Bubbles! Blossom! Buttercup! ...what are y'all wearing?
At least, that's what some of the internet found itself asking about this Cartoon Network commissioned Powerpuff Girls comic cover:
The cover caused the owner of a comics retailer, Dennis Barger Jr, to take to Facebook a few days ago and ask "Are we seriously sexualizing pre-teen girls like perverted writing fan fiction writers on the internet???? is that what this shit has gotten to?"
The remarks caused some controversy around how the girls should be depicted and whether or not they were being sexualized. The artist of the cover, Mimi Yoon, didn't seen so happy with the controversy surrounding the cover—using Facebook, she wrote "one opinionated dog barks (i'm fine with that)… and the rest of the pack barks 'pretending' to know what they're barking about (hate those idiots)… tsk tsk tsk."
IDW, the comic publisher, was nonetheless sympathetic to the concerns of people like Barger—their VP of marketing, Dirk Woods, responded to the whole thing as follows:
We love making comics for kids, and always want them to be appropriate. For what it's worth, CN has been a great partner in that regard… I know an 8 year old and 10 year old really well, and always look at these kinds of things through their eyes… Half of the employees have kids here, and we pride ourselves in making comics they'll enjoy and not give them a warped view of the world (except, you know, in a good way). Anyway, I certainly see your points, and we'll be sensitive to these things, as I think we mostly have been.
Eventually, Cartoon Network decided to pull the cover. In a statement to ICv2 they said:
In conjunction with our licensing partners, Cartoon Network Enterprises from time to time works with the artist community to reimagine and reinterpret our brands using their talents and unique points of view. This particular variant cover for The Powerpuff Girls #6 from IDW was done in the artist's signature style and was intended to be released as a collectible item for comic book fans. We recognize some fans' reaction to the cover and, as such, will no longer be releasing it at comic book shops.
Personally, I think that if you're going to put latex and thigh highs on the girls, they might benefit from being 'The Powerpuffs.'
(Via The Mary Sue)