The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Superheroes and Cosmetic Surgery - Thursday, June 12, 2008

An interesting exhibit currently going on at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, entitled, Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, inspires some thoughts on cosmetic surgery. According to the curator, Andrew Bolton, "at the heart superheroes are issues related to the body, identity, and transformation, and these are all issues that are so critical to fashion." The exhibit, in the Museum's Costume Institute, "explores the different ways that superheroes serve as metaphors for fashion and its ability to transform the body," in the words of the New York Post. It includes designs from haute couture legends, Pierre Cardin, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Giorgio Armani. In addition, it includes promotional pieces from sporting lines Nike and Speedo, and actual costumes that appeared in films. The curator further says, "I think a lot of the connections we are making in the exhibit are not as immediate, they are more conceptually driven, but nevertheless there is still a strong synergy between the concept of the superhero and the concept of fashion." If the concept of the superhero and fashion have "a strong synergy," the synergistic tie between the superhero and cosmetic surgery, which actually represents a bodily transformation, must be far stronger.

Transformation of the body is a key metaphorical trope in the superhero genre. Superman's episodic transformation from mild-mannered Clark Kent into the superheroic figure of Superman that is highlighted in the series, is characterized by a fashion change from a uniform of concealment to one of revelation. The form-fitting costumes of Superman and other superheroes highlight the genre's emphasis on more-than-perfect bodies. Superman is the embodiment of the ideal masculine form, from his orthogonal chin to his huge pectorals to his toned abdomen to his muscular calves. Similarly, Wonder Woman's outfit changes from the modest WAC uniform of Diana Prince to the Wonder Woman costume, with its push-up bustier that significantly augments the appearance of her breasts.

These are both DC Comics characters dating from the 40s or earlier, whose transformations are largely costume changes. On the other hand, Marvel superheroes often undergo a bodily transformation, such as the Hulk, who transforms from a nerdy scientist into a muscular brute, or the X-Men, whose mutant powers develop during puberty, the same time women develop their curvy figure with breasts, waist, hips, and buttocks.

Cosmetic surgery cannot make your body perfect, any more than it can give you super-powers, but it can create an alter-ego, whose improved appearance can make you feel like a man of steel or a wonder woman.

To learn more about transforming your body with plastic surgery, contact the Centre, P.C. today for a free initial consultation.