Mike Madrid’s informative and entertaining survey of women characters in comic books makes history a playful romp. Supergirl, Wonder Woman, The Wasp, Bat-Girl, Bat-Woman, Black Widow, the Invisible Girl, Vampirella, and dozens more superhero characters are profiled in this book. Madrid maps the trends the comic book industry followed during the Golden Age and Silver Age. Other characters like Lois Lane (whose comic lasted 17 years!) and Lana Lang show how the story elements of their time determined the plots–usually romantic–those characters drove. If you’re looking for an insightful and detailed history of women characters in comics, Supergirls fits the bill.
Table of Contents:
Goddesses of tomorrow
1940’s: a secret life
The queen & the princess
1950’s: the girlfriends
Supergirl and the ballad of American youth
1960’s: the modern world
Girls together (outrageously)
1970’s: sirens & suffragettes
Wonder Woman’s extreme makeovers
1980’s: the dark road
Sex and the single superheroine
1990’s: the babe years
Heroine chic
2000 and beyond: mother love?
Acknowledgements
Index
That sounds great – I do enjoy a historical survey that also promises to be enbtertaining 🙂
Sergio, I found THE SUPERGIRLS informative and fun to read! Madrid knows his stuff.
Fascinating footnote: Patricia Highsmith tried to write for WONDER WOMAN but her work was deemed unsuitable and she ended up working for the lower-grade super-comics.
Dan, I never knew that Highsmith wanted to write for WONDER WOMAN. I’m going to see CAROL which is based on a Highsmith novel.
This one is going to the top of my GottaReadIt list.
I was never really into any of those, even Wonder Woman. It does look interesting, but I have so many other things of a higher priority.
Jeff, I was a fan of many of these comic book heroines especially Wonder Woman so this book was a delight for me!
I’d love to see this, but I won’t buy it! The last thing I need is an oversized book in my cramped house!
Bob, now you tell me…
On the other hand..!
Bob, check your mailbox next week. Ho, Ho, Ho!
I read this back a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. I thought it needed more illustrations of the characters being discussed.
Scott, you’re absolutely right. If a book ever needed some illustrative color artwork, it’s this book!