Heavy Metal comic mocks its core fan base. - Not a good way to keep old fans.

anti SJW

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Story Here

Heavy Metal Magazine Mocks Fans Not Happy With New Armored Taarna Cover​


Heavy Metal Magazine magazine decided to mock fans who expressed their distaste for a recently revealed cover of the publisher’s six-issue Taarna miniseries from writer Stephanie Phillips.

Heavy Metal Magazine first shared the cover to Instagram to promote an interview with Stephanie Phillips with CBR about the finale and her plans for Taarna and the new armor.

If you are unfamiliar with Taarna, Heavy Metal Magazine’s official description reads, “Taarna is the last living Taarakian, and the guardian of our universe. A hybrid being born of the great warrior Taarnak and a dying universe, Taarna is the personified form of one of the youngest universes in the multiverse.”

They add, “With her flying steed, Avis, and armed with her sword, Novera, Taarna travels from world to world protecting the universe from the threat of Kako, the embodiment of evil.”

“Taarna removes all the weeds that threaten the health of her universe, which is a cosmic garden from her point of view,” it concludes.

As you can see Taarna is typically depicted in a bikini outfit with a pauldron and gauntlet on her right arm. However, that changed in Taarna #5, where she put on a full suit of armor.

Speaking with CBR, Phillips discussed designing the new battle armor for issues #5 and #6.

Phillips explained, “One really cool element to the finale was getting to design new battle armor for Taarna (for issues #5 and #6).”

“Al [Barrionuevo] and Bryan [Valenza] created some of the coolest armor for Taarna that I hope we get to see beyond the issues we worked on together. It’s such a cool look. Both Al and Bryan are incredibly talented and a great team to close out the story with,” she added.

As noted by Phillips, Taarna does don the armor in the interiors of Taarna #5. She does so after she was severely injured in Taarna #4 following a fight with a giant serpent.

In that issue, while fighting the serpent she was still wearing her iconic look as you can see below.

After recovering from her injury at a temple at the edge of the universe, Taarna puts on her new armor as she prepares to hunt down Urcuss, who leads an army in service to Kako, the embodiment of evil.

Aside from being injured against the serpent, the only explanation for the armor is that she needs to be prepared as she hunts down Urcuss.

In response to a number of fans on their initial Instagram post, Heavy Metal clearly mocked them.

One user who wrote, “They finally cover she up.”

Heavy Metal responded, “Most people have more than one outfit it turns out.”


Another wrote, “R.I.P. Taarna.”

Heavy Metal responded, “Does changing clothes kill people? We had no idea. Do you not change your underwear? This explains so much.”

One wrote, “I’m torn. While I generally despise bikini armor as a whole, I also have a pretty severe disdain for the complete changing of iconic characters and looks. At what point does it become an entirely different character, and where exactly is the ridiculous line for scantily clad heroines?”

Heavy Metal answered, “Have you read the book to understand the context of the outfit or you just masking assumptions? Trust us, read it and you will understand. Also people should change clothes and looks that’s natural.”

As noted above, the change in outfit doesn’t really make sense from a story point as she goes from getting injured by a giant serpent to fighting a completely different enemy.

Nevertheless, Heavy Metal would use this line in multiple responses.

They would take things to another level in a follow-up Instagram post.

As you can see below, it reads, “It has come to our attention that some of you are confused that Taarna has the ability to change clothes. so to address this.”

They continued, “We’d like to remind you that you too can change clothes and to please do so, especially your underwear, we’ve gotten complaints from the neighbors.”

Along with this message they also added, “An official statement, relax guys it’s just armor. We know change is scary but you got this. This is Heavy Metal we have always experimented and pushed the envelope because that’s art, it changes grows and evolves. We have and always will push the boundaries of art, storytelling and culture.”

They added, “If you are uncomfortable with change and growth then you will go the way of the dinosaur, instead we encourage you to open your mind and take that ride on Heavy Metal.”

Needless to say, fans weren’t happy with this response either.

One person wrote, “The changes suck. Respect your fans.”

Heavy Metal responded, “no. We don’t want fans like that. We are good. Thank you.”

In response another fan, Heavy Metal wrote, “We did not change it for any political reasons, we did it because it made sense in the story and gave the character a chance to grow. This is all pretty clear if you read the series.”

Again as noted above, this argument doesn’t really make sense.

Another fan wrote, “The NEW people running Heavy Metal must really hate their fans. Why do you hate us?”

