"Maybe you should spank him with your eyes." December 3, 2011

Comic books these days are having a lot of heat put on them. They need to sell new titles and rope in new readers, because they're losing market and losing it quickly. And because of this, comic book companies have to cater to their main audience. Or who they believe that is.

DC spent all summer preaching about their new 52. A whole new reboot for everyone's favorite comics. We've got Supes in a new outfit, we've got Barbra Gordon out of her wheelchair, we've got Harley Quinn's boobs. It's gunna' be great.

But, there's a problem here.

DC claims to want to make everybody happy. Which is just not what they're doing.

I've read many blogs and seen many interviews. And, as a reader of comics and a proud female, I feel secure in saying that women are treated as second class readers.

At several Comic Con events this year many, many people were excited for the panels done by DC and Marvel.  But, there was a running theme of women being either afraid or ignored at panels.

We're here. I promise that women who read comic books are here and we want to be heard.

DC, what do you want? A billboard? A blow horn? Because, it feels a little bit like were screaming into dead space.

Here, let me paint you a picture, so to speak.

I am a cis-gendered female who reads comic books. Say, I walk into my local comic book store. (We don't actually have one here, but play along.) In this case, I'm going to go straight for what I know.

But, when you take Starfire, and make her a whore. Or, when you take Catwoman and sexualise her more than she's already been sexualised, you're not attracting me.

I'm almost always going to judge a comic book by it's cover. And this just isn't doing much for me.

We are a valuable part of your audience. And let's face it. Right now, you need us.

But, less than 30% of Marvel and DC's workforces are female. 

In such a male dominated industry, it's a mad world for us females. 

You'd think they'd hire more women to appeal to us, but no.

There's a whole number of things worth complaining about in some of your comics that need to change if you want to keep your female audience around.

Please, we want more of this and less of this.

And before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, there are some great comics out right now. 

I encourage you, female or otherwise, to pick up a copy of Birds of Pray, or Wonder Woman or any of the number of great comics out by both DC and Marvel. (And smaller companies.)

And lastly, if I see one comment featuring the words 'Feminazi', 'double standard', or 'chill out', I direct you to this short comic strip by the David Willis:

Today's rating: 5.5

Listening to: 3 Chicks Review Comics: Episode 019

Currently reading: Nothing until Monday

Mostly Played iTunes Song: Anxious and Worrying- Defiance Ohio