1 | Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

October 29th, 2007 at 1:25 pm

You know, part of me wants to appreciate the attention Kristen Bell gets since she’s not particularly “hot” by the usual standards of the term — seriously, she’s just an average-looking WG who lucked into some geek cred, largely because her average-ness makes her more “attainable” than the usual suspects — but then she does photo shoots like this one where they attempt to shoehorn her into the “hot” box and it’s just lame.

But, yeah, I guess it’s nice to see Wizard finally officially acknowledge what they really are, though I don’t know about the “#1″ part because if Maxim isn’t a “Men’s Pop-Culture Magazine”, I’m not sure what is!

2 | Kayode Kendall

October 29th, 2007 at 3:50 pm

But that’s just how it seems to be. A lot of actresses nowadays with the “hot because they’re average” factor, ultimately end up doing some sort of sexpot pin-up photoshoot in some magazine. Bell’s chronic case of “Noassatall” certainly doesn’t help.

3 | david brothers

October 29th, 2007 at 4:25 pm

I love Kristen Bell, but Wizard is so creepy with how they do things it isn’t even funny.

And Match the Rack? Cripes, dudes.

4 | Kayode Kendall

October 29th, 2007 at 9:22 pm

What’s even more disturbing is that one of those “racks” is from LEGO Star Wars!!

5 | Elayne Riggs

October 30th, 2007 at 9:32 am

Ah well, truth in advertising at last, so I suppose one can’t fault them for that.

6 | Janna

October 30th, 2007 at 4:43 pm

Great. Now where’s the #1 women’s pop culture magazine?

7 | Matt Bayne

October 30th, 2007 at 5:36 pm

I feel embarrassed for them. Guys, what? Was this a plan for increasing readership? Getting in line behind Maxim, Stuff, etc, etc?

8 | Great White Snark

October 30th, 2007 at 7:42 pm

Wow, lame, lame, lame move on Wizard’s part. I still have the first few issues of that ‘zine around here somewhere, from back when they focused on comics. They should have stuck with a niche… they can’t compete for a broad audience against the likes of Maxim, Stuff, FHM, Esquire, GQ, etc. etc. etc. etc.

9 | Great White Snark

October 30th, 2007 at 7:45 pm

Oh, and P.S. KB is hot. In the words of Bill Clinton addressing hecklers at a Democratic fundrasier: “How dare you. How DARE you!”

10 | sarah

October 30th, 2007 at 8:08 pm

wow. this takes bullshittery to a whole new level.

as a female superhero comic fan and a comic book art *major* in college, i’ve always found the mysoginy in mainstream culture especially the comics industry a difficult thing to get around.

but i’ve been trying - i really have. i’ve been buying wizard for years in an attempt to keep myself updated while i’m picking up my monthly issues of batman and such…

but it’s really just gotten disgusting. between female superheroines being raped to “deepen” their characters, being brutally killed off (in highly sexualized scenes) because some writer got sick of them, and fighting crime in suits that have completely impractical holes cut in them, i’m getting pretty sick of the whole thing.

not that i’m going to give up on comics or anything, but good lord, get through puberty already!

11 | Mike Haseloff

October 31st, 2007 at 2:51 am

Not to disrupt the flaming torch wielding mob, but do Wizard have a photography department? Is this really their problem, or was this sassy snap from one of many other sources providing Wizard with images?

“What’s even more disturbing is that one of those “racks” is from LEGO Star Wars!!”
At least someone got the gag!… Wait jest a minute…

12 | T

October 31st, 2007 at 3:35 am

Mike-

The image is a pick-up shot. It was originally shot for Giant back in 2006 and also ran recently in the final issue of Stuff, if memory serves.

13 | Mike Haseloff

October 31st, 2007 at 5:35 am

“The image is a pick-up shot. It was originally shot for Giant back in 2006 and also ran recently in the final issue of Stuff, if memory serves.”

… DEATH TO THE SURFACE DWELLERS!!!

14 | Kayode Kendall

October 31st, 2007 at 9:05 am

“as a female superhero comic fan and a comic book art *major* in college, i’ve always found the mysoginy in mainstream culture especially the comics industry a difficult thing to get around.

but i’ve been trying - i really have. i’ve been buying wizard for years in an attempt to keep myself updated while i’m picking up my monthly issues of batman and such…

but it’s really just gotten disgusting.”

Relatively speaking, I’d say it’s no worse than how it was decades earlier.

“between female superheroines being raped to “deepen” their characters,”

Wonder Woman, despite being an Amazonian princess used to get tied up in some pretty questionable poses back in the comics from the forties; wasn’t her creator a bondage nut anyway?

