The world of comic books has long been the domain of men. Men like Will Eisner and Stan Lee have shaped the medium's history. But this has slowly changed over the past several decades. From the emergence of manga romance (which is one of the fastest growing genres) to some impressive female leads in popular comics, women creators and genres that appeal to women are growing.
I'm not here to harp on diversity or equity in comics - others have carried that torch - but I do want to highlight some interesting facts about women in comics over the last (almost!) century.
6 Interesting Facts about Women in Comics
1. Early Women Creators
Women have been involved in comics since the early days. For example, Nell Brinkley, a prominent illustrator, gained fame in the early 20th century for her detailed and glamorous depictions of women in newspaper comics.
Many Golden Age Comics, such as Heart Throbs below, credit female script writers or illustrators.
2. Who was the First Superheroine?
Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston and artist Harry G. Peter, debuted in All Star Comics #8 in December 1941, making her the first major female superhero in American comics.
3. Underground Comix Movement & Feminism
In the 1960s and 70s, women like Trina Robbins played a huge role in the underground comix scene, creating works that tackled feminist themes and broke from mainstream norms. Robbins co-edited It Ain’t Me, Babe, the first all-women comic book, in 1970.
4. Manga Influence
In Japan, women have long been central to manga. The "Year 24 Group," a collective of female mangaka (manga creators) born around 1949 (Showa 24), including Moto Hagio and Riyoko Ikeda, revolutionized shoujo manga in the 1970s with complex storytelling and emotional depth.
Today, manga is most popular among women, and romance is one of the most popular genres.
5. Women in the World of Modern Comics
Modern comics (
which Matt tells me is a "cop out" term) covers a significant portion of the past several decades. As women's roles have changed in daily life, those roles have also evolved in comics.
By 2020, women made up a significant portion of comic book readers—about 40-50% in the U.S., depending on the survey—pushing publishers to diversify characters and hire more female writers and artists.
It has also pushed the industry to write more content that appeals to women readers - romance, fantasy, and slice-of-life.
6. Notable Female Writers and Artists
Contemporary creators like Gail Simone (known for Birds of Prey and Batgirl) and Kelly Sue DeConnick (creator of Captain Marvel’s modern iteration) have reshaped superhero narratives with strong female leads.
Independent creators like
Jemma Young and
S.K. Malveaux creating original, interesting storylines that appeal to men and women.
How Women Are Depicted in Comics
Damsels and Pin-ups
In the Golden Age (1930s-50s), female characters were often portrayed as damsels in distress or hyper-sexualized sidekicks, like Lois Lane in Superman, whose role was largely to be rescued, or pin-up-style heroines in wartime comics designed to appeal to male readers.
Take this example of the Suzie comic, available in the borrowing library. It was a popular spin-off of the Archies series from the 1940's and featured ditzy but sexy Suzie.
Strong Female Leads
By the 1980s and 90s, characters like Storm from X-Men (leader of the team in various arcs) and Barbara Gordon’s transformation into Oracle after The Killing Joke (1988) marked a shift toward more empowered, complex female characters, though sexualized costumes and poses persisted.
Modern Complexity
Today, female characters like Ezra Scarlet from the Fairy Tail manga franchise and Jessica Jones (from Alias) are depicted with nuanced personalities, realistic struggles, and agency, moving away from stereotypes.
While the pin up version of female comic characters still exist, there are many real depictions of women in comics that are strong characters, villains, and storylines featuring romance and life in a way that appeals to all audiences.
