Superhero comics have always been perceived as a medium for men. After all, it’s in the name of the first blockbuster superhero: Superman.
It’s easy to see how, even in modern times, that still rings true. Looking at just the superheroes on the big screen, in the next few years, you can expect to see movies featuring Batman, Spider-Man and Aquaman. The release date for Avengers: Age of Ultron is less than a month away, and yet the franchise is still focusing its marketing around the guys in the predominantly male team: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk get the spotlight, while Black Widow is cast off as a sidekick.
Though it might be hard to imagine the world of superheroes being anything other than a sausage fest, take a trip to a comic book store sometime and you’ll easily see that the superhero landscape is changing in favor of more women in comics, both on the covers and behind the scenes.
The shift has been gradual, but it seems as though every few years for the past several years, a new major series has launched featuring a different heroine. Black Widow’s first big-screen appearance in Iron Man 2 in 2010 has been a boon for the character in other mediums. However, the popularity of heroines has been growing even without direct cinematic influence.
In 2012, the longtime Marvel heroine Carol Danvers earned the role of formerly male hero Captain Marvel and a new series to go with her title. The series, written by industry veteran Kelly Sue DeConnick, reintroduced Danvers to the Avengers lineup and reawakened the character’s popularity. In fact, Danvers will be the first Marvel heroine to head a film. Captain Marvel will be released on Nov. 2, 2018.
Captain Marvel’s popularity has also paved the way for a new heroine to take up the moniker of Ms. Marvel: Muslim teenager Kamala Khan. Though G. Willow Wilson’s series is barely a year old, her heroine’s popularity has already eclipsed that of some more established male crime fighters. The new Ms. Marvel has also been selected to be part of the lineup of heroes in the All-New, All-Different Avengers series, which will debut on Free Comic Book Day this year. The team will also feature the new female Thor, who debuted in October last year after the hero formerly known as Thor lost his ability to wield the mighty hammer Mjolnir.
This year, Marvel launched two other female-lead superhero series, Spider-Gwen and Silk, which are spinoffs of recent events in the Amazing Spider-Man series. Silk is a heroine who gained her powers after being bitten by the same radioactive spider as Peter Parker, while Spider-Gwen takes place in an alternate universe in which Parker’s love interest, Gwen Stacy, received the spider bite in lieu of Parker. Both series were highly anticipated and fan response has been favorable.
Marvel isn’t alone in bringing new female characters and female voices into their comics. DC Comics has been known for years for bringing the world the first popular superheroine, Wonder Woman. Now DC is working to create diverse roles for its female characters. The company received a lot of attention last year for redesigning Batgirl, a character whose treatment in the past has been less than favorable. Though many fans were sad to see writer Gail Simone depart, the new Batgirl series has been in good hands with creative team Cameron Stewart and artist Babs Tarr. Barbara Gordon is a sexy, smart detective living in a trendy Gotham neighborhood. Using both her street and tech smarts, she outshines other members of the Bat family.
DC’s heroines aren’t the only ones to steal the spotlight, either; their lineup of villainesses has gotten a lot of attention. Fan favorite Harley Quinn has gone from being a punchline in Batman: The Animated Series to a full-blown villain of her very own. Artist and writer Amanda Conner has brought Harley Quinn into her own since November 2013 with a new ongoing series devoted exclusively to the character.
Beyond the Big Two, changes are taking place throughout the industry, and it’s hard not to take notice. From supernatural summer camp series Lumberjanes by Boom! Studios to the Dungeons & Dragons-inspired Rat Queens by Image Comics, there is evidence of an industrywide shift toward women; comics are becoming more aware of their audience.
As more women are purchasing and reading comics, companies are taking notice and creating series to suit their fans’ tastes. Fans have been voicing their opinions with their wallets and lashing out against blatant instances of sexism in the medium. This has resulted in more comic creators who are conscious of their many sins of comics in years past and actively seek to address it. Though comic book stores used to be bastions of hypermasculinity, thanks to the variety of heroes displayed on the shelves, there is now an openness that is comforting and welcoming to all audiences, regardless of gender.
Comics are giving women power, both on the page and off.
