Historically, comic books have always had a strong appeal to males young and old. There's just so much to love about stories of action, adventure, fighting, and attractive women running around in exceedingly revealing costumes for the average guy. This is why most comic sales go to men. This is why comics are written with young men in mind. A girl seeking comics to some men is like a unicorn, mythical yet beautiful.
But there is and always has been a strong appeal for comics in the female crowd. It just goes understated more often than not. Just think about it. In comics you have buff, muscular men running around in skin tight outfits pulling off amazing stunts of manliness and badassery. Can any woman honestly say that doesn't have some sort of appeal? You also have these same manly men doing these stunts in the name of love for their ladies. Just look at Superman and Lois Lane, Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson (until One More Day that is), or Cyclops and Jean Grey. If women like romance comics have some very epic pairings. If this can be such a draw with series like Twilight, why not with comics?
It does appear that comic books are finally seeking to tap the awesomeness for the lady crowd out there. There are already more female oriented comics like Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, but those comics are few and far between. But this April Marvel is launching a more ambitious series called Marvel "Her-Oes." Okay, so it's not the most awesome sounding name, but their hearts are in the right place. This is a comic about superpowered teenage versions of heroines like She-Hulk, Wasp, and Miss Marvel showing off how girls can kick ass. Add to the mix the teenage drama that goes along with high school and you've got the appeal you're looking for in a female focused comic!
There's only so much that can be done in the mainline series. All the continuity between Marvel and DC is hard to catch up with. A comic like this could offer the ladies a way in and bring us a step closer to a more egalitarian comic world. Awesomeness knows no gender. It deserves to be shared and enjoyed by men and women alike. There are fanboys and fangirls and it's high time we start coming together! Hopefully Her-Oes is a step in the right direction.
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