Marvel Divas

Marvel Divas is a series of comics in which Marvel's female superheroes are re-imagined in a "Sex in the City" kind of story.

“The idea behind the series was to have some sudsy fun and lift the curtain a bit and take a peep at some of our most fabulous super heroines. In the series, they're an unlikely foursome of friends--Black Cat, Hell Cat, Firestar, and Photon--with TWO things in common: They're all leading double-lives and they're all having romantic trouble. The pitch started as "Sex and the City" in the Marvel Universe, and there's definitely that "naughty" element to it, but I also think the series is doing to a deeper place, asking question about what it means...truly means...to be a woman in an industry dominated by testosterone and guns. (And I mean both the super hero industry and the comic book industry.) But mostly it's just a lot of hot fun." -- Interview with Marvel Diva creator

• Cover art
• Excerpts from interior artwork

Responses/Discussion/etc

• The Joe Quesada/Marvel Divas Scandal Made Simple

"About the “hating” on Marvel Divas, let’s call it what it really is—criticizing how sexist this book appears to be. If Marvel produces comics that are offensive to female readers, why shouldn’t people “hate” on it? Why would I want to support a company that produces offensive, sexist material? Why shouldn’t everyone speak out against it?"

• Aguirre-Sacasa Talks Marvel Divas

“As far as the cover goes, I like it. It’s sexy, it’s fun, it catches the eye, it gets people talking. And it’s no more or less objectifying—in my opinion—than most comic book covers out there. But that’s my opinion. To me, the book stands and falls on its content, which is either your cup of tea or not, but I promise you it's not misogynistic.”

• Marvel Divas: because nothing says superhero like hot sudsy fun at Jezebel

"Oh, awesome! Now I can find the same stupid Carrie Bradshaw bullshit that has invaded every aspect of my life from television to magazines to the internet since 2000 in a comic book, too!"

• Are Marvel Divas just fanboy fantasies? The Guardian's "Comment is Free"

"The cover shot and the predominantly male team reveal who the comic's intended audience is supposed to be – other men."

• Oh, I'm buying Marvel Divas alright (Dawn Papuga at "Reality 101: class is in session")

"“Peep?!” The man is a writer. He writes for a living. This word is not an accident. Who is this supposed to entice? Pubescent boys stealing glimpses of hot girls through a knothole in the locker room?! That word alone objectifies those female characters, but hey… that’s just my feminist theorist side coming out, I suppose.

• Marvel's new female-centered comics at Middle Raged Punk

"Who, exactly, is this for again? There’s the implication that we get to see them naked in the shower. The “naughty element” and “hot fun”. It doesn’t sound like a comic that is geared toward a largely female readership to me."

• Way to blame the readers, Joe. How noble of you. at 1979 Semi-Finalist
• Marvel Diva 2 cover released: too bad it's too late at 1979 Semi-Finalist

"But when you add all of them up it seems like a massive F U to the female positive comics community (and when I say female positive comics community I include all you fantastic men who have been writing about these issues as well). If I’ve gotten any happiness out of this whole nightmare, it has been in the surprising support I’ve felt from male readers that seem equally as enraged as the obviously pissed female fan base."

• [1] at Digital Femme Online

"What it truly means to be a woman in a male-dominated field? With an all-male creative team? And art designed to titillate the predominately male T&A crowd? Who do you think you're fooling?"

• News flash! Marvel staff lives in their mothers' basements at Feminist Geeks