Justice League Magic Mike

As a reminder that not everything in comics is doom and gloom—and that we as a country can still laugh, smile and drool, DC has released a list of its March Movie Variant covers, and they include this Justice League cover by Emanuela Lupacchino inspired by Magic Mike, the greatest film of the 21st century.

On that note, it is definitely time to call it a weekend. And the complete list, courtesy of Newsarama — more smiles to come we hope.

 

– Action Comics #40inspired by Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, with cover art by Joe Quinones
– Aquaman #40 inspired byFree Willy, with cover art by Richard Horie
– Batgirl #40 inspired byPurple Rain, with cover art by Cliff Chiang
– Batman #40 inspired byThe Mask, with cover art by Dave Johnson
– Batman & Robin #40inspired by Harry Potter, with cover art by Tommy Lee Edwards
– Batman/Superman #20inspired by The Fugitive, with cover art by Tony Harris
– Catwoman #40 inspired by Bullitt, with cover art by Dave Johnson
– Detective Comics #40inspired by The Matrix, with cover art by Brian Stelfreeze
– Flash #40 inspired byNorth By Northwest, with cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz
– Harley Quinn #16inspired by Jailhouse Rock, with cover art by Dave Johnson
– Grayson #8 inspired byEnter The Dragon, with cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz
– Green Lantern #40inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, with cover art by Tony Harris
– Green Lantern Corps #40 inspired by Forbidden Planet, with cover cover art by Tony Harris
– Justice League #40inspired by Magic Mike, with cover art by Emanuela Lupacchino
– Justice League Dark #40inspired by Beetlejuice, with cover art by Joe Quinones
– Justice League United #10 inspired by Mars Attacks, with cover art by Marco D’Alphonso
– Teen Titans #8 inspired by The Lost Boys, with cover art by Alex Garner
– Sinestro #11 inspired byWestworld, with cover art by Dave Johnson
– Supergirl #40 inspired byWizard of Oz, with cover art by Marco D’Alphonso
– Superman #40 inspired bySuper Fly, with cover art by Dave Johnson
– Superman/Wonder Woman #17 inspired cover by Gone With The Wind, with art by Gene Ha
– Wonder Woman #40inspired by 300, with cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz

24 COMMENTS

  1. Wait a minute…

    So people scream and yell about sexism in comics when a male draws Spider-Woman sexy, yet this cover of men as pieces of meat/strippers is just good fun? Where is the outrage? Why isn’t the internet screaming for the head of Emanuela Lupacchino or DC?

  2. So, which hero on the cover is the drug dealer?

    No Suicide Squad? Shazam? Cyborg?

    Catwoman would have been better with “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

    Does anyone know where the Wizard of Oz poster came from? It’s not iconic, and I can’t find anything except an advert.

    Some of the artists aren’t well chosen. If you’re going to use a photographic or realistic poster, then the cover artist should have a clean, realistic style.
    Batman & Robin, Green Lantern fail. Too sketchy.

    Did any of the movie poster designers/artists get a design fee?
    Credit?
    An offer to recreate their iconic poster?

    Too bad they couldn’t schedule this for February, during the Oscars…

    Hmmm… two of the covers are based on comic book movies, neither of which are DC properties.

    All but “Bill & Ted” are owned by WB.

    Other/Better iconic posters:
    A Christmas Story
    Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
    Ace Ventura
    A Clockwork Orange
    Blazing Saddles
    Singing in the Rain

  3. @Tim
    Well, for one thing, the guys aren’t massively contorted in order to expose and enhance their sexual characteristics, thus helping reducing them (and their gender) to that dimension of their being. Secondly, even if that were the case, such portrayals aren’t all that frequent and exist in a continuum of other accepted and expected ways to portray the male form. Which isn’t the case for the female one, which is what makes this cover all in good fun and the Spider-Woman (and countless others) one problematic.

  4. Poor Tim, you contorted even more than I thought was possible in order to try to highlight a false hypocrisy. MRA unite, amirite? !?!?!?!

  5. @ Wonder Woman #40 inspired by 300, with cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz
    I’m sure it’ll look fine, but I’m disappointed that DC, even with a fun promotion like this, continues to head Wonder Woman in the direction of a blood-splattered, low-rent Xena. Kick ass women in battle are great, but it would be nice to see a lighter, fresher take every once in a while (like the recent Gilbert Hernandez story). Why not Wonder Woman in ‘Maleficent’, with Big Barda in ‘Thelma and Louise’ or even ‘The Princess Diaries’?

  6. Wow. If I didn’t know any better, I’d guess that DC and the artists actually had some fun coming up with these covers. Huh.

  7. @Jose de Leon – Might have been gayer; DC could have gotten the lovely Joe Phillips to handle it. ;) But yeah, these sound like fun overall.

