Marvel Comics' New Year's Resolution: Draw In Women

The Zap, Pows, and Kabooms often seen in comic books are about to be drowned out by a distinctly feminine roar. Marvel Comics has just announced that 2010 will be the year of women and will debut a series of “girl comics” which will be written and illustrated entirely by women.

It’s a subtle rebranding effort to help Marvel shake off their boy’s club image. Marvel has been accused of being sexist in the past, particularly in regard to their sexy Marvel Diva publication (video above), and the brand is eager to make itself appear more female friendly.

The project certainly features some terrific talents and involves female cartoonists from Amanda Conner to Molly Crabapple. As a result of the new series, Marvel representatives claim, “that the idea will be reinforced that comics can be (and already are) as much for [women] as they are for men.”

Certainly, women readers might find comics created by other women more accessible than work written by male authors, though it is too early to predict whether this will lead to more female comic book heroines. The new series will be released in March 2010 to coincide with Women’s History Month.