A Woman's (Quick) Gide to Comic Survival
Can Everyday Female Heroines Survive a Man's Comic World?
Jul 28, 2008
“Yes, it is male-dominated, especially because comics are still marketed to a male audience,” Stephanie Carmichael, of ComicNerd, said. “But more and more women are reading them. I think a lot of female comic book readers would agree with me when I say that I'd rather it stay that way.
Men Vs. Women: Who Runs the Show?
"We want men to acknowledge our presence and to take us seriously, but we don't want comics to change.”
The staff at Chicago Comics, the Midwest’s leading small press comic store, agreed that males often outnumber female fans, but mostly in the superhero genre.
“Vertigo, A Slice of Life and Manga appeal more to female readership than male,” they said. “Many people who haven’t been exposed to a lot of comics assume (the superhero genre) is the only genre. Well, the superhero ‘fantasy’ is essentially an adolescent male empowerment fantasy. The soap opera for boys, basically.”
Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk
The self-labeled geeks across the world have stacks and trunks full of unopened merchandise (that’s a whole other story) to discuss and fixate upon—sometimes a bit too long at the local comic book store. What’s the appeal, and what’s the key to their language?
“People are reluctant to recognize comics as an actual literary genre, and you can't blame them,” Carmichael said. “Most people who haven't read a single comic only have so much exposure, whether you're talking campy TV shows that can make a comic look ridiculous or today's comic book films that can either make a comic book series look cheesy or do it justice.
"But if you actually sit down and read some comics, some truly good comics, you might be surprised at how much work is in them, and how seriously they're taken when done right.”
For a woman, Chicago Comics suggests as an introduction Y:The Last Man, Fables, Anita Blake, Julie Doucet books, Runaways, Chris Ware selections or Adrian Tomine’s work.
Some other phrases that might come up in conversation, said Carmichael.
One Shot Comics: comics contained in one comic and aren’t continuing storylines.
Trade Paperbacks: TPBs or just trade, are sometimes called graphic novels. Not the same thing as the comic itself, but tend to be darker, more mature and longer. They are not broken up into individual comics. These can also be found in retail stores.
Then there's the breakdown of the comic: artists (who does the pencils, who inks it, who colors it), writers, the editor, the letterer (who draws the dialogue and sound words on the page) ... everyone who puts the comic together.
"So, say, if you like work by artist Jim Lee, you could throw that name out there and find out what else he's done or is doing," she said.
But, as the staff at Chicago Comics noted, if a woman is in a relationship with a man that can’t, uh-hum, separate Clark Kent and Superman, the, uh-hum kryptonite might not be the books.
“There are way worse things for a man to like to do with his spare time than chill out with some funny books,” they said. “Consider yourself lucky. On the flip side, if all your man can talk about is comics, you have a problem.
"But, you have a problem anyway if all you man can do is talk about one topic in the first place, regardless of said topic.”
Hooked on Comics
“Comic book readers are natural-born complete-ists,” Capes Comic Book Lounge’s Sean Creswell, said. “You get in, you’re hooked. They will keep up that three-dollar-a-week habit for the rest of their life. It used to be embarrassing, and you would hide it. It’s seriously a drug.”
And, these drugs are nondiscrimating.
“Superheroes are so iconic, and there's so much psychology and morality behind it all,” Carmichael said. “And over time, those characters find a place in your heart. They're timeless. Comics are like good books that never end, and the characters never die.”
