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[Oblivion]

What’s one thing almost every superhero has in common? A “perfect” body made up of toned muscles and zero fat.

Recovery.org, an organization that offers resources for people with mental health and/or substance abuse issues, is making those “perfect” bodies a little more realistic by “reverse photoshopping” illustrations of some of the most iconic superheroes. According to Recovery.org, “reverse photoshop” simply means reimagining what superheroes would look like “if their bodies matched the body of the average viewer” in the U.S.

A spokesperson for Recovery.org told HuffPost that the organization focused on superheroes because they are role models for so many young kids.

“With new releases every summer, we can see how these films positively affect their younger audiences. But, it’s hard to have such positive takeaways when the bodies represented on film don’t mirror what a typical body looks like,” the spokesperson told HuffPost. “This especially rings true for a younger audience considering research has found that some children are struggling with body image by the time they reach kindergarten. We conducted this project to see how our favorite heroes might change if their bodies were a bit more realistic, and hopefully more relatable.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...de4b003d5948b6f3f?ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000050

So if I'm being incredibly generous, I can say that maybe the hearts of these people at Recovery.org is in the right place. But even then, the idea that they feel it kids to be told that it's okay to look like the images on the right is, in my opinion, fairly destructive. Just because there are more people in the country who look like the images on the right as opposed to the left does not mean that it's a good thing and that we should be encouraging more of that.

Not to mention that these are SUPERHEROES, and doing all the things they do, you would EXPECT them to be looking incredibly fit and healthy.

 

[Guevara]

I'm in better shape than Superman. Cool.

 

[DeathyBoy]

Spider-Man would look like a twink.

 

[Stinkles]

Black Panther got screwed. At least Supes got a dad bod.

 

[SamuelSupreme]

Maybe if they're modelled after the average obese american...but even then. Whats a realistic body these days? All they did was make them look overweight.

 

[MidnightCowboy]

I never understood why realistic meant fat. Like are you calling people who are in shape unrealistic? That just seems like faulty logic.

 

[mreddie]

Haven't they done this before?

 

[Not]

Was on board til Superman

 

[Gaz_RB]

They just made them fatter?

 

[Sephzilla]

More like "This is what superheroes would look like with slightly out of shape bodies"

 

[jph139]

I mean, chisel the jaw a bit and that's more or less what Golden Age Superman looks like.

 

[Slayven]

Black Panther isn't American, neither is Superman for that matter

 

[The Jackdog]

im just a little confused, are they saying the average viewer/reader is overweight? cause black panther lookin a little fat.

and are they trying to advocate being overweight? or say its okay? cause idk if its a great idea to exactly encourage unhealthy lifestyles, but instead maybe encourage confidence in yourself?

im not trying to be a dick here, i think they like you said have their hearts in the right place, i just think their goal and the end result kinda muddy the waters on their point.

 

[kirblar]

Apparently athletic people just don't exist!

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

I don't want to live in a world where I'm more fit than Black Panther.

 

[Akuun]

I get that superhero bodies are unrealistic, but these photoshopped bodies are downright overweight.

If they're trying to show more normal bodies, wouldn't it make more sense to show... normal bodies that are neither fat nor super ripped?

 

[PBY]

I'm always conflicted with stuff like this... because they just made all these heroes out of shape. How does that help anyone?

 

[titiklabingapat]

Ummm, fat isn't realistic either. It just means you're fat.

 

[Stormhammer]

i feel like harley quinn looks "realistic" as is..?

wtf did they do to black panther D:

 

[studyguy]

thicc

 

[SillyEskimo]

More like Fat Panther

 

[marrec]

lmfao

They made Cyborg fat

"Dad make sure my Cyborg body is fat I don't wanna shame anyone"

 

[digitalrelic]

Lol, wtf? I'm totally against body shaming but this is stupid as hell.

Part of the reason that they're called "Super Heroes" is because their bodies are, well, super. Judging by this article, the next Thor will be played by Kevin James.

