BREAD! I mean, WORD!
http://jezebel.com/5543919/the-problem-with-representations-of-women-in-comics
We've all seen, heard, gotten annoyed with the pedantic sophistry. This article just says all those things that I want to say, but instead go "ARRRRGH!"
To Quote:
{In discussing how there are no unattractive female characters in comics}
It is because, far from being a particular aesthetic imperative of comics that is devoid of relation to social norms, the style of comics reflects a social double standard - men, because they are relevant despite their physical attractiveness [emphasis mine], can be ugly in media; women are so intricately associated with how attractive they are that they cannot be.
lynnez59 : Bonus Kathryn Erbe mention!