Robert Pattinson

• anchored by the headline 'who is Robert Pattinson?' the audience are being positioned to re-evaluate their understanding of the actor, this marketing ploy was particularly important as Pattinson wanted to show off his boyish persona for his role as the enigmatic Batman. Perhaps the blue gradient background also encodes this sense of transformation
• Draws comparisons to punk star Billy Idol,
• Direct gaze draws in audiences
• GQ magazine falls under the men's lifestyle genre of magazines
• GQ- men's style genre- eg on front cover (pattinson)- 'the art + fasion issue', also mentions Virgil Abloh
• cover line of 'the 50 holy grails of modern menswear'- sells us the idea that GQ is like a bible, tells us how to live, gives us commandments on how to live our life- content may be special
• unconventional for a cover star of a fashion focused magazine to look rugged/injured even
• maybe trying to create a 'bad boy/rebel' image for him and adds unique selling point
• in the front cover he subverts his traditional intense and mysterious allure by presenting a more punk-like and aggressive version/image of masculinity
• perhaps the blue background behind him furtherly allows him to show off his boyish persona for his role of the enigmatic Batman
• The masthead is positioned behind the actor and the headline is in front of his body which is another convention of magazine covers. By laying the elements in this way, the designers are trying to imitate a three dimensional space and ensure the magazine pops out on the shelves
• march 2022 edition- focusing on Robert Pattinson exemplifies how masculinity is constructed, deconstructed, and performed through visual and linguistic codes
• dominant image of pattinson bruises his former 'teenage hearthrob self' known for his iconic roles such as playing Cedric Digory in the Harry Potter franchise, this reconstructed identity as a simulacra of punk star billy idol which further leaves an enigma of what is to come with his new role in 'The Batman', portraying a more charismatic and traditional version of masculinity
• the design elements of the cover such as the layered headline and masthead as well as the geometric typography by Tobias Frere-Jones help reinforce GQ's modern, confident aesthetic and reflect typical traditional mens lifestyle magazine genre conventions
• the framing of the front cover is designed to leave the reader in suspense, due to the apparent enigma of the rhetoric= 'who is robert pattinson?', as well as his new image,
• the seemingly bruised face of Pattinson could represent his new boyish persona as the batman tied in with the blue background gradient
• 150 pounds for the tank top by Ann Demeulemeester is not glamorous, tank tops especially in the 'wife-beater' style are representative of a traditional form of masculinity, previously donned by well-muscled hypermasculine actors such as 'The Rock' Dwayne Johnson or Vin Diesel, known for their parts in the Fast and Furious franchise
• who made the tank top pattinson wears?- ann demeulemeester
• the rhetoric of 'who is robert pattinson?' anchors the image to leave the audience with a sense of enigma, intriguing them to find out more on this reconstruction of Robert Pattinson's image/reputation as an actor, from the teenage-girl hearthrobbing role of 'Cedric Diggory' in the Harry Potter franchise to now the hypermasculine hero of 'The Batman' a decade later.
• Liesbet Van Zoonen- 'Masculinity was often seen as individualistic, ruthless and combative', this stereotype was repeated in the media so much that it seemed almost natural.