Who is Marvel's flagship female?

[MajorHoy]

Here are January's numbers from Diamond's Top 500 Comics list using both Marvel and DC's ladies (at least as best as I can notice).
I also included the 1st issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer from Boom:

2nd - Captain Marvel #1 - 111,391 copies
49th - Wonder Woman #61 - 36,413 copies
52nd - Catwoman #7 - 35,490 copies
54th - Wonder Woman #63 - 34,963 copies
58th - Wonder Woman #62 - 33,870 copies
59th - Black Widow #1 - 33,853 copies
61st - Batgirl #31 - 33,287 copies
69th - Batgirl #30 - 31,084 copies
70th - Buffy The Vampire Slayer #1 (Boom) - 31,043 copies
73rd - Supergirl #26 - 29,499 copies
77th - Spider-Gwen Ghost Spider #4 - 27,721 copies
84th - Harley Quinn #57 - 26,407 copies
86th - X-23 #8 - 25,980 copies
89th - Naomi #1* - 25,252 copies
112th - Domino #10 - 19,655 copies
119th - Mr and Mrs X #7 - 17,864 copies
123rd - Ironheart #2 - 17,507 copies
128th - Old Lady Harley #3 - 17,032 copies
137th - Old Lady Harley #4 - 15,484 copies
138th - Shuri #4 - 15,445 copies
146th - Ms. Marvel #37 - 14,250 copies
169th - Suicide Squad Black Files #3 (Katana) - 11,326 copies
176th - Raven Daughter of Darkness #11 - 10,504 copies
183rd - Raven Daughter of Darkness #12 - 10,102 copies
186th - Pearl #6 - 9,988 copies
200th - Scarlet #5 - 9,612 copies
207th - Silencer #12 - 9,231 copies
213th - Silencer #13 - 8,683 copies
217th - Hex Wives #3 - 8,286 copies
218th - Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #40 - 8,257 copies
221st - Goddess Mode #2 - 8,116 copies
237th - Hex Wives #4 - 7,157 copies
250th - Unstoppable Wasp #4 - 6,613 copies
272nd - Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur #39 - 5,878 copies

NOTE: Some DC books had an additional issue ship in January since no DC comics were scheduled to ship on the last week in December (and January 2019 had five Wednesdays).

Again, hopefully I didn't leave any titles from DC or Marvel off of this list that should have been included.

[butterflykyss]

Storm aka the Hadari Yao.

[MajorHoy]

By the way, of those January numbers from Diamond, it's sad to note that the only titles from Marvel starring a female lead and with a higher issue number than 12 were:

. . . January's numbers from Diamond's Top 500 Comics list

146th - Ms. Marvel #37 - 14,250 copies
218th - Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #40 - 8,257 copies
272nd - Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur #39 - 5,878 copies

None of which are all that impressive ranking-wise nor by the number of copies ordered from Diamond.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

CBR did a post that settled the debate on Marvel's Lois Lane (https://www.cbr.com/who-is-marvels-lois-lane/).

As for flagship female superheroine. Depending on how it does in theatres, Carol Danvers might take the crown.

Marvel's most famous female characters generally were part of teams (Fantastic Four, X-Men, Avengers) i.e. Susan Storm, Marvel's official first lady (though not as individually popular and notable in her own right). For the X-Men you have Jean Grey, then Storm, then Shadowcat, and Rogue, and recently Emma Frost. The Avengers had Janet van Dyne, and Scarlet Witch as most notable female characters. But overall the most popular FF was Johnny Storm and Thing, the most popular X-Men is Wolverine, and the most popular Avengers are Cap and Iron Man.

And in general Marvel has always been very behind DC in prominent female superheroines right from the Silver Age -- Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Hawkgirl, Supergirl, Batgirl, Batwoman -- to the present day.

The Marvel superheroine with the longest selling title and first to reach more than 100 issues is Spider-Girl.

[mogwen]

I'm sorry, but is there a need for a flagship female character?
I don't like the idea of a model, a reference. I like the Marvel women to be diverse. An icon, like Wonder Woman is less relatable to me than a character like say Carol Danvers or Jean Grey.
It's not for me the same kind of stories.

