“Why Should I Read Comic Books?”: 5 Reasons Why Women/Girls Should Read Comic Books

“Comic Books (Video Games, Action Movies, etc.) are for boys.” “Only boys like comic books (video games, action movies, etc.)” 

BULLSHIT! Comic Books are for Everyone!

I first started reading comic books four years ago when my sister and I went to our first ever convention,  the Wizard World Comic Con in Chicago. This was back in 2012 when I was merely a general fan of Fantasy and Science Fiction movies, and had a little more than passing knowledge of video games. Back then I don’t believe I would have called myself a geek, nerd or any other related label. That was until I stepped through the doors of the convention and was knocked on my ass by all the amazing things I was seeing. From the incredible artists to the awesome memorabilia and t-shirts from every show, game, etc. from the last 50 years. It was during that convention that I bought the second issue of the Lady Mechanika. If you are unaware of the incredible world of Lady Mechanika then I feel bad for you. Imagine a part cyborg woman trying to discover who she is all while saving peoples lives in a Steampunk world of blimps and steam engines. I know It sounds amazing, right! Well, it was! And from that moment on I was hooked. I started researching and buying all the comic books I could find, most of which were predominantly lead or included female characters and superheroines that I either already loved or would come to love.

Being a geek or nerd is not bad. Being a woman who is a geek or nerd is not bad either. In fact, it is awesome! Yes, there are those in the community who appear biased against fangirls or maybe have a bit of a superiority complex and “troll.” DO NOT LET THIS DETER YOU! There are so many reasons why you should read comics and so many characters that you will fall in love with. And here are a few of those reasons…

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5 Reasons Why Women/Girls Should Read Comic Books:

Reason #1: Creativity & Imagination

“Your fandoms are like that: fiction, no matter the form, allows you to live a thousand meaningful experiences and relations that you could never have in real life. Getting invested in a fictional world means you have imagination, a big heart, and the capacity for endless creativity. No one can say anything bad about that.”

–       Sam Mags, The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Geek Girls

Reason #2: The Art

Comic books are as much about the story as they are about the art, drawn both digitally and by hand. One can get entranced in the incredible work that each artist does. Like creativity and imagination, the art can both draw you into the world and inspire your own imagination. It enables you to escape your normal world and entire a world where anything is possible.

Reason #3: There are SO MANY GENRES & TOPICS

Not a huge fan of superheroes. Do you like zombies, horror, fantasy, romance, etc.? Would you like to read something with only women or a female protagonist? What about comic books that cater to the LGBT community?

With comic books you can explore and find your own niche. For me personally, I read a mix of comic books from both popular and indie companies. I prefer either teams who have women or female led comic books. I also try to support any comic book that strikes my fancy that is written or drawn by a woman.

So do a little research and look through the huge amount of boxes and bookshelves at any bookstore and comic books store. I guarantee that you will find something that you will fangirl over.

Reason #4: Love the Movies and TV shows, and want to know more?

Being a fan of anything you probably strive to learn more. For a movie or TV show, that probably includes Googling everything about an actor.  You probably watch all related behind the scenes videos, follow the production on social media, read the books before the next installment comes out. The same goes for comic book based movies and TV shows. Most characters from those movies and TV shows have a long complicated history that can vary in success. But reading the comic books correlated with a character can feed your love and passion for the character. I loved Black Widow from the moment she came on screen in Iron Man 2 (this was in part because of my appreciation of Scarlet Johansson), so I did my research and found that Black Widow was even more amazing in the comics. This incited a deeper passion for the character.

Don’t be intimidated though there are a lot of comic books related to most long running characters. The best thing to do is research the character, and then pick up a comic book. You will soon find out which series, writers, artists and time periods you prefer.

Reason #5: Amazing, Strong Female Characters for All Ages

The women and girls in comic books vary as much as the readers’ tastes. From the women of Rat Queens (a bunch of hooligans forced to help save the day) to dangerous mutants to Wonder Woman, these women can be relatable and inspiring. They can sometimes be better and more capable than their male counterparts. They can depict real issues that some women face in the real world. They are easily just as much worth a read as the superheroes we all have become accustomed.

(Current) Ms. Marvel: Muslim Pakistani-American teenager

She-Hulk: successful lawyer, always green, generally a great leader, current leader of the superherione group, A-Force

Scarlet Witch: Unbelievable powerful mutant (?), on and off again Avenger, flawed, and has a hard time always controlling her powers

Captain Marvel: Air Force Captain, a Leader of the Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D Agent

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GET OUT THERE AND READ MORE COMIC BOOKS!