I really enjoyed this blog post by Anna Kreider. She breaks down the difference between male power fantasies and beefcake in character art. One of the arguments I always see on the internet regarding the objectification of women is “Male characters are objectified, too! Look at all their muscles!” This is a nice explanation of how wrong that argument is.
https://gomakemeasandwich.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/beefcake-what-it-is-and-what-it-isnt-very-nsfw/
OK, I’m a hetero guy, so I’m not the target audience here, but a casual reading of this article leaves me with a question, which i admit might be stupid.
So a casual reading of the article leads me to think that the author is fairly negative about pictures of men being portrayed as “masculine”. Is this because “masculine” and “beefcake” don’t mesh well or at all (and hence is not the art they are looking for), or because “masculine” is generally done so poorly (bulgy muscles, clenched teeth, “urrrrr!” face)? Can a picture of, for instance, Hercules fighting a monster be drawn so as to be beefcake, or does the fact that it is a scene of activity and violence make it automatically not beefcake?
As an aside, everytime I hear someone complain that Superman wears his underwear outside his tights I tell them they should be thankful, otherwise we’ld be looking at super penis all day long.
OK, I’m a hetero guy, so I’m not the target audience here, but a casual reading of this article leaves me with a question, which i admit might be stupid.
So a casual reading of the article leads me to think that the author is fairly negative about pictures of men being portrayed as “masculine”. Is this because “masculine” and “beefcake” don’t mesh well or at all (and hence is not the art they are looking for), or because “masculine” is generally done so poorly (bulgy muscles, clenched teeth, “urrrrr!” face)? Can a picture of, for instance, Hercules fighting a monster be drawn so as to be beefcake, or does the fact that it is a scene of activity and violence make it automatically not beefcake?
As an aside, everytime I hear someone complain that Superman wears his underwear outside his tights I tell them they should be thankful, otherwise we’ld be looking at super penis all day long.
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Steven Warble I read the article within a certain context, which is probably best explained via example:
An RPG (or video game or comic or whatever) is released, and its female characters are highly sexualized. When someone points this out, a defender of the game says, “This is equal opportunity objectification. Just look at all these guys and their ripped bodies!” But, that’s kind of a BS argument, because the male characters are being portrayed in a way that expresses their power. They aren’t being portrayed for the purpose of drawing the gaze of people attracted to men.
I think the author’s point is to simply highlight the difference, and is best understood in that context.
I think Nightwing is a character who is often drawn in a way that is both male power fantasy AND beefcake.
Steven Warble I read the article within a certain context, which is probably best explained via example:
An RPG (or video game or comic or whatever) is released, and its female characters are highly sexualized. When someone points this out, a defender of the game says, “This is equal opportunity objectification. Just look at all these guys and their ripped bodies!” But, that’s kind of a BS argument, because the male characters are being portrayed in a way that expresses their power. They aren’t being portrayed for the purpose of drawing the gaze of people attracted to men.
I think the author’s point is to simply highlight the difference, and is best understood in that context.
I think Nightwing is a character who is often drawn in a way that is both male power fantasy AND beefcake.
Not my preferred subject but I will say I’ve gotten countless enjoyment from seeing my art friend create pieces for con in this style. Decent sellers too.
Not my preferred subject but I will say I’ve gotten countless enjoyment from seeing my art friend create pieces for con in this style. Decent sellers too.
To the best of my reckoning, I think I understand the author’s point (male power fantasy does not equal beefcake), and I agree with her. My question was, if you will permit me, an attempt to clarify an adjacent point (can they both exist in a single image?).
As for Nightwing, the Grayson series has been fantastic and a recent issue where he fought his doppelganger had a great panel of Grayson commenting on his own butt. The series is wrapping up with the new DC Rebirth, but the trades are well worth hunting down.
To the best of my reckoning, I think I understand the author’s point (male power fantasy does not equal beefcake), and I agree with her. My question was, if you will permit me, an attempt to clarify an adjacent point (can they both exist in a single image?).
As for Nightwing, the Grayson series has been fantastic and a recent issue where he fought his doppelganger had a great panel of Grayson commenting on his own butt. The series is wrapping up with the new DC Rebirth, but the trades are well worth hunting down.
Jason Cordova From what I’ve seen of Nightwing, that seems like exactly what they’re going for. A bit of macho for the good-ol-boys and a whole lot of beef for the slashfic boys and girls.
Jason Cordova From what I’ve seen of Nightwing, that seems like exactly what they’re going for. A bit of macho for the good-ol-boys and a whole lot of beef for the slashfic boys and girls.
… Especially that Midnighter sauna thing. Damn.
… Especially that Midnighter sauna thing. Damn.
Admittedly, I haven’t had time to read the whole article (I will, but work, ya know) but my thoughts as I’ve read the first part go back to the late 80s and how women were (and still mostly are) depicted in fantasy art — and then here comes the Hernandez Bros with Love and Rockets and how they drew women and how they captured an element of reality (different body types, personality, etc) and suddenly the lights were on for me … now, these chicks are H.O.T. in a way that fantasy art typically didn’t deliver despite its over sexualization. Don’t look at dudes that same way, but I can see for those that do, some similar to my Love and Rockets epiphany could be something lacking for beefcakes.
Admittedly, I haven’t had time to read the whole article (I will, but work, ya know) but my thoughts as I’ve read the first part go back to the late 80s and how women were (and still mostly are) depicted in fantasy art — and then here comes the Hernandez Bros with Love and Rockets and how they drew women and how they captured an element of reality (different body types, personality, etc) and suddenly the lights were on for me … now, these chicks are H.O.T. in a way that fantasy art typically didn’t deliver despite its over sexualization. Don’t look at dudes that same way, but I can see for those that do, some similar to my Love and Rockets epiphany could be something lacking for beefcakes.
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