Why are female superheroes not common in movies/comic books? (Essay Sample)

Why Female Superheroes are Not Common in Movies or Comic Books Name: Institution: Why Female Superheroes are Not Common in Movies or Comic Books Although female superhero representation in movies and comic books has gained more grounds over the past few decades, women are still objectified within the squares of gender dissimilarities. Despite their compelling and likable traits, very few people have information about characters such as the Black Widow, Wonder Woman, Scarlet Witch, and Cat Woman. The article by Madrid and Buszek (2013) revealed that only 25% of American Facebook users recognize or like movies and comic books associated with female superheroes. On the contrary, the majority of American Facebook users enjoy watching movies or reading books linked to male superheroes such as Spiderman, Batman, and Superman. Therefore, the active value people attach to male superheroes is the main reason why female superheroes are not common in movies or comic books. Dunne (2013) in the article “The Representation of Women in Comic Books” indicates that most superhero films and comic books are produced by the very best-known actors who are men. According to Dunne (2013), producers hold the belief that male superhero movies and books are in high demand compared to those with female superhero characters. The variation in taste is based on the fact that only a few female characters can lead their books and films on TV shows because they have the feeling that no audience will be interested in watching a female superhero movie or reading a comic book about a female superhero character. In a different study, Sawyer (2014) revealed that most people do not like female superhero movies and comic books because the existing female films and books copy from male superhero characters but miss out the exact qualities that make male superhero movies and books enjoyable. For instance, the film “Supergirl” is an imitation of the film “Superman”. According Sawyer (2014), the people who have watched the two films complain about the quality of the film “Supergirl” and this means that the benefits received by the movie producers are only enough to break even the cost of production. Apart from the problem of taste and preference, other studies present the case of smaller adaptation or inadequate mentorship and promotion of female filmmakers to be a major challenge for women protagonists. In the same article, Sawyer (2014) revealed that female writers and movie directors form part of the minority groups in the world of superheroes, and this is caused by the creative gaps between men and women. According to this researcher, very few women have succeeded in creating strong films and books that present female voices in TV shows because they have been empowered through mentorship and promotional programs to take the lead in such shows (Sawyer, 2014). Therefore, without the active mentorship and promotion of female filmmakers, it will not be possible to create a cultural environment that will allow women to play equal roles in ...