  8. @Charile Ryan
    Is Big Barda in the Wonder Woman comic? (I’ve only read the first issue of the reboot.)

    As for the movie posters you suggest, one is MGM, and the other two are Disney, owners of Marvel.
    Since DC seems to have concentrated on WB properties (aside from Bill and Ted), those are unlikely to have been used.

    Thelma & Louise would work, if the landscape is replaced with an island.

    Some more suggestions:
    Giant
    Ben-Hur
    The Right Stuff
    Deliverance (Either the “eyeball” design, or the silhouetted procession)
    Network (for Shazam)
    Dog Day Afternoon
    Barry Lyndon
    Inception
    Blade Runner

  9. Love it! But Heidi? The greatest film of the 21st century? I too loved the strip scenes, but the major arch of the film sees one drugged out stripper induct someone new to take their place so he can take off with the new guys sister, to start life anew! What? There was no consequence to turning the girl’s brother into a drugged out stripper… I found it very concerning, and then they danced some more.

  10. Straight white men don’t really have much to worry about – a poke here and there won’t hurt them.
    I say this as a straight white man.

  11. Insecure and clueless straight male trolls have plenty to worry about, but it’s mostly their own internal problems. The emotionally sound ones have little to fear.

    And yes, that JL cover – nice as it is – could have been substantially gayer if Joe Phillips had done it. (He’s pretty busy these days, but it would’ve been worth asking him. Or Stephen Sadowski, or Phil Jimenez. For starters.) I’ve never drawn for DC, but I daresay I might even have improved upon the gaiety quotient a bit myself. :)

  12. For comparison, here is the original poster:

    magic mike

    You’ll note how Luppaccino has subtly altered the Batman/Matthew McConaughey pose to recall the classic “Batusi” cover.

    Genius, I say.

  13. Before everyone jumps on @Tim, let me say I completely empathize with his point of view. The same way I empathize when my younger child complains that he can’t stay up as late as the older one. That’s a perfectly rational perspective, and one I myself would feel compelled to point out. I get it.

    But I’ll say to Tim, what I say to my kids: “Fair” doesn’t always mean “the Same.” It’s totally fair that the older kid stays up later. “He doesn’t need as much sleep as you, and when you’re older you’ll stay up just as late.” THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE DIFFERENT. If a majority of men felt that they were perceived as only having value as sex objects, then there would be outrage at the Magic Mike homage. If the cover was evidence that time and again a trend was being perpetuated, then there’d be outrage.

    We scream at the Spider-Woman cover for the same reason I yell at my kids when they knock their milk off the table for the hundredth time — SHOW ME YOU CAN HANDLE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SITTING AT THE TABLE, AND I’LL GIVE YOU BACK YOUR RIGHT TO SIT THERE. But when an adult knocks their milk? I go grab a towel and help them clean it off. That’s fair.

    I want my beloved comics industry to show me they’re growing up right, and they understand the importance of showing respect for their readers. This cover isn’t evidence of a larger problem (at least regarding over-sexualizing males) . It’s a one-off.

  14. “Empathising” with someone while putting their point of view in the most sneering terms. Well, that sent the hypocrisy rating up.

  15. @ Torsten
    As far as I know, Barda hasn’t shown up in the new 52 WW book. It just seemed to me like an Amazonian Princess and a New God would have a little something in common and hang out together. And I could see them raising a little hell if they weren’t treated right.

    The Time Warner connection went right over my head. When I first glanced at the list and saw movies like Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz or 2001, I never thought TW. Those will always be MGM movies to me. I forgot MGM’s library was bought up long ago (first by Turner, then by TW.)

  16. Dasbender, you are correct sir, but hoping you average comic book readers are intelligent enough to understand your point is another thing entirely.

  17. @Joe S Walker, I honestly didn’t hear any sneering while I typed that reply. Intended as entirely genuine. In hindsight, I see how someone might interpret my comparison with my children as trying to belittle their viewpoint. Sorry. That’s merely a side effect of the only example I can think of being the thing that’s most prevalent in my life: my kids. Just the first thing I thought of.

    Like I said — I’ve often shouted the same “HEY – THAT’S NOT EQUAL!” point myself. Because it’s NOT equal. I agree with Tim. But circumstances make it fair.

  18. But if your viewpoint shows that you lack perspective and understanding, due to your limited experience with the world, expect analogies to other people like that. Such as children. Sorry, precious little butterfly, but my respect for your viewpoint needs to be earned; you don’t get it just for having one.

  19. Wasn’t asking for your respect, as much as you may want it. Merely telling you that your characterization was incorrect. You’re welcome.

Comments are closed.