Six-Year-Old Upset By Lack of Female Friendly Avengers Toys

[Angus]

(there is a <a href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XNTA12/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007XNTA12&linkCode=as2&tag=34haboreco34-20>Black Widow action figure), her complaints extend beyond her inability to find a particular toy. She also takes exception to the fact that Black Widow, hardly a minor character in the film, fails to appear on the bulk of the toy packaging. Unless you're buying the actual Black Widow action figure, the packaging doesn't acknowledge that there's a female member of the Avengers.

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I think the fact that there is a black widow action figure says TON- that its not put on the box itself is not that important, its still in the store with the same packaging.



No, this is more of a positive thing Id say.
That theyve actually started making femal action figures, thats good, and not being on the package is not that important seriously

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

Am I the only one who thinks that maybe a 6 year old shouldn't have an action figure of a woman who has sex with men and then kills them?

 

[Lightknight]

Am I the only one who thinks that maybe a 6 year old shouldn't have an action figure of a woman who has sex with men and then kills them?

Oh, the black widow? She's an excellent role model for how to get ahead in life in today's trying and difficult times... [/sarcasm]

 

[crazygameguy4ever]

Well there are quite a few Black Widow action figures, as well as a lot of female comicbook figures.. though the character itself in the film and comic is aimed at boys/men anyways. Why else would she wear a skin tight leather costume? I'm not saying it's a good thing that the character or any other female comic book characters dress like sluts,( I like female characters that know what clothing is) but it's just the way it is.. The little girl is better off with more appropriate toys till she's older.

 

[Lightknight]

Well there are quite a few Black Widow action figures, as well as a lot of female comicbook figures.. though the character itself in the film and comic is aimed at boys/men anyways. Why else would she wear a skin tight leather costume? I'm not saying it's a good thing that the character or any other female comic book characters dress like sluts,( I like female characters that know what clothing is) but it's just the way it is.. The little girl is better off with more appropriate toys till she's older.

I'm not sure if anyone notices this, but super heroes in general where skin tight material. It's just a little more noticeable in the avengers with the characters that generally wear armor in various forms.

But that's like saying the hulk was aimed at girls because why else would he be bare chested or why else would Bruce Banner be naked after going Hulk?

I'm not saying she wasn't dressed attractively. But you're talking about a character in a comic that looks like that. Not only that, but she's a spy that seduces men. Attractive is kind of a weapon in her arsenal just like for real spies. But please don't forget, compared to the way women regularly dress, she was over-dressed. I mean, she wasn't running into battle in juicy shorts that expose the bottom half of the buttocks and a skin tight tube top. She wasn't wearing just a sports bra and very tiny sports shorts. She was wearing a functional leather outfit. Let's look at the movie version, considered very sexy as played by Scarlet Johansson.

http://cdn.geeknation.com/Blogs/10_2012/black_widow1.jpg

I might even question the notion of this being as overtly sexual as her opening scene was or even skin tight. The comics are a lot more smooth/skin tight. But they can vary greatly to points where she doesn't even have that low cleavage V shape exposed. Look, girls want to look attractive. A girl looking attractive doesn't mean that the girl is dressed like a slut. You may think what you said there was white knighting the female cause but it took a turn at the slut comment when referenced to this character's clothing. Especially when regular women dress far more scampily on a regular basis, particularly when physical activity is about to be involved. The black widow, however, she's dressed like batman. She's dressed to get through areas stealthily by cover of the shadows.

You want to see a super hero targeted to guys? Look at the adult version of Starfire compared to the Teen Titan version in a similarly aged girl's response to it:

http://io9.com/5844355/a-7+year+old-girl-responds-to-dc-comics-sexed+up-reboot-of-starfire

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

So, the real problem with this is the talk. The bad talk that the father and mother has to have with their child.

Not that sex sells, Not that there are differences in the world... per se. But more you are valued by your marketability.

