Why areMarvel's Superheroines Less Popular than DC's?

[Punisher007]

I think that DC just tends to showcase them more. In the comics, the female characters are usually in prominent positions, and some have gotten pretty successful solo runs (and the Birds of Prey is predicated around the idea of all-female superhero team).

By contrast, Marvel has traditionally tended to tie it's females down to teams (and even then have trouble pushing them into leadership roles sometimes). Now they're trying to fix that, but there's a case of "having to play catch-up" at work.

As for the films, in the MCU's defense, I can see why they did it the way that they did it AT FIRST!! No one had ever tried something like that before, and they weren't sure if it was going to work. So playing it safe, made sense at the time. However, NOW they need to start doing more with its female character (and since Ike Perlmutter, who apparently was the cause of a lot of these problems), is gone from the film division, perhaps they will start doing more now, we'll see.

And with WB/DC, there seems to be some "what did Marvel do well, and what have they been criticized for" examination going on. "Well, Marvel has gotten flack for being overly-cautious with pushing it's female characters, so lets start pushing ours right away" and all that. Also "people have been complaining for decades that we make all of these Batman and Superman films, but no Wonder Woman one. Well, lets finally give them one now," etc.

[Agent Z]

When 90% of Catwoman artists draw her under the art direction of "make her as big an eyesore as you can" then it's time for a new plan.

Except not everyone sees it as an eyesore

[Atlanta96]

Except not everyone sees it as an eyesore

Enough people to hurt Catwoman's popularity, though.

[sirmarkus]

I like Storm more than any other DC Superheroine.

But with that said, DC has WW, Catwoman, Oracle, Batgirl, Supergirl, Harley Quinn, Starfire, Raven, Wonder Girl.....it's absurd really.

I still have the Storm limited series from the 90's. Even back then she was never a damsel in distress, but a strong, intelligent leader.

That said, the only female superhero I remember from my childhood is Wonder Woman. Nothing from Marvel even hit my radar until the X-men.

[Punisher007]

The fact that it took forever for Marvel to even TRY to give Storm her own ongoing book, and arguably picked a pretty bad time to try since her character wasn't exactly on a high note at the time, just shows part of the problem really.

[Agent Z]

Enough people to hurt Catwoman's popularity, though.

Most of the complaints about Selina are due to her personality and the stories surrounding her. And even these are starting to die down. Whatever is hurting her personality it isn't her costume which people are fine with for the most part

[Atlanta96]

Most of the complaints about Selina are due to her personality and the stories surrounding her. And even these are starting to die down. Whatever is hurting her personality it isn't her costume which people are fine with for the most part

Funny how you think people disliked Suicide Squad because of Harley's appearance, but when people dislike Catwoman's current direction it has nothing to do with her appearance. I guess costumes only matter when it's convenient for you.

Not a single run featuring Catwoman's current look has been successful, except maybe the very early days of the New 52 run, so it's not a very marketable look. Character is obviously part of the problem (but not in the way you think it is, I'm sure) but changing her look is a good start to getting her back on track.

[Agent Z]

Funny how you think people disliked Suicide Squad because of Harley's appearance, but when people dislike Catwoman's current direction it has nothing to do with her appearance. I guess costumes only matter when it's convenient for you.

Not a single run featuring Catwoman's current look has been successful, except maybe the very early days of the New 52 run, so it's not a very marketable look. Character is obviously part of the problem (but not in the way you think it is, I'm sure) but changing her look is a good start to getting her back on track.

I can link to reviews criticising Harley's appearance in Suicide Squad. How many reviews can you link to featuring complaints about Selina's costume? You and Osiris are the only people I've seen complaining about it. If you dislike the costume, that's fine, but my point is that not everyone feels this way.

And who says it isn't marketable? It's what she wears in other DC media like the Arkham and Injustice games

[Atlanta96]

I can link to reviews criticising Harley's appearance in Suicide Squad. How many reviews can you link to featuring complaints about Selina's costume? You and Osiris are the only people I've seen complaining about it. If you dislike the costume, that's fine, but my point is that not everyone feels this way.

