DC Comics Targets Girls With New Superhero Universe And Toy Line

[TsunamiWombat]

I understand the frustration of posters saying "why don't they just make cool products/stories that boys AND girls can enjoy!? Why this nonsense gender divide!?" And, you're right. But remember - big corporation. Run by old white people. Rich old white people who've been alive since the 60's. Really, for them, this is a big step. Baby steps my fellows, baby steps. Whilst I am far outside this demographic (since it's aimed at 6-12), I like the designs, and I recall that DC's animated ventures have been consistently top notch so i'm optimistic. I just hope they don't strangle it in it's crib despite 2 or 3 stellar seasons, like they did Young Justice.

 

[Banjo-Kazooie Blue]

The question I have is; will they then have typically attractive men in skimpy outfits for assumed eye candy? Or do females just get female superheroes to remind them just how female they are? HashtagJustsaying y'all!

I know it's such a arbitrary double standard. You don't see Bronies demanding Hasbro release a special line of male targeted toys just to show how egalitarian they are. What makes this even more ridiculous is that Only one of these characters can accurately be called a Superhero. Batgirl and Supergirl are so often used as poster-children for females representation in comics without anyone involved ever noticing they're not superheroes, they're sidekicks. If they want to show that they have good female characters this glorified P.R. campaign should have Zatanna, Huntress, Black Canary Fire & ice be part of it.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Remember that time Teen Titans got really popular among younger girls who then bought comics featuring Starfire and, Raven only to find that the source material was WILDLY different from the show?

That's the one...I'm just curious to see how Convergence and the 2016 DCU will look while they're rolling out this new line. It looks like that line will be separate but comic ratings or not, new fans are going to want to look at other material featuring characters they like. I don't think the above will happen again but you never know.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

While I think a less exclusionary approach would have been a more general kids orientated show/comic/toyline combo, if the Internet is going to shit it's britches when they try (albeit clumsily, hamfistedly and occasionally stupidly) to balance out the mainstream lines then what else can they do but create a separate line.

Still, looks bright and colorful and two of my top favorites are in starring roles so I'm keen to give it a go.

 

[Risingblade]

I like this look for wonder woman

 

[Tiamattt]

Soooo they got rid of Young Justice cuz to many girls watch it yet they make this so girls will enjoy it?


Can I have Young Justice Season 3 instead please?

I myself have been noticing it's aimed for a 6 to 12 year old age demographic and yet there are not one but two homicidal maniacs in that roster, both of whom are known sexual predators, combined with another heroine who has a soul sucking sword. Given the stated intention of getting into the background and formative years of these characters I have to wonder if this means they are going to totally destroy the background that makes Harley and Ivy who they are respectively, and has made them popular, or if they are going to be unleashing nightmare fuel on young children. Especially seeing as the "official" version is now New 52 which merged with the Vertigo imprint. Even pre-New 52 Harley had a nasty background as she was an arrogant piece of work as a psychiatrist who was psychologically manipulated and tortured into a maniac... a seriel killer she was in love with. To me that's not Children's entertainment, I suppose a 12 year old might be able to cope to some extent, but do you really want to start introducing concepts like this at the age of six? The animated series where Harley was created was originally intended as a prime time show for adults which is how things like this got into it, albeit as it jumped into a full kid's show they downplayed it for a reason.

To be fair a lot of comic characters don't really have the most....child friendly background. Batman is one of the most kid-marketed characters in history yet is also one of the most messed up characters ever. Harley, Katana and Ivy are odd choices but Ivy/Harley are most likely there just because of the Batman association makes them more famous than most DC female characters(wow I feel kinda sad writing that) and Katana is probably there for the Asian demographic, where their choices are really, really few (again sad writing that) just like Bumblebee is there for reasons I don't feel like writing out loud anymore since it'll make me sad like the last 2.

Anyway I expect a ton of downplaying compared to normal comics, which is to be expected.

 

[Tiamattt]

Opps, mispost

 

[Alar]

I really like the designs. Are Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy going to be heroines, I wonder?

 

[Rebel_Raven]

I figure the major reason that this is set aside for the girls is the simple fact that there's a blue aisle and pink aisle, and never shall they be blended. Lets not forget, this line is merchandise, too.

Which prolly kinda sucks for people wanting Young justice back coz, well, when have we ever seen a single show ever overlap the aisles? Not even Lego overlaps due to the girl centric pink line that has very little compatibility with the boy targeted lego city.