There would be no way to carry a Black Widow movie. Maybe an Agent Phil movie, but that's because he became such a dark horse that no one could have predicted it. But a Nick Fury or a Hawkeye movie? Hawkeye would be pushing it, and you'd probably have to completely bank Jeremy Renner much like Blade banked on Wesley Snipes star power (seriously, how many of you even knew who Blade was before Wesley Snipes made the movie).

I can think of few female comic book characters who are just characters. Not 'I AM A WOMAN AND I'M DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AS REGULAR HEROES' set pieces that writers create. Much like the 'MY SKIN IS DIFFERENT, I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE AS STRONG AS THE BIG HITTERS, BUT SOMEONE WILL FIND VALUE IN ME' minority characters they make. It's tough to market that. It's tough to take all of that social activism and try to make people want to spend their hard earned money to see that. Blade did it because as far as I knew, him being black really didn't enter into the character as much (I don't know about the earlier stuff though). He just killed and looked good doing it.

Don't get me wrong, Black Widow does a good job of just doing her job. But she's not super enough to have her own movie. In terms of abilities that would keep people watching for an hour and a half. Blade punched the shit out of vampires, Captain America punched the shit out of Robo-Nazis ('MURICA!). Black Widow would... what? Seduce a bunch of people in one of Marvel's made up, safe countries to prevent... a bomb from being sold? Then shoot her way out of it? I'm down with the shooting the way out of it, but that's not the core of the character and you just can't stretch that out and still say it's the Black Widow. Because it's not her bag and you should have made a movie with a character that IS their bag.

The Falcon can't make it big. Shang-chi can't either. And I'm sorry, Black Widow won't ever have that clout.

I WOULD love, though, to see a Great Lakes Avengers movie. LOVE IT.

Or screw that. Someone get a Nextwave Movie up. Or a cartoon. It would be so good...

 

[captnb2thep]

I'm all for equal rights and representation, but even I feel like this child's parents are behind this. As stated before, Hawkeye isn't on the boxes either, but he is a white male, so for the sake of this conversation he is irrelevant. I ask this question:

Are black children upset that Nick Fury isn't commonly represented on the box art? I'm black by the way but I don't see much difference in complaining about the lack of representation in brown or minority characters than women. I havent heard anything about black children complaining, maybe it's because I just can't seem to figure out exactly what Nick Fury does in the first place haha.

I feel like it is a big step for these characters to even be included in the movie, portrayed by Colbie Smulders and Scarlett Johansen, at least it has the CHANCE to pass the Bechdel test, which I don't think it does, but with that movie I don't think there is a second minority character at ALL and I haven't heard a peep about it. My problem is more that women and minorities are underrepresented in the source material, in this case comic books (especially minorities, I can only think of 3 black or brown total off the top of my head in terms of the Marvel and DC universes), but nitpicking about the action figures when one in fact DOES exist shouldn't be a focus to me.

As far as toys in general go, I do believe there is some unfortunate correlations and marketing preferences, and the arguments stated earlier are very much legitimate. I have a very young nephew who's favorite color was pink, but various members of my family discouraged him from it by telling him it was "girly," now if you ask him what his favorite color is, it changes every day.

[/Ramblings]

 

[Lightknight]

There would be no way to carry a Black Widow movie.

It'd basically just be a spy movie.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

There would be no way to carry a Black Widow movie.

It'd basically just be a spy movie.

A weird one.

Where would anyone put it?

The trappings of Marvel and the inability to keep it serious and dark (Given the ways they've gone with most of the comic book movies to date) would probably make it campy and tongue in cheek. From preference, I can say I probably wouldn't be interested in a movie like that.

And given the Marvel universe, people would be wanting to see superpowers go off here and there... nanites aside, Natasha is like a semi amped up Jason Bourne.

Do you make it sexualized? Marvel would probably disagree. Would you play it for the Lulz, you'll probably get another Green Lantern.

You'll have a spy movie where we're supposed to believe this character is in mortal danger and the world depends only on her shoulders... while full well knowing she pals around with an Unstoppable Gamma powered Orge, A man in the most advanced weapon to date, A Super Soldier who is probably one of the best fighters alive, and a God. And if she doesn't pal around with them, they are there in the world. So... you know, give them a call.

