well, Eisner never messed up like that, so I must post this one:

something I like about these/your choices is that Sheena's physique is natural, with a healthy proportion of muscle to (- - -), and believable, versus anything designed specifically for 'faptastic endevours'.

lol, good one 

not the entiiiiiiire thread...  some pics can be sexy rather than 'fappy', lol.  Sophia Loren picking fruit in a photo from the shoulders-up is sexy but wouldn't put a strain on any kleenex box.  

With all the free porn on the net, why would someone master themselves with comic covers? 

If it exists, someone, somewhere is getting off to it online.

Have you been using the internet long? 

Nudity isn't always indicative of sex. I have never had the desire to self pleasure to a comic book or even once to Betty Page, despite the covers or photos being sexy. To me the difference between anything in this thread over some 5 minute porn clip on the internet is that none of this is about sex. It's merely using the male/female body to draw attention to a buyer. Because even if the contents aren't about sex; what healthy human isn't mostly thinking about sex the majority of the time? Just like the cover picture on those box meals at the grocery store isn't what it looks like when you cook it at home, but it got you to buy it.

I think that's a little bit disingenuous. As you say, these covers use the female body to draw attention to a buyer, but as such, they are directly using sex to that end. It's like the old adage says, "sex sells". There's no nudity in this thread at all (because that would be against the forum rules), but the thread is still a procession of covers that a) portray women as eye candy or sex objects -- so, titillation to sell the comic to horny young males -- , and b) are presented entirely without context or critical analysis -- they're just there for the viewer to ogle.

Obviously its not as graphic or exploitative as a porn clip, but this is a comics forum, not pornhub. As I said over in the photobucket thread a few days ago, I don't believe that this thread reflects particularly well on our otherwise very thoughtful, considered and (dare I say it) intellectual community. Imagine how you'd feel if you were a female who was thinking of joining our community and you saw this thread? We're not a bunch of immature, basement-dwelling horn-dogs here (most of us are middle-aged married men!), but to anyone outside looking in, that thread might suggest that we are. Not that I'm suggesting that we'd have lots more female members if not for this thread at all -- I don't believe that to be the case for a second. But still, I don't think this thread casts our community in the best light.

Still, that's only my opinion and I certainly have no beef with those who like to contribute to this thread. I'm sure that plenty of folks like the thread and that's perfectly fine with me. I totally respect their right to enjoy a thread that I don't particularly care for.