[dreyga2000]

I'm sorry, but is there a need for a flagship female character?
I don't like the idea of a model, a reference. I like the Marvel women to be diverse. An icon, like Wonder Woman is less relatable to me than a character like say Carol Danvers or Jean Grey.
It's not for me the same kind of stories.

I don't think it's absolute necessity.

But from a marketing and licensing having such a franchise could prove quite lucrative.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

For the longest time Marvel had only one major solo hero and that was Spider-Man while the other flagship brands were Fantastic Four and X-Men.

In the aftermath of Civil War, they promoted Iron Man to the centre which was cemented when the movie came out. Now potentially they have a third with Black Panther which became so big so fast.

So having a flagship female character is a good concept and helps boost it up.

[dreyga2000]

Seems so long ago I forgot that the X-Men were Marvel’s top franchise for decades it’s weird how this shift happened. Still getting used to the idea used to Black Panther being an A-Lister. If he can do it who knows what the future could hold for Carol

[kjn]

CBR did a post that settled the debate on Marvel's Lois Lane (https://www.cbr.com/who-is-marvels-lois-lane/).

I saw the question and immediately guessed Mary Jane Watson. I'm mostly surprised that one female character got within shouting range, and that it was Aunt May!

I'm sorry, but is there a need for a flagship female character?
I don't like the idea of a model, a reference. I like the Marvel women to be diverse. An icon, like Wonder Woman is less relatable to me than a character like say Carol Danvers or Jean Grey.
It's not for me the same kind of stories.

The flagship characters aren't really created, they emerge. Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman hold their positions due to resonating with audiences, and DC and Marvel have then reinforced that over a very long time.

Will Carol Danvers become Marvel's flagship female character? My guess is no. She's been around for 40 years, and haven't broken through. I think a far more likely candidate if we go ten years forward in time is Kamala Khan.

And I don't really agree that Diana is less relatable than Carol Danvers or Jean Grey, because they were all created as idealised images. If anything, it is Diana who is the most fleshed out and with the most personality of the three. If we are to look at charactes who are intended as "relatable" from the get-go, Kamala Khan, Mary Jane Watson, or Jennifer Walters are much stronger candidates.

[Crimz]

CBR did a post that settled the debate on Marvel's Lois Lane (https://www.cbr.com/who-is-marvels-lois-lane/).

As for flagship female superheroine. Depending on how it does in theatres, Carol Danvers might take the crown.

Marvel's most famous female characters generally were part of teams (Fantastic Four, X-Men, Avengers) i.e. Susan Storm, Marvel's official first lady (though not as individually popular and notable in her own right). For the X-Men you have Jean Grey, then Storm, then Shadowcat, and Rogue, and recently Emma Frost. The Avengers had Janet van Dyne, and Scarlet Witch as most notable female characters. But overall the most popular FF was Johnny Storm and Thing, the most popular X-Men is Wolverine, and the most popular Avengers are Cap and Iron Man.

And in general Marvel has always been very behind DC in prominent female superheroines right from the Silver Age -- Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Hawkgirl, Supergirl, Batgirl, Batwoman -- to the present day.

The Marvel superheroine with the longest selling title and first to reach more than 100 issues is Spider-Girl.

My problem is that Marvel is that Marvel should be trying elevate many of their female heroes. It's fine that they want Carol to be their "lead female hero" but where are there Catwoman level or Harley Quinn level heroes?
Part of the reason why the male heroes on teams were more popular was because they got the opportunity to be. That's what the female heroes deserve too, the opportunity and push to potentially be more. Of course Ben and Johnny would be more popular than Sue when even to this day she is treated more like wallpaper than a part of the team. No one has ever used Ben status as starting on a team to prevent him from getting solo books or a push, so why is that excuse used with Sue and many other female heroes?

I agree that DC have been consistently better with their female heroes. Now Marvel is playing catch-up. Fans shouldn't have to be begging for Marvel to give these heroes the chance they deserve and it shouldn't' have taken Marvel so long to try and elevate a female hero as their "Wonder Woman".

