politics, anything, is going to make half the people who read what you’ve written VEHEMENTLY disagree with you. Including that last sentence. Some people go their whole career hiding from this and some people embrace it.

I DO feel really bad that anyone would read biphobia in the work because I have absolutely none in my heart. None. If I could make that part go away I would. Who wants anyone to feel bad about anything? my whole life is dedicated to the opposite.

BUT, and this is the tricky part, I’ve now heard from enough people who label themselves as bisexual who were not at all offended by anything that happened in the issue and even related to it. They were offended that people were offended. Enough people have spoken to me about this for me to know that whatever YOUR feeling is on bisexuality or yourself as bisexual it is completely legit but it is not a complete universal feeling.  Again, a lot of these comments are public so you can see I am not fibbing… but who am I to believe? You or them?

For those looking for representation into their specific worldview, here is the rub, there is no scene in the history of fiction that is universally the definitive statement on anything. It does not exist. It can’t be accomplished.  What I’ve learned is the more specific you are in the story the more universal certain elements of that story will reveal themselves to be.  Even with psychic powers and ice powers and time travel many people identified with the scene.

More people are angry about Jean ‘abusing her powers’ then just about anything else in the scene… at least the people who are confronting me.  When they tell me how angry they are they tell me that somebody in their life did the non-psychic version of that to them.   But I knew that things like this happen.  I have seen it with my own eyes.  So should i NOT write about it?

You point to the people who are upset about the scene but there are also many many many people from many walks of life who have gotten a hold of me using every social media to tell me how much they appreciated it, how much they identified with it and how they too were confronted with their sexuality before they were ready and it was nice to see that represented. To ignore the outpouring of good thoughts and feelings that you can easily see on my twitter feed or here is doing the entire situation a disservice.

the difference in conversation with people who actually read the comic versus the online posts is completely different.  And what a lovely conversation it is. Some liked it, some did not but I see our community as forward thinking and empathetic and the thoughtfulness is beautiful. 99% of the people who read the X-Men are there for the shared experience of being different. And the kissing :)

I know that coming out can be a messy situation. I know that it doesn’t always happen the way you want it to happen. I knew these things to be true. I knew these things to be a reality.  Not for everybody, but for SOME PEOPLE.

Beyond these thoughts I have a lovely conversation here that you might find interesting.  or not.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/bendis-on-icemans-outing-says-im-not-done-with-this-story-yet

EDIT- for those who have asked my similar question on both sides of the argument PLEASE consider this your answer too.  thank you :)

neil-gaiman:

Best ask ever. Thank you!

this is great