For the Ladies

I have decided to tailor some of my posts specifically for women who read comics. Why? Because there are women out there (like me) who are interested in reading and creating comic books. And unfortunately comics and comic-oriented things are (for the most part) created by men for men. You have to dig a little deeper, not only to find the comic gems, but the comics that will appeal to a female audience in general. For the most part, Western comics and graphic novels tend to be very violent and based around continuous power struggles. These types of story lines appeal to men, but generally don't attract women on a large scale. The Eastern comics (Manga), on the other hand, which cover a wider variety of subjects, tend to focus more on the characters and their relationships to each other. Thus, this is why young preteen girls love Manga. (You know, besides the fact that they love androgynous-looking Manga boys.)

This is also where we get our gender-split graphic novel section in the bookstore. On one side we have our nice organized Manga section, where mostly girls shop and on the other, we have our disorganized graphic novel section, where mostly the guys shop. (Seriously, go to Borders.) I might even be willing to bet that more men read Manga than women read western comics. Now, I personally don't read Manga, for a plethora of reasons, but I have nothing against it. But women out there should realize that western comics are worth the look, and might even offer story lines that are more appealing (and on a higher reading level) than Manga.

But women shouldn't have to wade through the sad pile that is graphic novel section at Borders or Barnes and Noble, or have to wander aimlessly through the dank cave that passes as the local comic shop to find something worth reading. That's why I'm here: to make finding comics a little easier. So, in my reviews I will point out comics/graphic novels that, I feel, will be attractive for female readers. That doesn't mean they aren't attractive for men. It just means that they focus on narrative elements that are appealing to women, including character development, deep character relationships, female protagonists without giant knockers, etc. The more women get interested in the comic medium, the more female comic creators there are out there and the more demand there is for comics that appeal to us girls.

So, join me next time, for my review of DEMO, by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan. Just for the Ladies!