“Women are not fans of superhero comics for the same reason men are not fans of romance novels… because they aren’t.” [Source]

“You know who the main target audience for super hero comics are? Fans of super hero comics.” [Source]

It’s not a new attitude – comics are for boys, no girls allowed, girls don’t like comics so why bother listening to them? – but it’s a big issue that has bubbled to the surface once again in the wake of events of the recent San Diego Comic Con.

It was there that a number of people – including the now e-famous “Batgirl of San Diego” – questioned the role (or lack thereof) of women in the new DC Universe. Some of the questions asked included:

• Why were there so few female characters in prominent roles?
• Why did the number of women creators drop from 12% to just 1%?
• Were DC committed to hiring more women?
• What the hell has happened to Harley Quinn’s outfit?¹

Okay, so the last question wasn’t one of the big three, but the internet has been asking it and it’s indicative of the problem we’re trying to talk about. And when we do try to talk about it we’re shouted down and booed, called bullies, told we’re not the target audience – basically, our opinion just doesn’t matter.

There are two main “reasons” I see given as to why comics aren’t “for girls”:

1. Girls don’t read comics/like sequential art stories: Yes, that is exactly why shojo manga doesn’t exist. Nope, doesn’t exist at all. Oh, and all those graphic novel adaptations/spin-offs of YA novels? They don’t exist either. After all, girls don’t like graphic novels and who would know better about what teen girls are not buying than publishers of YA?
2. Girls don’t like superheroes: All the money superhero movies made? Came from dudes. Only men watched Lois and Clark and Smallville. Girls don’t argue over who gets to be who when they play Powerpuff Girls. Women don’t write novels about superheroes, like After The Golden Age and The Rise of Renegade X.

So when girls buy superhero comics, write/draw superhero comics, watch comic book movies, are massive fans of the DC Animated Universe, cosplay as characters from superhero comics and speak up at conventions about what has happened to their favourite characters, how can you still say that girls don’t like superhero comics?

The interest – current and potential – is out there. There are a lot of women out there who would – and already do – spend a lot of money on comics. Create stuff that would appeal to girls and women, and market it in places where they will see it². Stop putting female characters in outfits that are just underwear and a weapon and killing them off to push a male character’s story forward.

Give us a a book where Stargirl and Cyclone travel the world having awesome superhero adventures. Have Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown team-up and kick massive amounts of butt. When someone pitches something like Lois Lane, Girl Reporter³ think about how many new fans it could bring in by acting as a stepping-stone.

We’re ready and waiting. And do you know why? Because GIRLS LOVE SUPERHEROES.

1. Seriously. What the hell? Harley Classic: Sexy yet goofy. New Harley: “How the hell does that even stay on? She’s a gymnast – what will happen when she does a backflip?” [↩]
2. Places beyond the local comic book store. Try the YA section of every bookstore with one. Try hitting up the YA bloggosphere and get these girls and women to spread it around for you. [↩]
3. I am so seriously saddened that this is not happening. It looked awesome. [↩]