Op-Ed: Marvel Owes Its Success to Fangirls

That’s right, I said it.

For decades now, superheroes, comic books, and action movies were “for boys,” seen as more masculine and nerdy and not interesting enough “for girls.” In media, it was always a boy that was picked on for reading comics while the girls giggled about the cute bully jock or talked about a party. Real life imitated fiction and created a divide among fans that is finally closing thanks, in large part, to Marvel.

To be very specific, I think a lot of the credit can be given to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, first seen in Thor (2011) and then featured as the main villain in Avengers (2012). It marked the first wave of rabid Avengers fangirls, drawn to Loki’s dark features, confidence, and so much more (I know, I was one of them).

Chris Evans as Captain America pulled even more girls into the Marvel fandom, a fervor which quickly spread to every other Avenger, including Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. The interest in the actors portraying the characters led to an interest in the characters themselves, including merchandise and other media…like comics.

In the past, the success and popularity of superhero films generally caused a decline in comic sales, rather than a mutual success in the mediums. However, that no longer seems to be the case as the sale of comic books, manga, and graphic novels has actually increased in recent years, especially since the 2020 pandemic. This could be due to the increasing amount of diversity in both the audience and the material.

Miles Morales, the first Black Spider-Man, is now one of the most popular superheroes in pop culture, but he didn’t even exist until 2011. As the fanbase has grown in numbers and diversity, it’s being reflected in the comics themselves, drawing in even more readers and reaching a wider audience. Many of whom are girls.

Although Scarlett Johansson set the stage as the first female Avenger, Brie Larson has swept in and shaken up more than Thanos’ plans. The Captain Marvel star has gained more than her fair share of haters, for a variety of unknown reasons. In a recent interview with Variety, Samuel L. Jackson clapped back at her haters, claiming that Larson isn’t “going to let any of that stuff destroy her. These incel dudes who hate strong women, or the fact that she’s a feminist who has an opinion and expressed it? Everybody wants people to be who they want them to be. She is who she is, and she’s genuinely that.”

“Incel dudes” is a strong denouncement coming from Nick Fury himself, but an accurate description of much of Marvel’s toxic fanbase. Many people think that comics and superheroes should’ve stayed “for the boys” and dislike the feminine-leaning base it’s gained over the last decade and a half. Fangirls have not only helped increase the popularity of the movies but they’ve also helped create a revolution in the comic book industry.

While only 26% of Marvel and DC comic characters are female, the fanbase is actually pretty evenly split between fans identifying as male or female. I think it makes a pretty solid argument that fangirls have helped Marvel (and the superhero genre/comic book industry as a whole) continue to thrive the way it has. While “incel dudes” get mad that Brie Larson is kicking ass as Captain Marvel (and looking fantastic while doing it!) and girls/women are making themselves welcome in a formerly male-dominated area.

You can have your cake, and eat it, too. You can be a fan of Marvel and allow others, including girls, to enjoy it alongside you. Whether we like Captain America because of his morals, his backstory, or his ass, that’s for us to choose. The bottom line is, we’re watching with you, reading with you, partaking in the same fandom with you. Marvel owes as much of its success to fangirls as it does to fanboys.