FORGOTTEN BOOKS #351: THE SUPERGIRLS: FASHION, FEMINISM, FANTASY, AND THE HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK HEROINES By Mike Madrid

supergirls
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

13 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN BOOKS #351: THE SUPERGIRLS: FASHION, FEMINISM, FANTASY, AND THE HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK HEROINES By Mike Madrid

  1. Dan

    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.

    Reply
  2. Jeff Meyerson

    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.

    Reply
  3. Scott Cupp

    I read this back a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. I thought it needed more illustrations of the characters being discussed.

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