[MajorHoy]

. . . I agree that DC have been consistently better with their female heroes. Now Marvel is playing catch-up. Fans shouldn't have to be begging for Marvel to give these heroes the chance they deserve and it shouldn't' have taken Marvel so long to try and elevate a female hero as their "Wonder Woman".

However, DC's more successful female characters, aside from Wonder Woman, tend to be the female-counterparts of male characters or tied-in with popular male characters.
Neither Black Canary nor Vixen have made it to the same levels as Batgirl or Supergirl in terms of decent-selling solo titles. (And Power Girl has been the female-counterpart to Golden Age version of Superman.)

[Revolutionary_Jack]

My problem is that Marvel is that Marvel should be trying elevate many of their female heroes. It's fine that they want Carol to be their "lead female hero" but where are there Catwoman level or Harley Quinn level heroes?

Black Cat is actually getting an ongoing in 2019, but then she's more or less Marvel Catwoman. In the 80s, Marvel tried to push Elektra. She got a Miller series and other stuff, and she's the first Marvel female to headline a film. If that movie had been good or if it was one of those bad movies that inexplicably does well, things might have been different. Jessica Jones headlined a successful Netflix Show but I don't know if she's got an upcoming ongoing especially since they tend to make her and Luke Cage into team books or have her be Mrs. Luke Cage.

Part of the reason why the male heroes on teams were more popular was because they got the opportunity to be. That's what the female heroes deserve too, the opportunity and push to potentially be more. Of course Ben and Johnny would be more popular than Sue when even to this day she is treated more like wallpaper than a part of the team. No one has ever used Ben status as starting on a team to prevent him from getting solo books or a push, so why is that excuse used with Sue and many other female heroes?

I agree with that. A series focusing on Susan Storm would be good. For my part I've always felt her name should be Susan Storm and not Susan Richards. Strong alliteration.

I agree that DC have been consistently better with their female heroes. Now Marvel is playing catch-up. Fans shouldn't have to be begging for Marvel to give these heroes the chance they deserve and it shouldn't' have taken Marvel so long to try and elevate a female hero as their "Wonder Woman".

Can't argue with that.

However, DC's more successful female characters, aside from Wonder Woman, tend to be the female-counterparts of male characters or tied-in with popular male characters.
Neither Black Canary nor Vixen have made it to the same levels as Batgirl or Supergirl in terms of decent-selling solo titles. (And Power Girl has been the female-counterpart to Golden Age version of Superman.)

DC ain't feminists. Them doing better than Marvel is a knock on the House of (lack of) Ideas, and not a paean to Brand Ecch. Zatanna is also a major female hero in DC.

[Killerbee911]

My problem is that Marvel is that Marvel should be trying elevate many of their female heroes. It's fine that they want Carol to be their "lead female hero" but where are there Catwoman level or Harley Quinn level heroes?
Part of the reason why the male heroes on teams were more popular was because they got the opportunity to be. That's what the female heroes deserve too, the opportunity and push to potentially be more. Of course Ben and Johnny would be more popular than Sue when even to this day she is treated more like wallpaper than a part of the team. No one has ever used Ben status as starting on a team to prevent him from getting solo books or a push, so why is that excuse used with Sue and many other female heroes?

Marvel is doing that tho , We are getting stuff like X-23( and Honey Badger), You are getting Moon Girl,You are getting Wasp. You are getting Iron Heart, You are getting Shuri, You are getting Ms Marvel, You are getting Ghost Spider,You are getting Squirrel Girl etc. They aren't just pushing Captain Marvel. Now where is the push of Black Widow, She Hulk, Jessica Jones, Daughters of Dragon, Wasp,Spectrum, Spider Woman, Mockingbird, etc in this picture I don't know but they are pushing other female characters it just looks like younger generation is getting the main focus.

DC ain't feminists. Them doing better than Marvel is a knock on the House of (lack of) Ideas, and not a paean to Brand Ecch. Zatanna is also a major female hero in DC.

