No noses

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

Why are so many space aliens dawn without noses? Just a couple of nostrils?

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

Why not? Come to think of it, humans' protruding, structurally distinct noses are actually not all that common among animals on THIS planet. On a lot of animals that do have discernable noses, they are distinguished from the surrounding areas of the face by color and texture, rather than actually physically sticking out. My dog has a protruding snout, for instance, but what I'd identify as her nose is really just nostrils in an area that isn't furry and has a different texture.

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

Why not? Come to think of it, humans' protruding, structurally distinct noses are actually not all that common among animals on THIS planet. On a lot of animals that do have discernable noses, they are distinguished from the surrounding areas of the face by color and texture, rather than actually physicallyAmonfg sticking out. My dog has a protruding snout, for instance, but what I'd identify as her nose is really just nostrils in an area that isn't furry and has a different texture.

Among Neanderthals a very big nose was an adaptation to conditions of extreme cold. Some people believe that among modern humans it's connected to bipedalism in that it makes breathing easier in an upright posture. But anyway why would artists suppose that space aliens don't need them?

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

Among Neanderthals a very big nose was an adaptation to conditions of extreme cold. Some people believe that among modern humans it's connected to bipedalism in that it makes breathing easier in an upright posture. But anyway why would artists suppose that space aliens don't need them?

Because they aren't descended from Neanderthals? Because so many other creatures don't seem to need them? Because they want to make them look less like humans, but still want them to have a face of sorts, and to accomplish that, a protruding nose is the most extraneous feature? Some aliens don't even have the nostrils, I think.

I'd say that eliminating the nose is a better way to make them look alien than the Star Trek method of just adding a few extra bumps, ridges, or spots (or simply changing skin color. Heck, in comics, that seems more popular than eliminating a nose sometimes. That is, when the only difference isn't costuming, like with Rann or Thanagar.)

[Michael Heide Heide Finition Find all posts View Profile Close Michael Heide]

Besides, tons of DC aliens do have noses. People from Thanagar, Tamaran, Almerac, Korugar, Czarnia, Krypton, Rann, Colu, Wynath, Braal, Bgztl, Durla, Mars, Daxam, Titan, and those are only from the top of my head. Those are all too similar to begin with, only separated by skin color, as if that was what made you a different species. *coughracismcough* It makes sense that evolution created completely different beings on different planets. I applaud the Gallius Zeds, the F-Sharp Bells, the Salaaks, the Chaselons and Tomar Res. We need more of those.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

^Which is one of the things that got me into GLC stories to begin with.

Oh, and as to Spy's question, because the real aliens don't have noses!

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

Would you guys like Saint Walker with a nose?

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

Would I have liked him if he was the same character, except the character's design had included a nose? Most likely.

Would I like it if the artists arbitrarily added a nose to the design now? Probably not. It would be distracting, since I'm used to the way his face looks.

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

To me, not having a nose makes a character look weak and ineffectual.