In Your Face Jam - Sep 5, 2012

[CBR News]

Marvel's "Avengers" #1 covers feature a surprising lack of female superheroes. Brett White discusses why this troubles him while -- and this point can't be made clearly enough -- accusing no one of sexism.


Full article here.

[Imraith Nimphais]

Where is that bloody "applause" gif when you need one?

A poster said something similar earlier today...to the effect of...If we do not speak about it, bring attention to it, then it will never be changed.
I hope the top guys at Marvel are reading this, paying attention and truly understanding wot is being said.

They keep saying with Marvel NOW! they want to shake things up, change the existing status quos...then bloody hell give us changes that matter. That are truly definitive.

[Saintjf]

I agree with the article, but it makes a very good point, until some of these female characters are shown the right amount of love and written properly they should not have a spot on the Avengers. It's our job to show them that these characters are loved and deserving of these spots (with our money), and frankly, we fail over and over again.

The last thing I think anyone wants is to have characters jammed into the roster just to be there to fill a perceived quota, whether you can admit it or not. However with that being said, with Hickman at the helm, it is a unique opportunity to "make" some of the female characters and finally show others what many of us have known for years.

Short answer for those with low attention spans.....YES! But only if it makes sense for them to be there.

[Johnny P. Sartre]

Not just women but lack of minorities in general; this is more than just gender.

[Songbird/Diamondback]

YOU SHOULD HAVE BACKED THE BUNN LIBERATORS IDEA WHEN IT WAS STILL FRESH!

Sorry, just a little peeved that people missed the golden opportunity to support that when Fearless ended.

Also, put Songbird on the Avengers already!

[tesh_karde]

People need to be buying the female-led books, if they want to see more female-led books. You can write a million blogs about wanting more diversity, but if you buy Captain America and not Captain Marvel, Marvel is going to give you more Captain America. Vote with your wallets is till applicable. I, for one, am pumped about Sif being the lead on JIM, and will totally be buying that up.

[BrotherUnitNo_4]

Just wanted to remind everyone that there are 7 more slots for the team left unrevealed, and a few of those are going to women according to Hickman's social channels.

Also, I'm surprised that this article didn't mention Fraction's upcoming FF that flips the usual team ratio of male:female.

That said, more diversity is a good thing, but it really only works when creators really care about the characters and about not defining them by their minority status.

[Jaded Devil]

Hickman has said on Twitter and Formspring that there are still seven more characters yet to be revealed on the team, and some of those are women. The article is based on an incomplete story (or at least an apparently non-researched one).

[Johnny P. Sartre]

Hickman has said on Twitter and Formspring that there are still seven more characters yet to be revealed on the team, and some of those are women. The article is based on an incomplete story (or at least an apparently non-researched one).

The writer did mention that and tried to talk about first impressions and what we have now, not the future.

[Rock69]

You people do nothing but nag these days. NOTHING. BUT. NAG.

Everytime a new book comes out it's always about women and minorities. It doesn't matter what Marvel and DC are trying to do, you still complain.

Captain Marvel, Spider-Woman and Black Widow are in this team. And I'm sure there will be more women. Carol Danvers got her own book and the awful Red She-Hulk also has one. There's an Arab-American Green Lantern now, for God's sake. And yet, people complain.

I really hope somebody out there comes out with another Milestone-type of universe so that this very same people can shut the hell up and start to enjoy themselves.

I'm not pro-white, pro-black or pro anything. I like good stories, period. Having minorities does not make a good story.

My favorite hero has always been Spider-Man. He's American. I'm not. That never stopped me from enjoying him.

My favorite female X-Man has always been Storm. She's black and African. I'm not. That never stopped me from enjoying her.

When did comics became such a fertile ground for politiks? Keep your damn personal issues OUT of my comics, thank you very much.

[bskell]

I hate it when we attempt to force things down the nice PC road. I'd rather have a interesting story about a bunch of men doing something than a story that was put together just to include a woman. It's a disservice to the genre. I'm glad comics have blown up to the point where it's being picked to death for it's perceived lack of diversity, but I'm starting to mourn the fact that we have to make the stories non-offensive. Of course the moment you mention something like that you suddenly be casted in the roll of hating women, or whatever minority they’re complaining about missing.

[Johnny P. Sartre]

I've had my say but I can't wait to see where this thread goes

[Imraith Nimphais]

The writer did mention that and tried to talk about first impressions and what we have now, not the future.

Exactly.

...And it would have been perceived in a more positive light if they did not half-arse the cover release itself.
If it is going to be more diverse...then show us NOW!...don't wait till next month. Don't tease us with wot we already know and expect (the movie six and Whoreverine and Spiderman, yeah, big whoop)...give us something to truly wow us and make us think that you really intend to do something different. Put the women front and centre for a change and perhaps we won't be so "nagging".

[Deus ex Chris]

God forbid people want more from their comics than a bunch of white, heterosexual males beating things up.

Anyway, nice article. More inclusive practices might actually help this industry.

[tesh_karde]

God forbid people want more from their comics than a bunch of white, heterosexual males beating things up.

Yes, White Heterosexual Males. We're all the same!