DC doing better is an opinion, The work done in the X-men Franchise far outweighs the rebranding of male heroes concepts( which you can see in my statement above that Marvel is also in that business now). The X-men had all female book which should seem remarkable except honestly Most X-men teams are female heavy and sometimes only having one or two males on team. Where something like A-force was small stretch and seem manufactured to push females(which isn't bad thing) the X-men was pretty natural. X-men is the franchise with consistent female leadership. But anyways DC isn't doing better than Marvel imo Marvel has just been playing games with X-men franchise because of Fox and now that is over. X-men push is beginning again you will Storm ,Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Psylocke ,Dazzler, Emma Frost ,Domino, X-23 and others become pop culture relevant again. DC is doing better than Marvel watch happens to females in DC event,none have any relevance except Wonder Woman

[chamber-music]

Marvel did try to push a whole bunch of female characters with their all female Avengers book A-Force

The rumor is that Sersi is supposed to be the co-lead of the Eternals movie.

I can see Sersi getting another push with a Eternals relaunch.

OG Wasp, Janet van Dyne deserves more of a push. She is alive and in comics again but is being used as Tony's side chick in Iron Man, Nadia's worried Step-mom in Unstoppable Wasp and B-plot character in the Avengers.

I hope Clea turns up in a Doctor Strange movie eventually. Supernatural ladies like Clea, Jennifer Kale and Satana should be used more in the comics. The last midnight sons line up in Damnation was sausage fest with Elsa Bloodstone being the only female member.

[Crimz]

Black Cat is actually getting an ongoing in 2019, but then she's more or less Marvel Catwoman. In the 80s, Marvel tried to push Elektra. She got a Miller series and other stuff, and she's the first Marvel female to headline a film. If that movie had been good or if it was one of those bad movies that inexplicably does well, things might have been different. Jessica Jones headlined a successful Netflix Show but I don't know if she's got an upcoming ongoing especially since they tend to make her and Luke Cage into team books or have her be Mrs. Luke Cage.

Their pushes haven't been really consistent. I don't know why the push of She Hulk and Elektra stopped, but if they continued from the 80s to now then the Marvel landscape may look different.

I agree with that. A series focusing on Susan Storm would be good. For my part I've always felt her name should be Susan Storm and not Susan Richards. Strong alliteration.

Her name is hyphenated, Susan Storm-Richards. So she can go by both.

Marvel is doing that tho , We are getting stuff like X-23( and Honey Badger), You are getting Moon Girl,You are getting Wasp. You are getting Iron Heart, You are getting Shuri, You are getting Ms Marvel, You are getting Ghost Spider,You are getting Squirrel Girl etc. They aren't just pushing Captain Marvel. Now where is the push of Black Widow, She Hulk, Jessica Jones, Daughters of Dragon, Wasp,Spectrum, Spider Woman, Mockingbird, etc in this picture I don't know but they are pushing other female characters it just looks like younger generation is getting the main focus.



DC doing better is an opinion, The work done in the X-men Franchise far outweighs the rebranding of male heroes concepts( which you can see in my statement above that Marvel is also in that business now). The X-men had all female book which should seem remarkable except honestly Most X-men teams are female heavy and sometimes only having one or two males on team. Where something like A-force was small stretch and seem manufactured to push females(which isn't bad thing) the X-men was pretty natural. X-men is the franchise with consistent female leadership. But anyways DC isn't doing better than Marvel imo Marvel has just been playing games with X-men franchise because of Fox and now that is over. X-men push is beginning again you will Storm ,Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Psylocke ,Dazzler, Emma Frost ,Domino, X-23 and others become pop culture relevant again. DC is doing better than Marvel watch happens to females in DC event,none have any relevance except Wonder Woman

Does getting a solo book mean they are being pushed? I see a solo book as being apart of a bigger push which includes cameos, merch and other things. I think Gwen and Ms Marvel are the only ones that have a consistent push. Laura's push was always going to be temporary, as soon as Logan came back it ended. Which is a shame.

And that's what I think DC has had over Marvel, a consistent push of their female characters. While Marvel has had periods where they pushed their female characters with gaps in between.

OG Wasp, Janet van Dyne deserves more of a push. She is alive and in comics again but is being used as Tony's side chick in Iron Man, Nadia's worried Step-mom in Unstoppable Wasp and B-plot character in the Avengers.

They did Jan so dirty.