Empowered: Ten questions for the Maid Man

[whitesycamore]

This was an awesome one-shot that brought a smile to my sullen old face during all the reboot misery. It is completely worth your time to look through the "maidman" tag and get to know the character, because he is AWESOME.

It's mildly risque due to beefcake and bedroom talk, so possibly NSFW?



Maidman has agreed to make a rare media appearance on the superhero interview show Superstrong Words, hosted by a guy named Blitzcraig who uses the word "super" way too much.



A very good point - why should it be seen as silly for Maidman to dress in traditionally feminine clothes, but not even *more* ridiculous for Batman to dress like a bat?





Right Ninjette, good thing that's not hot or anything. Why must they tease us with suggestions of Thugboy broadening his sexual horizons and then fail to deliver?





Utility minidress. It was also revealed earlier in the issue that the Maidman uses 'doilyrangs'.




Another excellent question! Why is it only ever female heroes who use their sexuality for distraction purposes? Good thing we have Maidman to right that imbalance.

Although this one-shot seemed more character focused and less sexually oriented, it still showed the typical Emp charm in how it explores sexual tropes in a way that's subversive *and* shamelessly fanservice-y. There was also a great moment where Empowered and the Caged Demonwolf discuss her mingled admiration and envy of Maidman, particularly of how, like her, he wears a ridiculously embarrassing costume, but *unlike* her is completely un self-conscious about it. Maidman also took the time to give Emp a shout out during his interview, which was nice of him.

Still, I'm a little bitter that some plot twist didn't force Thugboy to temporarily become the Maidman's sidekick! I've been thinking for a while now that his Everyman fratdude sensibilities could stand to see a little more challenging... particularly considering the tribulations that Emp is routinely put through.

Comments

[hyperactivator]

Who else here thinks that Maidman's sidekick should be some kind of girl-butler,complete with fake moustache?

[whitesycamore]

Me, now that you've said that.

The Maidman is a notoriously lone-wolf hero though, according to the interview.

[leoboiko]

Please send your suggestion to Mr. Warren at once.

[halloweenjack]

Throw in a pointy little goatee and you've got yourself a deal. Oh, and she should also be packing.

not that, uh, I've given it much thought or anything.

[sherkahn]

I read Maid Man but I hear Dr. Frankenfurter in my mind...

is this a bad thing?

[darkknightjrk]

I kinda have a sort-of deep superhero voice (sorta like the Flicher Superman), with some liberal dosage of sass...which does make for something sorta Frankenfurter-y, now that I think about it...

[grazzt]

I read his "Science!" as Dr. Insano.

[jjgalahad]

Amusingly enough, The Goddamn Maidman is canonically said to have a deep, angry Christian Bale-esque voice. A zombie superhero with decomposing vocal cords calls him on it later on.

[luxshine]

I *love* Maidman. And that thing about "Villian disservice"? Was gold.

Here's how you make a series sexy, full with fanservice for everyone, and everyone ends happy. DC and MArvel should take notes.

[baxter2814]

"Why is it only ever female heroes who use their sexuality for distraction purposes?"

Yeah! That has always annoyed me. You know, Nightwing, etc, should just come clean and admit it. I'd be distracted if I were fighting those guys...

Now that I actually think about it, I realize, of course, that if they ever made more male heroes use their sexuality, there'd be a bunch of people complaining about supervillainesses being affected by the power of male manliness. Then if you cited the loads more superheroines who have mentioned distraction as part of their sexy costumes, those same people will complain that females using their sexuality as a weapon is a bad thing. And if you stopped letting superheroines use their sexuality as a weapon, after increasing the number of male superheroes who do so, people will once again complain about supervillainesses and the power of cock, while also complaining that supervillains are apparently impervious to sexy superheroines. And then if you point out that basically means "male sexuality = good, female sexuality = bad", it will still fall flat because the decades of females getting exclusively sexualized makes it impossible for that kind of a comparison to be truly fair.

Jesus Christ, this stuff's a minefield. *facepalm*

[greenmask]

Well, people might say that. But you'd still know that you were being fairer, for a fact. And they'd say a lot of other things too!

Don't dishearten the idea before it even begiiiiins!

[whitesycamore]

"Now that I actually think about it, I realize, of course, that if they ever made more male heroes use their sexuality, there'd be a bunch of people complaining about supervillainesses being affected by the power of male manliness."

Well, probably, but I for one would not be among them!

I'm personally tired of the conventional wisdom that men are slaves to their libidos, while us women are morally superior ice-queens who get to smirk faintly at them, since we have no idea what it's like get distracted by anything as base as sex feelings. It's similarly irritating to those manchild comedies where all the women are frosty, boring, stick-in-the-mud mother surrogates.

Hell yeah, I want to see more supervillainesses (and superheroines) who are riddled with lust and human frailties!

[cleome45]

Heh. I think there's a reason "fanservice" is a more recent term for "beefcake" or "cheesecake." I need my rich foods in only moderate amounts or else I get killer heartburn and achy teeth. :p

[feyandstrange]

IIRC, Nightwing has actually referenced the fact that people are staring at his ass, and he was a bit blase about it.

[greenmask]

Well.

WELL.

Heeheesaucy!

[blackruzsa]

Saucy, smart, choosing his words wisely, well-trained in fighting without power and tactically efficient.... this guy is the perfect superhero!

[shanejayell]

You know, I'd LOVE to see a crossover where Maidman meets Batman. Just for the reactions....

[betaraybetty]

... followed by Maidman meets Alfred... :P

[dejadrew]

Huh. Isn't that Crow-quet in the second-last panel there? Isn't he Maidman in disguise?

...Is Crow-quet his Matches Malone? Because awesome, but I thought that cover was blown...

[dejadrew]

Er, third last.

[aaron_bourque]

Of course, Batman doesn't dress up as a bat. He doesn't have bat-ears, wings, a porcine bat-nose, fangs or claws. His costume gives the hint of being bat-like without actually having any real bat features.

/fanboy whinge

Anyway, I keep forgetting that Maidman is blond. Maybe because the usual art is black and white and he's so much like Batman, but I keep thinking he's got dark hair. I suppose it's to distinguish him from Thugboy, because Adam Warren does have a tendency towards sameface.

[joasakura]

Oh, i love maidman SO much.

And I can't get to the comic store till saturday :(

[mcity]

Since when has Adam Warren been British?

[whitesycamore]

What?

[schala_kid]

Oh man I would so do Maidman.

[silvercatmon]

Maidman, need his own ongoing comic.
I will be picking up this issue.

[autumn_lily]

WHY am I getting the feeling that MaidMan is really just Dick Grayson with dyed hair?!

Think about it - have you seen them both in the same room at the same time? NO! Coincidence? I think not!




....Can we please have them in the same room? Please please please?