This isn’t the kind of thing I generally notice - obviously, since it happened last year and it’s just now grabbing my attention - but the very idea of a “Black Canary Barbie Doll” made me laugh out loud. http://www.pinkraygun.com/2008/07/17/black-canary-barbie-heathen-tramp/ Though I have to admit I’m a bit confused. Are there any Barbie doll collectors out there who even read DC comics? From a marketing standpoint, it’s kind of iffy. And if you’re a chick who doesn’t have a clue who Black Canary is in the first place – which I assume to be 98% of all women anyway – here’s an explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Canary (Though personally I liked her old costume better, back when she wore the jacket like the one here http://www.pocketpcthemes.com/preview.asp?ID=62310 and here http://michaelmay.us/07blog/images/0717_blackcanary.jpg Hubba hubba!)
“And why,” you ask, “do you sexistly assume that women don’t read comics?”
I don’t assume that. A lot of women do, but not so much in the super hero genre statistically speaking. Heck, I even know a couple women who read DC comics, but then I know a couple people who speak Esperanto: that doesn’t mean it’s popular, I just happen to know a lot of off-brand people.
“Oh yeah? Well, why couldn’t women read them if they wanted to?”
*Sigh*.
They could, obviously, but the comics aren’t aimed at ‘em, as we can see from these panels from the recent “Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding” comic book, where Vixen and Wonder Woman are shopping: http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8475/canary1xz5.jpg and here’s the next page, showing Black Canary herself http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/2773/canary2wk0.jpg Again: Hubba freakin’ hubba!
Despite all the mainstream respectability comics have gotten in the past couple decades, and despite all the talk of female empowerment and whatnot, the fact remains that superheroines in mainstream comics are still basically masterbatory aides for 12-year-old-boys. The defense rests, thank you very much.
Old post, but if ya still care... :)
Personally here because I saw Ben 10 episode reviews, and was using the search to hunt other ones down. That's how I got here.
And I do have to say that while I suffer no delusions about there being mountains and mountains of us girl superhero comic fan, still can't quite agree with the post. My mind goes to Shonen Jump, which I've been subscribed to for years. Is 21 year old women the target audience for the magazine? Not at all. But I remember they mentioned at one point about 40% of subscribers were female.
You should never plan for it, but you do get unexpected fanbases at times. So the thought of someone being a fan of barbie and of Black Canary isn't too odd to me. I still have my yellow Power Rangers doll :)