New Superhero universe designed for girls aged 6-12 is a positive step but Alex Yarde thinks his daughter deserves more.
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According to the press release it looks like somebody gets there is a huge untapped Superhero market for girls:
Mattel to Launch Company’s First Action Figures for Girls
Unprecedented Initiative to Include Digital Content, TV Specials, Made-For-Videos,
Publishing, Toys, Apparel and Other ProductsRandom House Children’s Books to be Master Publishing Partner
The LEGO Group to be Exclusive Construction Partner
Developed for girls aged 6-12, DC Super Hero Girls centers on the female Super Heroes and Super-Villains of the DC Comics universe during their formative years—prior to discovering their full super power potential. Featuring a completely new artistic style and aesthetic, DC Comics’ icons such as Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Bumble Bee, Poison Ivy, Katana and many more make their unprecedented teenaged introduction. Each character has her own storyline that explores what teen life is like as a Super Hero, including discovering her unique abilities, nurturing her remarkable powers and mastering the fundamentals of being a hero.
“DC Entertainment is home to the most iconic and well-known Super Heroes including Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl,” said Diane Nelson, President of DC Entertainment. “DC Super Hero Girls represents the embodiment of our long-term strategy to harness the power of our diverse female characters. I am so pleased that we are able to offer relatable and strong role models in a unique way, just for girls.”
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I’m encouraged. DC Entertainment, who’s President is female, has marketed the quite successful “DC Friends” line for younger comic fans for years and I see this as a natural, smart progression toward including girls of the same age. My daughter is VERY conscious and aware of how marginalized girls and women are on the super hero side of things. This move is something that will appeal to her but its only a step in the right direction. In the mainstream of these stories it’s still heavily an “Old Boys Club”. My very first article was based upon her simple question “Why Can’t A Girl Be The Red Ranger?” The lack of females in leadership of predominantly male super hero teams. LEGO FRIENDS and DISNEY Princesses and Elves lines are great but I fear a “Girl Gulag” that limits female characters representation by segregation to the “Pink Isles”. It’s great to have all girl casts and individual stories but the greatest stories tend to be team stories. Teen Titans, Young Justice and Justice League epics, just give women and girls more leadership roles. Boys will be into buying Wonder Woman Action figures as much as Superman Action Figures the day they are not only sold and marketed side by side but the day Wonder Woman calls the shots in the Justice League or Raven leads the Titans within the Comics and Feature films. My daughter already knows women and girls can be strong leaders, I’d like the lesson to be taught to the boys in her class as well. Present young minds with the idea that leadership isn’t gender specific. Imagine the day we are presented with a transgender mainstream hero, that company will get my support!
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Image: DC Entertainment
It’s good that they’re not all wearing skirts, but there ought to be at least one of them with short hair. It’s a little monotonous that they all have long hair and exactly the same body shape. Kind of weird when you think about it, the way there’s so much diversity of colors and powers but pretty much the exact same shape and hair. What, all girls are supposed to have long hair?
Not for nothing, but in the original Teen Titan comics (waaaay back when) Raven actually was the one to put the team together in the first place.
Awesome, the artwork resembles that of a cross between Disney princess characters and Kim Possible. Interested to see how it turns out.