Archived Observation

I was looking through our new copy of Diamond Previews (a HUGE book that lists what comics are coming out within the next month) this past weekend, and as I turned page after page after page (it's a big book), I noticed picture after picture after picture of comic book heroines wearing skimpy latex, revealing short-shorts, skin-tight halter tops, thong bikinis and high-heeled boots. Since their common denominator was the requisite perfectly spherical breasts with their disproportionate cleavage, I immediately started thinking about Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider video game. Now, I love a good video game, and this one seemed to be one that bunches of people recommended, but I have to say that I was on the fence about actually buying it due to the big-boobed skimpy-outfitted Lara. I mean, she's wearing a halter top in the snow for Christ's sake! Lately I've been reading little reviews of Tomb Raider, some of them written by women who have praise for Lara and her abilities, which say things along the lines of , "She kicks ass and looks good in a bikini." OK. I'm not saying that female action heroes should weigh in at a muscular 200 pounds and wear no makeup, but put a jacket on that girl! Make her a little more in proportion, anyway. We ended up buying the game, and as I got used to maneuvering Lara around her landscapes (which takes a lot of practice using just the keyboard), I noticed that if you steered her in the wrong direction, she would run up to a wall and just stand there. Get eaten by bats, even. Until you gave her a push in the right direction, that is. And then it occurred to me, what is Lara Croft but something that needs to be controlled? Thinking further, who, for the most part are these games aimed towards, and who, for the most part buys them? Just an observation, not some kind of feminist rant.
Maybe girls who play video games would want to tape a picture of the main female character up on their bedroom walls. At this point, it's the boys who're putting up the pictures!