Gender Diversity in Comics

After the recent gender flip in Thor, my sister tweeted me this article from NPR. Normally I'd submit that NPR is a bastion of informed and balanced coverage, there's something I find disconcerting there. It seems to indicate that male comic fans are misogynists, who stand united against any change to the status quo especially with regards to allowing females to infiltrate the comics, in the halls of the creators, convention centers, and on its hallowed pages. Yes, there are those who would harass female fans and creators, but I have to believe that they are not the majority of comic fans, just the most vocal.

First of all, it's been recognized by the industry that comics have been male-dominated over the decades, and that it need not be. In 2000's Reinventing Comics, artist and writer Scott McCloud outlines twelve revolutions that the Comics industry must embrace in order to survive. Among goals like embracing digital technology in creation and distribution, cementing public perceptions of comics as "art," genre diversity, and gender balance.  Basically, gender balance is important because a percentage of comic fans will grow up to become the next generation of creators, who will in turn inspire the next generation of fans. If content is exclusively directed toward males it creates a negative feedback loop, leaving females out at every level, but by expanding content to include more positive female characters they can reach more female fans, some of whom will grow up to be artists and writers, which will lead to a greater variety of content. A push in this direction is not only in the best interest of female fans and creators; a balanced industry benefits the art form itself as well as the entire community of fans.

There are entire books on the role of female characters in comics throughout history. Early figures like Lois Lane, even the first Batgirl were hardly paragons of feminist literature. Lois wasn't the dedicated journalist we see today, she was obsessed with Superman eternally trying to uncover his secret identity only to be foiled by the hero. And while Batman and Robin slugged it out with a bunch of thugs, Batgirl would be off to the sides with, "Oh no!" a tear in her leggings. Inevitably this would distract the criminals, allowing the Dynamic Duo to prevail. By the time I was reading comics in the 90's things were not too much better. Women were getting more presence in the pages, but the female role models you might find in Justice League or X-Men were largely overshadowed by the "Bad Girl" trend. This marketing strategy was designed to deprive male teens of their pocket money depicting female anatomies in a way that requires a compass to draw, and costumes that were either a series of straps or seemed to be on the verge of falling off. Extra points if the character had a demonic or vampiric nature. See Vampirella, Lady Death, etc. Sex appeal had always been a part of the female comic character, but the "Bad Girl" comics not only put it front and center, they did so with zero subtlety. Fortunately this trend stayed in the 90's and is regarded as a dark time in comics when character and story took a backseat in favor of flashy images.

Marvel's leading heroine Captain Marvel

I can safely say in the last decade things have been improving. Classic Marvel character, Carol Danvers has historically had been reinvented several times. She started as a government agent who encountered alien technology of Kree origin that rearranged her DNA granting her super-strength, flight and invulnerability.  As Ms. Marvel she established herself as a valued member of the Avengers, when in battle with the then-criminal Rogue, lost her powers and memories and fell into a brief coma. With Professor X's help she regained some memories and later got new star-themed powers calling herself Binary. She later went on a space adventure with the Starjammers, a group of space-pirates led by Corsair, Cyclops' father. After returning to Earth she rejoined the Avengers as Warbird. As if the writers of the time didn't know what to do with a strong female character, her heroic identity and powers constantly changed.  After decades of being a secondary character for the Avengers and X-Men. Returning to her original alias, Ms. Marvel she began to take more of a leadership role among the Avengers. In 2009's "Civil War" she sided with Iron Man and fought as his second in command. In the aftermath she was given leadership of a team in a series titled Mighty Avengers.  In 2012 after the "Avengers vs. X-Men" storyline, inspired by the sacrifice of a clone of Mar-Vel, the original Captain Marvel, she took on the role becoming the third Captain Marvel and the second woman to adopt the alias. Carol who for decades bounced from identity to identity, in and out of comas and was even violated in a controversial story-line in the 70s, finally commands the respect she deserves within the Marvel Universe as well as from the fans. When Marvel Studios announced its plans for phase III, the news that Captain Marvel would be the Carol Danvers version garnered almost as much applause as the title itself.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announces Captain Marvel

X-Men (2013) focuses on the women of the team

Ironically one of Marvel's titles that has always featured rich female characters is X-Men. Though it seems women are excluded from the outset, the word itself is not used divisively. They all self identify as "X-Men."  I would argue that these heroes fight not as man or woman but together as "X-Men."  This is one franchise in which female characters are as important if not more than their male counterparts. Storm, one of the most iconic X-Men is known for her leadership skills and regal personality. Jean Grey who as Phoenix has controlled more power than any other single Marvel character. Often a new character is introduced to a series to allow the writer a reason to explain background elements to the audience especially for newcomers. In X-Men, this role is traditionally filled by a new female student. When the series debuted in the 60's it was Jean Grey.  In the original "Days of Future Past" story and the 80's animated pilot (that didn't get picked up as a series) both feature Kitty Pryde as a new student. In the 90's animated series Jubilee is introduced to the school. And in the 2000 film a young Rogue inherited this role. Newcomers to the franchise can take on the perspective of new students and by proxy are welcomed to the ranks and guided into a new world as they discover they are far more powerful than they thought possible. The repeated use of a female perspective character, is no less than an open invitation to girl readers everywhere.