Fantastic Four 585 Cover

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Elflore
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:20 pm

Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Elflore »

Mr. Davis,

As much as I love your work, I found your recent cover for Fantastic Four #585 (Namor standing heroically, the Invisible Woman crouching and clinging to his leg) extremely off-putting. Why use this pose? It's unnecessary and demeaning, to Susan Storm-Richards and women in general. Too many people in this world think of women as sexy fashion accessories for manly men, and images like this continue to normalize that attitude.

Still your fan,

John Derrick
joshesplace
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:54 pm

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by joshesplace »

I wouldn't wish to speak on behalf of Alan but i would think the cover would have significance to the interior story, it had to have approval from the editor and possibly a little tongue in cheek added to the mix.
Elflore
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:20 pm

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Elflore »

Having read the original story, the cover is certainly not reflective of the relationship between Namor and Sue within. As for "tongue in cheek," that's never a justification for imagery that denigrates women. It may be an explanation of sorts--I don't believe that Mr. Davis really thinks a woman's place is wrapped around a rugged man's knee--but it doesn't lessen the negative impact of the continuation of such tropes.
Alan Davis
Creator
Posts: 472
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:13 pm

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Alan Davis »

No tongue in cheek. Nor any agenda to demean, denigrate or insult women. Drawing a cover to a comic for which there isn’t a script, let alone any interior art, means the cover artist is limited to the brief given by the editor/writer. In this instance I was asked to do a ‘Conanesque’ cover and was sent scans of Frazetta paintings and Conan comics. I drew a few alternative thumbnails and this one was chosen. I assumed it represented what the story was to be. I haven’t seen the comic yet so can’t comment— although I do know that previous covers had been way off the mark.

Having said that it seems like selective sensitivity, to target Sue being shown in a submissive position, when the superhero comics industry trades on grossly unrealistic stereotypes of both sexes. Personally I am more concerned by the increase in mindless, often graphic, violence and absence of morality.
Paulo Pereira
Posts: 112
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:23 pm

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Paulo Pereira »

Hi Alan

This question is tangential to the topic, but I was just wondering if the events of FF # 588 will have any effect on the release of your FF annual. Thanks for any response.
Ilke
Posts: 1942
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:51 am

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Ilke »

Paulo Pereira wrote:Hi Alan

This question is tangential to the topic, but I was just wondering if the events of FF # 588 will have any effect on the release of your FF annual. Thanks for any response.
Sorry to jump in, but here's Tom Brevoort's response to a question posed by fan 'Iron Maiden' from http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=30359 :

Iron Maiden: A year or two ago, I remember seeing a page of work done by Alan Davis on Tom Brevoort's blog at Marvel that was supposed to be for an FF annual he was working on. I think Doctor Strange was featured on the page also. Now that we are getting closer to the body bag FF issue, will this annual ever see print or has it been shelved?

Tom Brevoort: No, it and its follow-ups are still being worked on. When we release them, we'll just back-date the story however many months or years are necessary to make it all work.
Paulo Pereira
Posts: 112
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:23 pm

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Paulo Pereira »

Thanks, Ilke.
Keoni
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:12 am
Location: Here and Now

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Keoni »

I for one can not wait for these annuals! It feels like I've been holding my breath in anticipation for their release since they were first mentioned.
Alan Davis
Creator
Posts: 472
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:13 pm

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Alan Davis »

I for one can not wait for these annuals! It feels like I've been holding my breath in anticipation for their release since they were first mentioned.
Me too!

Alan
blizzardtonight
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:51 am
Location: Vienna
Contact:

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by blizzardtonight »

hi alan,
this is really one of my favorite covers! may i ask you if it will be for sale sometime in the future?
best,
guenter
Paulo Pereira
Posts: 112
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:23 pm

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Paulo Pereira »

When is Marvel gonna release these already? Sheesh!
ronaldweasley
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon May 02, 2011 6:35 am

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by ronaldweasley »

I just had a peek at Fantastic Four 585's cover and I thought it was great. I don't really understand why Mr. John Derrick objected to it so much. And, while I maybe see a woman getting upset over it, I find it hard to believe a man would. Obviously this cover is a sort of ode to old fantasy and Science book and magazine covers, like a Frank Frazetta painting or the original Star Wars poster art.

It's funny, but I've never heard anybody complain about this sort of image before, men or women.
I
Matt Platis
Site Admin
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:54 pm
Location: Logan, UT

Re: Fantastic Four 585 Cover

Post by Matt Platis »

ronaldweasley wrote:I just had a peek at Fantastic Four 585's cover and I thought it was great. I don't really understand why Mr. John Derrick objected to it so much. And, while I maybe see a woman getting upset over it, I find it hard to believe a man would. Obviously this cover is a sort of ode to old fantasy and Science book and magazine covers, like a Frank Frazetta painting or the original Star Wars poster art.

It's funny, but I've never heard anybody complain about this sort of image before, men or women.
I
Me either. But I guess there will always be opposition in everything.
~Matt
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