I’m kind of obsessed with vintage advertisements from the 1950s and 60s. I find the blatant sexism and racism in the old magazine ads absolutely fascinating. I even have a modest collection of the old advertisements and have decorated my kitchen pantries with them. There’s nothing quite as motivational as looking at a vintage Pevley Diary ad every morning with my breakfast cereal that shows a woman standing on a scale and reads, “Summertime and the living was easy… maybe a little too easy. Maybe I should stick to skim milk.”

While looking at the DC September solicitations, I noticed the cover to the new “Catwoman” relaunch and couldn’t help but think it was an amped-up, porn-esque version of the sexism exhibited in the vintage magazine ads I love so much. On the cover, Catwoman is laying blissfully on the top of a building, while the cops pursue her on the street below. She’s so comfortable and relaxed that she’s taking the time to take off her boots, unzip her leather suit to expose her double-d cleavage, and apparently pour the diamonds that she has just stolen all over her chest. But wait, that bag… and those diamonds… they look suspiciously like something a little more x-rated. Let me cut to the chase on my thoughts here. The cover of “Catwoman” #1 looks more like a shady banner ad on a website than a comic book. I know this is a perverse interpretation of the cover but I legitimately believe that the artist intended for this subtext to be completely obvious. Hey, sex sells, and I guess in 2011 hardcore sex sells. I even did an informal poll on my personal facebook page to make sure I wasn’t the only one with a foul mind and the results I got clarified that I wasn’t alone in feeling that this cover was inappropriate. I think my friend Ben Sawyer’s comment said it best, “Wow. Is that supposed to reel in female readers? I don’t think so. Here comes the DC Reboot!”

-Jon

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