“being brutally killed off (in highly sexualized scenes) because some writer got sick of them,”

Usually, when any superhero, male or female, is killed off, it’s brutal. being KILLED is brutal. To say nothing of the fact that it’s essentially an occupational hazard. As a superhero you risk being killed. And while I won’t discount times when a female character was killed off unnecessarily, it’d be ignorant of you to suggest that such treatment is exclusive to female characters.

“and fighting crime in suits that have completely impractical holes cut in them, i’m getting pretty sick of the whole thing.”

Superhero costumes in general are impractical.

15 | Tally

October 31st, 2007 at 9:55 am

Tim: Thanks for the info (and good to see you)

Kayode: If you’re prepared to sit here and respond to everyone who is going to disagree with your points, this could turn into an even longer thread! Good luck buddy

16 | Kayode Kendall

October 31st, 2007 at 10:08 am

Oh, I live for debate. If everyone just agreed with each other all the time, the world would be as dull as dishwater. Let the haters come!

17 | Jon Haehnle

October 31st, 2007 at 12:05 pm

18 | Diana

October 31st, 2007 at 12:16 pm

Oh awesome. I was wondering when they were going to let me know they don’t need my dollar any more. Thanks, Wizard! morons…

19 | Mickle

October 31st, 2007 at 2:13 pm

“Great. Now where’s the #1 women’s pop culture magazine?”

Bitch. :)

“Superhero costumes in general are impractical.”

Riiiight. cuz nothing says impractical like a utility belt. I mean, really, what’s fishnets and high heels compared to that?

20 | Kayode Kendall

October 31st, 2007 at 2:29 pm

“Riiiight. cuz nothing says impractical like a utility belt. I mean, really, what’s fishnets and high heels compared to that? ”

Colored briefs outside the pants. Who’s bright idea was that? Not to mention capes. How many superheroes have been swung around by those damn things? 1-2-3-4. . . .aw, f***! I ran outta fingers AND toes.

21 | Cassandra Lovell

November 1st, 2007 at 2:55 am

Wow, looks like I won’t be buying Wizard anytime soon. Way to go guys!

.. not.

22 | Chris Allen

November 1st, 2007 at 4:20 pm

Something of a confused message from some of those commenting here. Wizard is creepy for objectifying women, but it’s okay for us to talk about Kristin Bell’s ass and “average WG” looks, since we can appreciate her talent. Anyway, kudos for only celebrating Lego racks, as Duplo racks would’ve been really inappropriate.

23 | Kayode Kendall

November 1st, 2007 at 7:47 pm

Well, if my avatar isn’t enough indication, I’m pretty lax in how I view Wizard’s depicition of women. I draw the line with things like speculating on the rack of a LEGO CHARACTER!! And I didn’t talk about Kristen Bell’s ass! I was talking about her complete lack of one! It’s TOTALLY different!

24 | Tally

November 2nd, 2007 at 6:03 pm

I (real Tally) can only respond to this with ellipses:

…

Also, I don’t think KK will get as many comments as the Pokemon thread will…

25 | Kayode Kendall

November 3rd, 2007 at 12:50 am

I know. That Pokemon thread is no joke!

26 | roy

November 3rd, 2007 at 4:00 pm

i really like kristen bell but this pic makes her look like courtney love.

as for wizard,they have been objectifying women for years. this is nothing new.

27 | Tally

November 5th, 2007 at 1:57 pm

The last time I ever looked at a Wizard was way back when my little brother (not so little anymore…) was collecting cards and was into the whole comic book scene…I didn’t know people still actually read it religiously.

Also, since when does the world not go around objectifying women? Wizard is just another guys ONRY turf same goes with comics…if I ever wrote a comic I would objectify men BUT that would just play into some sick men’s fantasies…

28 | Kayode Kendall

November 5th, 2007 at 4:14 pm

“if I ever wrote a comic I would objectify men BUT that would just play into some sick men’s fantasies…”

You know I’m dead sexy!

29 | ALloyd

November 17th, 2007 at 12:41 pm

Dear God. Do these people have any idea what constitutes acceptable business practise? Surely they don’t actually think they’re going to sell MORE copies after this repulsive rebranding? Not only are they explicitly rejecting (according to reliable estimates) 20-30% of their potential market (and rising), they’re also alienating most of their existing demographic (myself included, although admittedly I’ve never bought Wizard before).

Who, exactly, is going to go to the checkout with a “men’s pop culture magazine”? Someone should tell them that comics geeks are generally not the sort of people who buy Playboy and Maxim.

30 | Nicholas Ivan Ladendorf

December 2nd, 2007 at 6:09 pm

They are a comic magazine the way MTV is a music station. Calling themselves a men’s popculture magazine is way over due…

31 | Robert

December 19th, 2007 at 1:11 pm

First off i just want to say i believe Kristen Bell is the most beautiful actress out there today. Second. Wizard really hasn’t called themselves a comic book magazine for like a year now. They just added the #1 mens popculture magazine because really there is no other popculture magazine for men.