# She-Hulk is the biggest load of sexist crap! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889 "2015-05-12T21:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/1 "2015-05-12T21:57:52Z")
Bruce Banner human male turns into the Hulk, an enormous hulking human shaped monster with green skin. Jennifer Walters human female turns into She-Hulk, a hot chick with green skin. :dubious: I’m sure this has nothing to do with the average comic reader. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/2 "2015-05-12T22:06:29Z")
I’m sure as well. The changes caused by gamma exposure are partially attributable to an individuals desires. She wanted to be hot, just as Banner wanted to be strong and some guy whose name I don’t remember wanted to be smart. Anything else (like being green or deformed or having a huge head) just went with the territory. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/3 "2015-05-12T22:07:37Z")
Besides, her initial character design is different from what she looks like today. One could say it has a lot to do with how integrated the two sides of her are. ETA: the previous poster is thinking of The Leader. And note that Doc Samson just got more muscled and green hair for his exposure. Of course, that was carefully deliberate, but still. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/4 "2015-05-12T22:18:35Z")
So, you have this guy who, when exposed to gamma radiation, turns into a giant, raging, unstoppable monster who causes millions and millions of dollars of damage - and maybe kills a bunch of people, depending on which version you’re talking about. On the other hand, you have a woman who, when exposed to gamma radiation, opens her own law firm. Who is this supposed to be sexist against? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/5 "2015-05-12T22:23:06Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > I’m sure as well. The changes caused by gamma exposure are partially attributable to an individuals desires. She wanted to be hot, just as Banner wanted to be strong and some guy whose name I don’t remember wanted to be smart. > > Anything else (like being green or deformed or having a huge head) just went with the territory. Is this the canon reason? The only good thing about She-Hulk is her Hulk form takes care of the “conservation of mass” nitpick.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/6 "2015-05-12T22:24:25Z")
You’re just seeing things that aren’t there. [http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/5/54045/1472513-401209\_4243\_130929\_1\_sensational\_she\_hulk\_super.jpg](http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/5/54045/1472513-401209_4243_130929_1_sensational_she_hulk_super.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/7 "2015-05-12T22:30:04Z")
She-Hulk’s appearance may be sexist. But if you think it’s the _biggest_ load of sexist crap in comics, you haven’t read a lot of comics. Comic books are so full of sexism, this wouldn’t even make the top fifty. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/8 "2015-05-12T22:33:38Z")
There’s no doubt that the treatment of She Hulk is sexist in comics. But she does come off better than the Hulk. She’s powerful in both her forms AND spends time in the courts AS her green self. She’s got agency, she does. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/9 "2015-05-12T22:34:24Z")
This is true [across the board](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumanoidFemaleAnimal). If there’s a race of anthropomorphic monsters, demons, aliens, whatever, the females will be made to look sexy while the males will have bestial behaviors or features like fangs or tusks or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/10 "2015-05-12T22:35:36Z")
She’s green cheesecake, and when I read the comics they made no bones about it. But she was also powerful, independent and respected in her own world. Is this business linking the results of gamma exposure to the desires for the subject cannon somewhere? Because I’ve always it was an id/ego kind of construct. Anyway, I thought She-hulk’s more moderate transformation was because she had merely received a blood transfusion from her cousin, who had himself received the full facefull. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/11 "2015-05-12T22:40:40Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > So, you have this guy who, when exposed to gamma radiation, turns into a giant, raging, unstoppable monster who causes millions and millions of dollars of damage - and maybe kills a bunch of people, depending on which version you’re talking about. > > On the other hand, you have a woman who, when exposed to gamma radiation, opens her own law firm. > > Who is this supposed to be sexist against? The Hulk is basically invulnerable and probably the strongest hero in the Marvel stable, crossing universes he could probably go toe to toe with Kal El. I’d say he got the better deal. And at least his character model looks it. Have they ever done a one off where She-Hulk looked like the Hulk but with boobs? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/12 "2015-05-12T22:49:52Z")
