How come there are never any male counterparts or spin-offs of female superhero characters?

[The S0/\/\@7ic Si/\/\[]Dl370n]

There's characters like Supergirl, Batgirl, Batwoman, Spider-Girl, Spider-Woman, Mary Marvel, She-Hulk, Stargirl, Hawkwoman, Silk, Spider-Gwen, Stature, Zatanna, Aquagirl, Miss Martian, Power Girl, etc., but you never the see opposite.

The only one that I know of is this guy:



Why is that?

[ed2962]

Well, Hank Pym did call himself "The Wasp" temporarily while Jan was gone. There's probably a few others that I can't recall off the top of my head.

But yeah...gender roles, double standards, etc etc

[Custodes]

Maybe we should make some? ...Black Widower...he mates and he kills. ;-)

[PwrdOn]

Jean Grey has spawned quite a number of derivative characters, including but not limited to Cable, Stryfe, Nate Grey, Quentin Quire, and the Phoenix 5, in addition to the expected female spin-off heroes. The problem is that most female characters don't really have a strong enough central concept to be worth basing another character on, and if they do it is usually something tied to their sexuality or femininity that can't be easily replicated in a male character.

[electr1cgoblin]

There's characters like Supergirl, Batgirl, Batwoman, Spider-Girl, Spider-Woman, Mary Marvel, She-Hulk, Stargirl, Hawkwoman, Silk, Spider-Gwen, Stature, Zatanna, Aquagirl, Miss Martian, Power Girl, etc., but you never the see opposite.

The only one that I know of is this guy:



Why is that?

Well...most of the ladies you mentioned are already
analogues of male characters, so by definition, they already have male counterparts.

[Custodes]

Jean Grey has spawned quite a number of derivative characters, including but not limited to Cable, Stryfe, Nate Grey, Quentin Quire, and the Phoenix 5, in addition to the expected female spin-off heroes. The problem is that most female characters don't really have a strong enough central concept to be worth basing another character on, and if they do it is usually something tied to their sexuality or femininity that can't be easily replicated in a male character.

Sounds logical.

Deadpool used to dress up like Jean Grey too. Guess she is a archetype or something. A role model maybe. Fashion forward at the very least.

[mathew101281]

It's because the vast majority of major female characters at the big two are derivatives themselves. So a derivative of a derivative is kind of redundant. A Wonderboy might be interesting though.

[Paradox]

[leo619]

I've been saying for a while now that a wonder boy would be an awesome idea.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Sexism, next question.

[The S0/\/\@7ic Si/\/\[]Dl370n]

Jean Grey has spawned quite a number of derivative characters, including but not limited to Cable, Stryfe, Nate Grey, Quentin Quire, and the Phoenix 5, in addition to the expected female spin-off heroes. The problem is that most female characters don't really have a strong enough central concept to be worth basing another character on, and if they do it is usually something tied to their sexuality or femininity that can't be easily replicated in a male character.

I'm not sure QQ counts, plus Stryfe is a clone of Cable. Also, the Phoenix Five were already-established characters that borrowed powers from somewhere else (I consider the Phoenix Force sort of like a Green Lantern ring).

Well...most of the ladies you mentioned are already
analogues of male characters, so by definition, they already have male counterparts.

I meant based on female characters, hence "spin-offs"

But yeah...gender roles, double standards, etc etc

Sexism, next question.

That simple, huh?

[Paradox]

Of course that simple. And that complicated. It's systematic sexism for decades, by the publishers and the buying audience. Most of the female heroes are derivatives of male heroes. The dearth of "unconnected" female heroes greatly reduces the chance that someone's going to "reverse gender" them in a commercial manner.

[Shawn Hopkins]

I would argue that most female spinoffs are worse than derivatives, they're diminutive versions of male heroes. Designed to take a lesser, inferior role.

Unequal attitudes wouldn't allow audiences to accept treating a man like that, except as a joke, so that's why you don't see it.

[Paradox]

Perhaps. I don't exactly see "derivative" as a compliment, but you have a point.

[PwrdOn]

I would argue that most female spinoffs are worse than derivatives, they're diminutive versions of male heroes. Designed to take a lesser, inferior role.

Unequal attitudes wouldn't allow audiences to accept treating a man like that, except as a joke, so that's why you don't see it.

It's not really as bad as all that. There are plenty of male characters in comics earmarked for secondary roles that are not designed to fit the heroic ideal or be the center of a story, there's certainly no requirement that every single man in comics be a square jawed alpha male who doesn't take no guff from no one.

And the reason that there are so many female spinoff characters is that it's quite an easy way to get some good publicity for the company without having to be terribly creative. Everyone cheered and supported the introduction of the female Thor, if they had put the same push behind an original character like, say, Tigra, would anyone have cared?