Horhaus: Thighs Wide Shut

09.02.05 Thighs Wide Shut

I mentioned in a previous post that I had to redraw a page (two pages, actually) from Outsiders #20 because they were deemed too controversial for print! Well, the issue has finally hit the stands, so there's no longer any reason to keep these pages hidden from my three faithful readers!
I've decided to include the description from Judd Winick's script, so you can see how it all went down. Personally, I think I still prefer the original spread in terms of the quality of the drawing. The figures are more interesting and because it's a full body shot, there's a better sense of location as I could show more of the ship's interior. But in contrast, it does come off a bit harsh.
Also, I think the redrawn version, which I was asked to do as more of a close-up so as to avoid any suggestive poses, compromises the actual storytelling. It's not apparent at first glance that it's a sex scene, and the whole point of doing this shot as a double page spread was to hit the reader with an eyeful of weird, alien sex.
This just looks weird and alien. And in my opinion, it's a waste of a page because it could have been done in one.

Page 2 & 3 A double page spread of Indy and Shift having "sex" on the floor of the Pequod. Now, let's talk about what this should look like... Indy is nude and on her back. But naughty bits are totally covered by Shift. Shift, whose head and shoulders and maybe one arm we can make out, is wrapped all around Indy. It's not exactly a BLOB, but it's a bit of a twisted mass. And in the mass, there's rock, leaves, froth, all manner of elements and COLORS. Indy looks surprised. Shift looks calm.
Shift
Hey guys... you ever hear of knocking?

Title
BACK TO NORMAL

Credits...

And now that you've got something brewing in your mind's eye, check out:

Sex Scene (First Attempt)

and

Sex Scene (Final)

Too racy? Not suitabe for children? Artistic oppression? You decide!

Posted by karl at February 9, 2005 11:06 AM

Comments

Speaking only for myself, I prefer the second layout. I think you might have been able to get away with a little more skin in it but overall it has better staging in terms of content. The first version seems all squashed in one corner. Also the second version to me reads "sex" while the first reads "rape".

Posted by: Lyon at February 9, 2005 01:35 PM

You're not the first person to make the rape comment. I can see it, and I think it has more to do with Shift's expression than the position they're in or their body language. But sex ain't always a pretty thing, and I was going for realism.
The interesting thing is that the editorial concerns were mainly over Indigo's exposed navel and the 'pleasured' positioning of her foot, which is ridiculous given the amount of gratuitous skin seen in the majority of mainstream superhero(ine) books.
As for the composition, I agree with you there, too, but keep in mind that this was a double-page spread, so when it's printed there are staples in the middle. I didn't like the thought of separating the characters from each other with the division of the page - it lessens the intimacy of the scene, even subconsciously, for the reader.
Ah, anyway... it's done now and it was an exercise in creative layout. I think you'll agree that the page description could have been interpreted a thousand different ways. This was mine.

Posted by: Karl at February 9, 2005 03:57 PM

in my opinion, the first one is better, compositionally and otherwise.

btw, i think her expression is perfect. she looks comfortable but surprised. but it's in conjunction with darth vader's surly expression that makes me feel like we're walking in on a rape.

Posted by: matt at February 9, 2005 11:49 PM

"I was going for realism". In a scene depicting sex with a multi-elemental being. Riiiiiiiiiight...

Posted by: Lyon at February 10, 2005 03:49 PM

Extrapolate what you know from life and apply it to your characters, no matter how alien or inhuman they might be - otherwise you'll end up with two-dimensional clichés every time.
These characers are essentially actors, and they exist in a world which operates on rules almost identical to our own and should behave as such.

Posted by: Karl at February 10, 2005 03:58 PM

I think both are good. She looks younger in the second one to me though. If I had to draw it, I think I'd have you see the back of one of them, with their head looking over their shoulder and the other looking past in surprise. It could work either way, showing her bare back would be more suggestive probably as to what was going on.

Posted by: Brad at February 17, 2005 06:01 PM