Heavy Metal responded, “Think about your question realistically. You are an adult (we assume) would it make sense for a company that works so hard to create and bring new art to hate it’s fans? Or are you just uncomfortable with change and growth? Do you hate us because we’ve grown out of the box and your comfort level. Sit with that. We love our fans but they can either grow up with or stay behind clinging to an idealized past.”

Remember, in a previous response they made it clear they didn’t want fans who didn’t like the new design. So they might not be hating them, but they certainly don’t want them actually being fans, which this response doubles down on.”

In this next response, they made it very clear they do not respect the fans who do not like the new armored design of Taarna.

A commentator wrote, “Cartoon lady wear more cloth now. How pee pee become big pee pee if can’t see lady skin? Outrage. Basically Pearl Harbor. Change lady back. Me only achieve orgasm if cartoon lady not wear many cloth. Not see real lady since kicked out of comic store in ’97 for ‘harassment.’ Stupid Stacy. She just made because she lesbian. Me have big pee pee and drive cool truck.”

Heavy Metal responded, “This is sadly close to some of the responses.”

In this last example, one person wrote, “No, you relax. Being afraid of a mob of sociopaths, who try to cancel every drop of sexualization is concerning. Yer So called going forward is nothing but a cheap excuse, since new armor’s style is so old fashioned. Moving forward my balls.”

Heavy Metal responded, “no one is afraid here. The change in outfit is part of the story line as an ‘author’ I’m sure you understand that. If you read the series you would know how silly your comment is.”

As noted above, Heavy Metal continues to try and defend the change as a story change, but if you actually read the story it doesn’t hold up.

What do you make of Heavy Metal’s mocking of their own fans?

END STORY

I really thought Heavy Metal was SJW proof. I was wrong.
 

From The Uncanny Valley

World's Smartest Dumbass
True & Honest Fan
kiwifarms.net
Why do these companies go forward with changes that they know fans won't be happy with AND THEN double down with insulting them? You can still go through with changes you want to see, but not insult fans right? If they don't hate fans of course.
Hating your fans (and expecting them to lap it up) is super in right now.
 

albert chan

TWAIN 2024
True & Honest Fan
kiwifarms.net
Along with this message they also added, “An official statement, relax guys it’s just armor. We know change is scary but you got this. This is Heavy Metal we have always experimented and pushed the envelope because that’s art, it changes grows and evolves. We have and always will push the boundaries of art, storytelling and culture.”

They added, “If you are uncomfortable with change and growth then you will go the way of the dinosaur, instead we encourage you to open your mind and take that ride on Heavy Metal.”
Usually these statements always follow with art that doesn’t even resemble the brand of what you’re selling. You can be both inventive and still follow the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach.
 

SITHRAK!

ESL teenager spouting gibberish and angry words.
kiwifarms.net
“An official statement, relax guys it’s just armor. We know change is scary but you got this. This is Heavy Metal we have always experimented and pushed the envelope because that’s art, it changes grows and evolves. We have and always will push the boundaries of art, storytelling and culture.”
Yeah... looks like Taarna is now just Captain Marvel with a sword.
This isn’t genre-busting or zeitgeist-challenging. It’s capitulating to ‘progressivism‘.
Way to go mainstream and drag your unofficial mascot with you.
 

Stoneheart

Well hung, and snow white tan
kiwifarms.net
yeah seen that... I dont know anybody who will still spend money on their mags. stupid fags lost a grand a month or more from me and my friends over this.
on the plus side, i now have alot of money to buy that berzerk manga with all the money i dont spend on getting every cover every month.
 

RomanesEuntDomus

Bunte Farben für Gratismut
True & Honest Fan
kiwifarms.net
Those snappy remarks by the guys running the magazine are really cute.
Let's see them write some equally snappy, snarky remarks once their number of readers drops to single-digit percentages of what they were before this shitfest.

Heavy Metal in general feels like a relic of the 80s and maybe 90s that somehow managed to cling to life. Changing the one thing that made its classic appeal to look like a rather bland and uninspired knockoff of whatever Marvel shits out wasn't the right move and will break this franchise, if the people in charge are this toxic towards the people that managed to keep the demand going for such a long time.

I can't even pretend I care about Taarna or that magazine, I only watched the Heavy Metal FAKK2 movie a long time ago and played the videogame, but I am pissed that one more thing is being taken away from its fans.
It's utterly disgusting, how the fans get mocked by the Ip holders for caring about something that was only profitable thanks to their loyalty.