MLP despite the rabid fanbase of both genders (age difference aside) hasn't crossed over.

I do wish we had a purple aisle, or something.

While people lament the inclusion of Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn, I imagine they'll be even tamer than B:TAS versions, and there's gotta be villains somewhere. More over, there's all sorts for all sorts. Never know what approach they'll take with them, or any character.

I mean, I seriously doubt we'll see Wonder Woman stab Darkseid's eye out with a sword in this series. There's going to be a lot held back.

P.S. I really like Katana's look in this. Most of her other costumes have been kinda off putting.

 

[Fox12]

Wow, a lot of cynicism.

Guys, these are toys. There are very few gender neutral toys. Go checkout the children's section.

I, for one, see this as a positive.

 

[Kristoffer]

6 white girls.

All 7 of them crack-skinny.

Progressivism, ho!

 

[VanQ]

It's weird. This is going to appeal to guys just as much as it will for girls. Kind of like regular comics. While I'll probably thoroughly enjoy cute superheroes doing cute things and kicking cute villain asses. Is it really newsworthy? My typical anime consumption is full of cute girls doing cute shit and kicking ass as well.

I really like the designs. Are Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy going to be heroines, I wonder?

That's what I was wondering. They'll probably be the major recurring villains unless they screw around with the characters to make them heroes. It was men that led both Ivy and Harley astray to begin with...

 

[Selucia]

I wish they had this view point earlier then they might not have canceled young justice just because it had a large female audience.

 

[Misterian]

I'm not gonna lie, I think this looks awesome, certainly feels like a step in the right direction for DC anyway.

But wait, Quinn and Ivy are good guys in this? huh, weird, but I think it could work if done well.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I feel like I kicked the dead horse too much, now it came back to life and wants to slap me across the face with my own balls.

Like what everyone else said, this seems like a full 420 by DC. Young Justice was just another casualty in the war about whether or not your genitals should be a requirement for you to be allowed to like comic stuff.

 

[elvor0]

Remember that time Teen Titans got really popular among younger girls who then bought comics featuring Starfire and, Raven only to find that the source material was WILDLY different from the show?

Spoiler

That's the one...I'm just curious to see how Convergence and the 2016 DCU will look while they're rolling out this new line. It looks like that line will be separate but comic ratings or not, new fans are going to want to look at other material featuring characters they like. I don't think the above will happen again but you never know.

Heh heh, I'm glad you bought that up. I'm curious as to how they'll reconcile Harley Quinn when she's discovered jamming a screwdriver through someones eyesocket, screwing Deadshot, or whispering sweet nothing to Jokers face skin by some concerned parent.

 

[Nazrel]

Remember that time Teen Titans got really popular among younger girls who then bought comics featuring Starfire and, Raven only to find that the source material was WILDLY different from the show?

That's the one...I'm just curious to see how Convergence and the 2016 DCU will look while they're rolling out this new line. It looks like that line will be separate but comic ratings or not, new fans are going to want to look at other material featuring characters they like. I don't think the above will happen again but you never know.

That's not The Titans, that's Red Hood and the outlaws from the new 52, and it's notorious for the character assassination of Starfire.

http://blip.tv/at4w/at4w-red-hood-and-the-outlaws-1-6841656

 

[Davroth]

Wow, a lot of cynicism.

Guys, these are toys. There are very few gender neutral toys. Go checkout the children's section.

I, for one, see this as a positive.

You can follow the link at the bottom of the article to see how gender neutral they are.

These toys are not gender neutral. I'd be ecstatic if they were. They are not.

 

[Trishbot]

So they're targeting girls.

So what?

They targeted men, EXCLUSIVELY, for nearly 80 years.

God forbid they have ONE thing that targets girls.

Also, I feel like I'm a comic nerd for pointing out that both Harley Quinn AND Poison Ivy have definitely had moments where they bucked their villainous nature and became heroes. Poison Ivy even led a double-life working for the CSI division of the Gotham PD (under a fake identity) because she wanted to do some good. A more "heroic" Harley Quinn is still running around in the Injustice universe (largely because The Joker is dead so his bad influence is gone).

 

[kenu12345]

Cool, as long as they get some cool arks going, I am all for it. That style is a lil soft, but I am pretty sure they can work past that. Hopefully the target audience doesn't hold it too far back. Would be cool to see some dark storylines