> [@grude](#): > > The Hulk is basically invulnerable and probably the strongest hero in the Marvel stable, crossing universes he could probably go toe to toe with Kal El. I’d say he got the better deal. And at least his character model looks it. I’d have to disagree with you on that, unless your entire conception of quality of life is dependent solely on how hard you can punch things. I don’t care how much super-strength you lard me up with, if the trade off is I forget how language works, I’m not interested. > [@](#): > > Have they ever done a one off where She-Hulk looked like the Hulk but with boobs? Have you ever actually read a She-Hulk comic, or are you basing your entire opinion on the character off of a Google image search? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/13 "2015-05-12T23:10:45Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’d have to disagree with you on that, unless your entire conception of quality of life is dependent solely on how hard you can punch things. I don’t care how much super-strength you lard me up with, if the trade off is I forget how language works, I’m not interested. > > Have you ever actually read a She-Hulk comic, or are you basing your entire opinion on the character off of a Google image search? In real life I’d agree, however in the Marvel reality where every month something or the other threatens Earth I’ going with how hard you can punch things versus legal skills. Might suck for Bruce, good luck for the planet. I’ve read one or two She-Hulks, don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of it. I’m just interested if they ever gave her the Banner treatment dammit! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/14 "2015-05-12T23:11:40Z")
At its best – under Peter David – **She-Hulk** was a parody of superhero tropes, sexism especially. The covers were sexist, but the character was smart (a lawyer), clever, and often knew she was a comic book character. I suspect David was thinking of Milton Caniff’s characters like the Dragon Lady, Burma, and Miss Lace, as well as the Spirit’s P’Gell, Sand Serif, Silk Satin, and Ellen Dolan. All were sexy but highly competent women. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/15 "2015-05-12T23:27:15Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > At its best – under Peter David – **She-Hulk** was a parody of superhero tropes, sexism especially. The covers were sexist, but the character was smart (a lawyer), clever, and often knew she was a comic book character. > > I suspect David was thinking of Milton Caniff’s characters like the Dragon Lady, Burma, and Miss Lace, as well as the Spirit’s P’Gell, Sand Serif, Silk Satin, and Ellen Dolan. All were sexy but highly competent women. Yea I was mostly bitching about the character design, but the origin story once again brings up the perennial “well why doesn’t Banner give blood transfusions to any suitable recipient to create an army of Hulks” that applies to basically any superhero not by birth. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/16 "2015-05-12T23:48:36Z")
Because he’s afraid of creating more berserkers or Leaders, and doesn’t want that responsibility. He’s actually been de powering other gamma heroes, people he liked and respected, in a recent storyline. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/17 "2015-05-12T23:54:42Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > So, you have this guy who, when exposed to gamma radiation, turns into a giant, raging, unstoppable monster who causes millions and millions of dollars of damage - and maybe kills a bunch of people, depending on which version you’re talking about. > > On the other hand, you have a woman who, when exposed to gamma radiation, opens her own law firm. > > Who is this supposed to be sexist against? To expand a hair on what you said: So, you have this angry, abused guy with serious anger issues that he’s largely impotent to express who, when exposed to gamma radiation, turns into a giant, raging, unstoppable monster who causes millions and millions of dollars of damage - and maybe kills a bunch of people, depending on which version you’re talking about. On the other hand, you have a woman who felt unattractive, shy, helpless, smart and unnoticed, when exposed to gamma radiation, opens her own law firm as a gorgeous, flamboyant, even smarter and extroverted lawyer, who’s so in charge of herself that she is aware that she’s in a comic and can do stuff like walk between panels to teleport, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/18 "2015-05-13T00:01:07Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > At its best – under Peter David – **She-Hulk** was a parody of superhero tropes, sexism especially. The covers were sexist, but the character was smart (a lawyer), clever, and often knew she was a comic book character. > > I suspect David was thinking of Milton Caniff’s characters like the Dragon Lady, Burma, and Miss Lace, as well as the Spirit’s P’Gell, Sand Serif, Silk Satin, and Ellen Dolan. All were sexy but highly competent women. Correction: third-best. The _best_ She-Hulks were Byrne who created the modern, fun-loving She-Hulk and made her a star and then Slott, who got her back into law and wrote a far better book. David just picked up where Slott and Byrne left off. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/19 "2015-05-13T00:01:54Z")
> [@grude](#): > > In real life I’d agree, however in the Marvel reality where every month something or the other threatens Earth I’ going with how hard you can punch things versus legal skills. Might suck for Bruce, good luck for the planet. I haven’t read a lot of comics, but super strength is not always the answer to every problem. Batman doesn’t win because he has muscles on top of muscles, he wins because he’s smart and prepared. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889/20 "2015-05-13T00:19:28Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Is this the canon reason? > > The only good thing about She-Hulk is her Hulk form takes care of the “conservation of mass” nitpick.😛 Except for that hydrogen/oxygen/carbon to silicon thing… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-hulk-is-the-biggest-load-of-sexist-crap/719889.md?page=2)