I used to hope that the IP holders would come to their senses and return franchises to their former selves, the way the fans want them and enjoy them... but not anymore. Now, I want to see these companies burn down with everything and everyone locked inside. I want to see the company going bankrupt, I want to see the franchise burned to the ground. I want to salt the earth and make it infertile for all eternity.
It's better than to watch some zombified IP limp and lurch on, as progressive shitheads rip it apart more and more, mocking the former fans at every step of the way. I want these faggots to get what's due: brankruptcy and ridicule.

Maybe their failure will eventually clue in the other IP holders that changing something for progressive browny points is a bad idea and mocking your fans for disliking it is outright suicidal.
 

BrunoMattei

No I am not the Cinema Snob
True & Honest Fan
kiwifarms.net
Heavy Metal was a good comic mag. It was always wrapped in plastic like porno mags and had a porno-esque cover. It was always in the porno mag section of book stores and I would carefully remove the plastic, sandwich it in another magazine and read it. It was an anthology mag so the quality was all over the place but it was mostly good.

I like the 80's movie for the most part.

FAKK 2 is passable.

I get the complaints from nerds because it's exactly like covering up Vampirella. Have they already done that yet? I dunno. But if it's a one-off then it shouldn't be an issue but you never know these days and responding to critics like that is not a good way to endear yourselves with fans. A better respond would have been saying this is temporary.
 

knightlautrec

Keh heh heh heh…
kiwifarms.net
Heavy Metal was a good comic mag. It was always wrapped in plastic like porno mags and had a porno-esque cover. It was always in the porno mag section of book stores and I would carefully remove the plastic, sandwich it in another magazine and read it. It was an anthology mag so the quality was all over the place but it was mostly good
Same. My Dad collected it from the 80s and I used to sneak and read them because they had boobs and sex and violence and that was radical to an eight year old. It had the Elric comic and I ate that shit up. Years later I had my own subscription because it published Sky Doll which is one of my absolute favourites. Classic Heavy Metal did not bat an eyelash for adult comics or erotica and it didn't apologise for it. Nor should it. It promoted a subsection of European comics that would have never seen the light of day in mainstream US comics and I'm honestly grateful for the exposure it gave to them.

This response from them is incredibly stupid and tiresome. I hope it burns. Current Year is a wasteland for creative works and people forgetting their integrity and spine. The weak inherited the keys to good things and now they're fucking it up for their own egos.

 

The Token Ethnic

Last of the Night Wiggers
kiwifarms.net
A niche magazine once known to have dark and sexy stories by Crepax, Moebuis, Milo Manara and Olivia De Berardinis now wants to go the DC and Marvel route of watering down their content AND insult the fanbase that actually paid for the comic?
0gVnkD1.gif

I know the social media account is trying to defend Stephanie Phillips & Patrick Zircher, but they're done with the comic and will move on to another project. Heavy Metal really made themselves look bad for the way they handled this.
 

Frank D'arbo

It is 5 am and You are Listening to Los Angeles
True & Honest Fan
kiwifarms.net
Heavy Metal or Heavy Metal 2000/FAKK 2k whatever the fuck that was?
Came out around the time 2000 came out, but its based on original designs that artists who worked on Heavy Metal created, with Kevin Eastman being a creative consultant on it.

Also actual Heavy Metal soundtrack

It only came out for the Arcade (Naomi based hardware) and Sega Dreamcast, and was over shadowed by both Power Stone games and Spawn, so thats probably why you haven't heard of it
 

RomanesEuntDomus

Bunte Farben für Gratismut
True & Honest Fan
kiwifarms.net
But if it's a one-off then it shouldn't be an issue but you never know these days and responding to critics like that is not a good way to endear yourselves with fans. A better respond would have been saying this is temporary.
The way I read those comments about "growing up" and "moving on", this change is here to stay... or rather, it's the change they'll stick with until the Titanic has sunk deep enough that revising the design won't prevent the ship from going down anyway.

A niche magazine once known to have dark and sexy stories by Crepax, Moebuis, Milo Manara and Olivia De Berardinis now wants to go the DC and Marvel route of watering down their content
You'd think the choice in such an environment is clear: Be unapologetic about cheesecake art, celebrate the smut and give mad feminists on Twitter your best shit eating grin while doing so. Have hot Amazonian lesbians do hot shit. Have gore, tits and ass on full display front and center.

Anyone that wants PC culture crap that turns all female characters into fugly bitches with shitty attitudes will read DC and Marvel. Anyone who wants a comic that's different will buy Heavy Metal. How is this so hard? Don't become just yet another knock-off, be something else. In this market, being something else is a giant fucking appeal to a huge audience that's fed up with reading about black muslim lesbian Captain America lecturing a Trump-standin about the importance of climate-neutral policies and refugee acceptance.
 

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