 

[ExVicis]

Harley Quinn is a Superhero?

It's a small world in optc. Just had someone from GAF show up under "guest" on my friends list. What are the chances? (Lucy Pirates) Couldn't add you this time because I'm not running Shiryu. Thought I already had you on my list but I guess not.

This is just goofy. Honestly a fat Cyborg?

 

[Septimus Prime]

I really hate these. Aquaman swims for 24 hours a day; he should look overweight? Does Michael Phelps have a beer gut?

 

[Warm Machine]

This is so misguided. There are people out there that look...fit. It isn't even that rare.

 

[Puck Beaverton]

I'm not seeing the difference in Harley

 

[spawnsniper]

Let's just make every superhero fatter.

 

[jelly]

Super - heroes.

Also, extreme muscles may be unrealistic to maintain but being fit is not and how is fat, skinny, normal more realistic than another.

 

[TangoAlphaLima]

Black Panther isn't American, neither is Superman for that matter

Slayven goin' all pro-Trump on us!

#MakeComicsGreatAgain

 

[SpaceWolf]

Do they really have to take it to the other extreme? It totally ruins what they were going for.

 

[Ponn]

They did Black Panther wrong, I honestly couldn't tell an immediate difference with the Harley one. Superman just looks like he came out of an Alex Ross issue.

 

[Tagyhag]

Why is Panther so much fatter than Superman?

 

[Fuchsdh]

But the average viewer (in most of the developing world) needs to lose weight, so what is the point of making superheroes fat?

I just don't understand these photoshops. It seems like whatever point they had to say about body image issues has been lost in acting like thin or in-shape people are mythical.

I will say that city living probably makes these examples of "average" more ridiculous-looking. Yeah, if I travel to a rural Wal-Mart these examples might start looking more "reasonable".

And Super-Man really should boost his iodine intake, what with that massive bulging thyroid on only one side of his face.

 

[HvySky]

I guess athletic or fit people aren't normal?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I didn't know Eddy Lacy was the Black Panther

 

[j.rob]

Bruhhhhh why they gotta do my boy T'Challa like that?

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Is Black Panther a chipmunk now?

 

[bionic77]

Fat Harley doesn't look that much different in that picture and I think I like fat Black Panther as well.

 

[Gunslinger]

Are these realistic bodies? Even just by training naturally and having a great diet will make you look great. These pictures just redrew them as fat.

 

[Trouble]

I'm always conflicted with stuff like this... because they just made all these heroes out of shape. How does that help anyone?

Chubby Harley Quinn helps me. I'll explain when you're older.

 

[BadAss2961]

They're superheroes, so it makes sense that most of them would look like pro athletes instead of average people.

 

[Stinkles]

Why is Panther so much fatter than Superman?

Wakandan desserts.

 

[Shanlei91]

But most heroes capable of amazing athletic feats, constantly pushing their bodies, wouldn't realistically look like my parents.

 

[Ultryx]

This is so dumb. Maybe their hearts are in the right place, but this illustrations are not ideal.

 

[Prophaniti]

I never understood why realistic meant fat. Like are you calling people who are in shape unrealistic? That just seems like faulty logic.

I'm naturally skinny. So are a lot of people I know. I would have expected superman to be skinny.

 

[DopeToast]

If superheroes really existed they would probably look like professional athletes or wildland firefighters or something, people who do physical activity for a living.

 

[Coriolanus]

There's a difference between sculpted, average weight, overweight, and obese ffs. For several of those they went straight to obese.

 

[Agent Gibbs]

Haven't they done this before?

Yes and it was just a stupid then, it makes the assumption that nobody has athletic body types and that everyone is considerably larger. It boggles the mind, and whilst i get the intention its equally as stupid considering in live action films there are athletic actors with those body types, so that body type is obviously "real"

Cyborg is particularly hilarious since he's mainly machine and they made the machine fatter too

 

[HStallion]

Black Panther needs to lay off the Wakandan Twinkies.