And who says it isn't marketable? It's what she wears in other DC media like the Arkham and Injustice games

Difference is that the video games made it look sensual and attractive, and the comics make it look like a form-fitting trashbag. When I showed you a picture of a Gotham Sirens cover, where Catwoman looked more in line with those game appearances, you called it "spank material" and "softcore porn". Please, at least be consistent.

I know many people on social media who detest her current comics look. They're not hard to find. But the most important part is that the sales figures don't reflect a strong interest in that portrayal of Selina. Her modern costume and personality go hand in hand, they are very much inseparable. A change in her character's direction needs to include a new costume.

[Agent Z]

Difference is that the video games made it look sensual and attractive, and the comics make it look like a form-fitting trashbag. When I showed you a picture of a Gotham Sirens cover, where Catwoman looked more in line with those game appearances, you called it "spank material" and "softcore porn". Please, at least be consistent.

I know many people on social media who detest her current comics look. They're not hard to find. But the most important part is that the sales figures don't reflect a strong interest in that portrayal of Selina. Her modern costume and personality go hand in hand, they are very much inseparable. A change in her character's direction needs to include a new costume.

Is there a reason you keep bringing up an entirely different conversation here? What do my comments in that other discussion have to do with this one?

I checked. Haven't been able to find those complaints

you do realise it is entirely possible for them to change Selina's costume or the way it is drawn and still write her terrible, right? Her problems won't just go away if the writing still sucks

[keeen]

EDIT: I just realized that I waded into a completely tangential argument, but **** it, here's my considered response to the original question anyway.

Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl all pre-date Marvel's EXISTENCE as we know it, and like many have already said, Batgirl and Supergirl (or -womens) are no-brainers. Both characters have been "recast" multiple times, which I would argue indicates that it's the costume, not the character, that is actually popular.

I imagine that, early on, Marvel intentionally avoided the gender-swapped partner thing precisely to distinguish themselves from DC, and still managed to get Sue Storm, Jean Grey, and Janet Pym to be fairly popular in their own right as wholly original creations. Questionable writing choices decades ago and cinematic rights entanglements more recently have limited their growth and popularity following their introduction.

In the more modern era, I think the role of DC's earlier-established television presence and films helped elevate other female characters like Catwoman and Harley Quinn. Marvel dropped the ball there. Roger Corman's Sue Storm was never gonna reach the same heights of worldwide recognition as Linda Carter's Wonder Woman, you know? In the more modern era, DC has, without a doubt, done a better job of targeting the young girl demographic, primarily through their animated series.

Beyond Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn, I would argue that DC doesn't really have any other female characters that eclipse Marvel's in terms of popularity. Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, America Chavez, and now x-23 all still have tremendous potential.

[nightrider]

Dc has difficulty selling characters that are not Batman or Superman. They are their poster boys. They have not taken that many jumps yet. True they have TV series did take risk like Brave and the Bold but it took batman to do it. The dc nation was their opportunity but one thing left to another and well… I am not saying marvel is perfect but when looking for characters that gain attention. Let me put a video of itsjustsomerandomguy to put some lighting

Marvel likes to keep an Actor/Actress for that Superhero, they trained them > became iconic figure
DC likes to pick a guy thinks he's Ok for that superhero

[nightrider]

Dc has difficulty selling characters that are not Batman or Superman. They are their poster boys.

[The_Greatest_Username]

Beyond Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn, I would argue that DC doesn't really have any other female characters that eclipse Marvel's in terms of popularity. Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, America Chavez, and now x-23 all still have tremendous potential.

I'd place Poison Ivy, Black Canary, Huntress, Raven, Starfire, and Cheetah above those characters you except for X-23 and maybe Ms Marvel.

[Frontier]

Most of the complaints about Selina are due to her personality and the stories surrounding her. And even these are starting to die down. Whatever is hurting her personality it isn't her costume which people are fine with for the most part

What's wrong with Selina's personality? I thought that was always a big part of her appeal.