 

[SonicWaffle]

People are people. No one deserves to be treated like shit, but true equality means, everyone gets treated like shit. Equality means you no longer get special interest groups, or special rights, equality means no chivalry, equality means neither sex is subordinate, but that neither sex gets any sort of courtesy either.

Equality means you no longer need those things. So yes, in way, you're right; if everyone were equal those things would cease to exist on any meaninful level.

 

[SonicWaffle]

Honestly? I wish they would stop trying to put female characters in comic books as anything but a plot device altogether, and I'm a girl. No, it's not because "omg they get in the way of my hot boys", it's that they can't create any character without a Y chromosome and not absolutely ruin her. I mean, seriously, male superheroes are cool, but female superheroes?

Some work, some don't. I liked Star Spangled-Kid, who later became Stargirl or Starwoman or whatever, in the JSA revival. She had more going for her than huge boobs, at least.

One thing I've always been annoyed by is the DC editorial decision to push the "big three" idea; the Holy Trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. I'm not against having a female character as one of the big stars of the universe, I just resent it being WW because it feels so token. Batman, incredibly popular, cool character. Superman, ditto. Wonder Woman...well, "we needed a girl". She's fairly boring, has a powerset that isn't particularly interesting, and it just feels as if she's always listed with the other two because tits. Have her in her own series, have her in the JLA, use her to totally undermine Superman's character by having them hook up, whatever. Just stop telling us she's one of the most important DC characters just because she's the most recognisable female. If it matters that much that your Power Trio have gender representation, try writing a cool and interesting female superhero who deserves the recognition instead.

As someone who works for one of the largest toy store chains in the UK, i can confidently say the Black widow figure is extremely rare, we have been selling the merchandise now for just over a year and only recently have we received the figured linked on Amazon and in limited quantity,

Hawkeye (who also isn't on the majority of the merchandising) has been in stock fairly consistently (about the same as Loki) along with his bow.

Also she isn't available in the larger figure series which is objectively better and only reserved for Ironman, The Hulk, Thor and Captain America.

Girls tastes are changing the majority hate Barbie these days. We sell way more Monster High in comparison and both boys and girls have been requesting the figure in question to complete there avengers sets.

No, shutupshutupshutup, you're ruining the wailing and gnashing of teeth. This kid's parents are clearly just using her to push their agenda; nobody with a vagina is interested in non-pink toys. That would be weird.

 

[Lightknight]

There would be no way to carry a Black Widow movie.

It'd basically just be a spy movie.

A weird one.

Where would anyone put it?

The trappings of Marvel and the inability to keep it serious and dark (Given the ways they've gone with most of the comic book movies to date) would probably make it campy and tongue in cheek. From preference, I can say I probably wouldn't be interested in a movie like that.

And given the Marvel universe, people would be wanting to see superpowers go off here and there... nanites aside, Natasha is like a semi amped up Jason Bourne.

Do you make it sexualized? Marvel would probably disagree. Would you play it for the Lulz, you'll probably get another Green Lantern.

You'll have a spy movie where we're supposed to believe this character is in mortal danger and the world depends only on her shoulders... while full well knowing she pals around with an Unstoppable Gamma powered Orge, A man in the most advanced weapon to date, A Super Soldier who is probably one of the best fighters alive, and a God. And if she doesn't pal around with them, they are there in the world. So... you know, give them a call.

I mean, she's basically a Batman/Batgirl analogue with a strong side of international spy. It could be a good movie. But she's likely have to be paired with another hero like Hawkeye to carry the story. She's not a bad character, you just have to find the right writers/directors.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

I mean, she's basically a Batman/Batgirl analogue with a strong side of international spy. It could be a good movie. But she's likely have to be paired with another hero like Hawkeye to carry the story. She's not a bad character, you just have to find the right writers/directors.

Don't get me wrong. I actually like Black Widow a lot.

But given what people are expecting from Comic Book Movies nowadays, I doubt it would sell.