MAC Cosmetics has debuted a commercial for its Wonder Woman themed makeup line, featuring animations by Michael Allred.

Call us nutso, but this seems to be one of the more successful attempts at a “mocom” — probably because it wasn’t just a comic book to begin with but was conceived as limited animation.

The Comics Alliance people found this video a troubling vessel for the message that women must wear makeup to be accepted…a message shared by 86 percent of all US media. Anyway, where’s our Russian Red?
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1 COMMENT

  1. Wonder Woman’s always suggested a certain idealized glamor, but she’s so underexposed in pop culture these days it can’t help but strike me as sad that one of her notable outings is…selling make-up.

    :(

  2. A number of reactions:
    1. Kinda of a messed up message coming from Wonder Woman, don’tcha think? What does Gloria Steinem think of this concept?
    2. Couldn’t the colorist get the breast-eagle right?
    3. Why isn’t Diana wearing the Jim Lee-designed Members-Only outfit?
    4. Just kidding about #3.

  3. Bravo to the Comics Alliance for making a good point, but given that nearly all women in comics are babes in tight/skimpy costumes, isn’t that a bit of the pot calling the kettle black?

  4. ahh, whatever happened to the good old days of Poison -when men could wear make-up:)
    seriously though it is troubling and I’ll give Comics Alliance this much we do live in a world were women like to put on Make-up. You look at fashion magazines and whatnot…but the funny thing is when i point out “glamourpuss” most women take offense at the covers because they see it as a bitter nerd who couldn’t get laid, and the mag isn’t really even anti-fashion whatever (just poking some fun)…but we do live in a society where on the women’s channel “Oxygen” and Bravo none stop run of ‘America;s Next Top Model”. And I’ve had girl friends who love that show and i really wished they liked comics.
    Anyway, as troubling as human behavior is whether it is biology or environment -having woken up with some before they “put their face” on, i guess it’s not all bad…and hey I don’t always look that great myself and wish a little make-up would be acceptable…ok, not really, but that’s probably just due to social conditioning:)

  5. Very cute and striking presentation. Pop art gets animated. Now I don’t mean to quibble… but I’m going to. How come Wonder Woman’s boots don’t have the white stripes? Seems like a small deal but I just had flashbacks as a kid When I watched Wonder Woman on TV with the red and white boots. Then I read the comics and distinctly SEE the artists drawing the stripes and the colorist pretending it didn’t exist. Perhaps I’ve said too much…lol!

  6. WONDER WOMAN shilling make-up?

    It can’t be just because ‘women don’t read Comics’… so they won’t mind the usage of an Iconic Female Superhero in pushing product that’s aimed AT them, right? After all, it’s such an obvious, cross-platform, target-marketing synergetics that effectuate a higher brand profile of WW— who would complain about THAT? All the better to raise the profile of that upcoming David Kelley-helmed tv series, too.

    And judging by the Beat’s comment, even women who DO read Comics can be induced to play along with the marketing… as long as the right lipstick shade is offered?

    (I’ll wait for the AQUAMAN foot care ad campaign. Since he’s not busy with doing movies, why not give him this WW treatment— he’s a NATURAL pitchman for anti-fungal creams…)

  7. FYI – This is also a mailer ad. It comes rectangle shaped and folds out to be 4 post card sized images. My girlfriend got it in the mail on Saturday from Macy’s.

  8. What a great way to do an ad. So much better than sticking the latest pop princess in an ad. Still I must say that I prefer women without makeup.

  9. Get over it people. It’s just a fun line of make-up. Exert your energy into more important things. I read the comics growing up, watched the tv series and I love it! So fun and creative. People need not take things so seriously.