The rising discontent with the treatment of female comic book readers and creators by the comics mainstream bubbled over on social networks this week after two new releases: the results of DC’s Neilsen Survey on their New 52 reboot and the premiere of Kevin Smith’s Comic Book Men. DC’s…
This is a great response to the whole controversy thing. And I agree, I did ask a more open ended question than the survey did, it was completely off the cuff.
However, stores were routinely saying that their comics buying customers were up to 30%. I don’t think it necessarily suggests that it means those customers aren’t buying DCnU titles, it is just as likely, if not more so, that it suggests that the survey was flawed.
Which I absolutely think it was. We need a much, much wider in store sampling. 167 in store surveys is statistically too few to pay attention to.
There are anecdotal questions as well, and methodological ones. First, my friends who were hit up for surveys said the questioners were incredibly aggressive. That may well have been a turn-off for potential female participants. I also want to know when these surveys took place, as several store owners said their female customers are much less rigid about showing up on new release day.
I think the survey was very flawed. It’s possible that retailers who saw my question are biased somewhat towards female customers being significant, but when stores are routinely saying women are 20-30 percent of their base, it would be a fatal flaw to allow the idea of a 7% female readership take hold without scrutiny.
I think it would be more useful to ask the retailers directly. They are there every day, they know their customer base.
But I am deeply skeptical.
I live in China mainland. I’m a woman. This is the imported comics I purchased through Amazon. cn last year. You can even see the Chinese version of Green Lantern: Secret Origin. (It was officially introduced into China last year.) This stack of comics made me SVIP of Amazon. cn last year, because exchange rate made them cost me dearly.
Thank you Mr. Smith, for letting me know that since I own such a stack, I’m just not any kind of female humanbeing. Thank you. I might just buy a tablet instead to maintain my SVIP, and read some serious English novel or professional books.
I’m sorry that comment made you feel that way, I don’t blame you a bit. All the work that’s been done to promote and celebrate the wider readership, which included people of all genders, and we still have goofyass comments like this. It’s ridiculous, and the justifications for it (“It’s reality!”) are insulting.
I have never had a beef with Kevin Smith, he does what he does and that’s fine for the people who want that.
But Kevin Smith does not speak for the industry or all of us IN the industry or for all comic shops, many of whom are run by women, owned by women, and supported by women.
And THAT’S reality, Kevin.
I understand that. :)
I am still not warm up enough for the nU, but that will always need time, and storylines may change into something I like. And there’s always enough old stories for me to choose. (BTW, I have all the trades of BoP v1 :) )
It’s just that, sometimes comments like “girls don’t reads comic” weird me out a bit. The superhero comic fans population in China is still small, but at least half of them are female readers. Although people don’t talk so much about discrimination, no one would say something like this.
And the money I pay to the books also pay these people’s bills, it’s kind of irritating. I can understand that no business can satisfy all their customers. Things can always be improved but perfection just doesn’t exist. But good PR would still help when you can’t satisfy you customers, and thus benefit the business in long run. Irritating customers is risky, irritating them constantly is just bad move. Things get viral easily these days. The company should really consider better PR(or even better HR), not to waste all the effort put in just because of someone’s says “girls doesn’t read comics”.
Oh, man, I hope there isn’t a language gap or something and my message was clear. I am absolutely NOT criticizing or disagreeing with you. I feel for you right down the line on your original statement. It IS insulting to hear this stuff. You are clearly a comic book reader, and yet, people want to say you don’t exist, it’s offensive.
I was annoyed on your behalf, not at you at all! Just want to make sure I was clear—I just woke up a little while ago. ;) I agree with everything you said.
Thank you for supporting BOP, I hope you find some stuff in the new 52 to like.
Can I ask what part of the mainland you are in? I have been missing China terribly and trying to find an excuse to go back for an extended visit.No, you didn’t offend me, Gail. It’s OK. I guess the language gap is mostly on my English skill, lol. *hug*
I live in Guangdong province. :)
Not at all, your English is exemplary, I just was concerned I’d posted while still half-asleep.
So are you by Ghangzhou? Or maybe Shenzhen? I spent some time in both cities but had no idea there were superhero comic readers there. The comics we saw in newsstands were really lively and interesting, but were either from HK or imported from Japan or Korea, as far as I could tell.
(Source: boatbuildercomic.com)
