I think a lot about this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because I want my children to enjoy comics and, as girls, they are not being spoken to by the publishers that spoke to me as I was growing up. Secondly, because I want to understand better how to write something that will speak to that audience for similar reasons to the first given above.
With respect to Wonder Woman, I like the costume respec. It's attractive, functional, and no a tiny bit trashy. Interestingly, the comments I've seen about it were generally positive.
In the comic group that I associate with, the readership represents those that came to comics not from Western publishers but from Manga and manga-influenced western writers. These kids show little to no interest in Marvel and DC titles. It would seem to be a vertical climb for those two to win their readership. There's so much content for them to draw on and be inspired by. They claim the writing is soooo good. I can hardly be trusted to be objective about it-- I already know what I expect comics to be like.
I think, however, that Marvel and DC need to think outside the box a bit and consider what makes manga so popular. It isn't the visual style alone. I think that's the first trap that Western publishers make, they ape the visual style of Eastern comics in an attempt to lure kids in. There seems to be a different mode of story-telling there with different payouts for the reader. If Marvel and DC would take a chance and venture outside their superhero compound, they might win some of those readers over. Even still, they could just try to understand what makes these Eastern comics different and successful and try to integrate that into their offered titles.
Mind you, manga has some of the same problems that Western comics have. Try picking up the latest issue of Naruto without some kind of readers' guide or reading the 27 volumes that came before it and you'd be totally lost.
I just think there's got to be a way to win new readers without having to re-use all the same properties they've been flogging for decades. Re-invent Wonder Woman, fine, great idea. Figure out who you're selling it to and stay on target. I think DC could do great things if they allowed themselves to start fresh with stories that aren't necessarily about super heroes at all.
I just think there's got to be a way to win new readers without having to re-use all the same properties they've been flogging for decades. Re-invent Wonder Woman, fine, great idea. Figure out who you're selling it to and stay on target. I think DC could do great things if they allowed themselves to start fresh with stories that aren't necessarily about super heroes at all.
To be fair, they have made a push in the last decade to include non-superhero books such as Jonah Hex to expand out. And they have been successful for that small handful of books, but your are right, they need to do something more like Vertigo for the non-adult audience.
Personally, I don't think there is anything particularly alienating about superheroes for women - instead it is how the industry portrays those female superheroes.
As for find out who they are selling to they are it is apparently very few people at the moment :)
I'm not even thinking about portrayals of women nor the suitability of superheroes for girls. Clearly women and girls can enjoy the genre, but they could expand their market by finding what other genres are sought after by females (and other males) who are currently buying all the manga.
Of course, I would love it if they would do this without aping the Japanese and Korean comics. Just find out what stories appeal to that demographic and make some variety available. If they want to sell more books, that's the way to go rather than trying to find new ways to make super heroes appealing to an audience that may never find them appealing.
That being said, Allie and Gwyn both enjoy Super Hero Squad by Marvel. And, while it's not explicitly comics, represents a new twist on their existing properties that appeals to a younger audience more so than comics have recently.
With respect to Wonder Woman, I like the costume respec. It's attractive, functional, and no a tiny bit trashy. Interestingly, the comments I've seen about it were generally positive.
In the comic group that I associate with, the readership represents those that came to comics not from Western publishers but from Manga and manga-influenced western writers. These kids show little to no interest in Marvel and DC titles. It would seem to be a vertical climb for those two to win their readership. There's so much content for them to draw on and be inspired by. They claim the writing is soooo good. I can hardly be trusted to be objective about it-- I already know what I expect comics to be like.
I think, however, that Marvel and DC need to think outside the box a bit and consider what makes manga so popular. It isn't the visual style alone. I think that's the first trap that Western publishers make, they ape the visual style of Eastern comics in an attempt to lure kids in. There seems to be a different mode of story-telling there with different payouts for the reader. If Marvel and DC would take a chance and venture outside their superhero compound, they might win some of those readers over. Even still, they could just try to understand what makes these Eastern comics different and successful and try to integrate that into their offered titles.
Mind you, manga has some of the same problems that Western comics have. Try picking up the latest issue of Naruto without some kind of readers' guide or reading the 27 volumes that came before it and you'd be totally lost.
I just think there's got to be a way to win new readers without having to re-use all the same properties they've been flogging for decades. Re-invent Wonder Woman, fine, great idea. Figure out who you're selling it to and stay on target. I think DC could do great things if they allowed themselves to start fresh with stories that aren't necessarily about super heroes at all.
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To be fair, they have made a push in the last decade to include non-superhero books such as Jonah Hex to expand out. And they have been successful for that small handful of books, but your are right, they need to do something more like Vertigo for the non-adult audience.
Personally, I don't think there is anything particularly alienating about superheroes for women - instead it is how the industry portrays those female superheroes.
As for find out who they are selling to they are it is apparently very few people at the moment :)
Reply
Of course, I would love it if they would do this without aping the Japanese and Korean comics. Just find out what stories appeal to that demographic and make some variety available. If they want to sell more books, that's the way to go rather than trying to find new ways to make super heroes appealing to an audience that may never find them appealing.
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