The real reason some girls don't read comics.

I'll start this with a little story, my daughter is 4 years old and loves Super-girl and she just wants a Super-girl action figure but because comic companies seem to believe girls don't buy toys without glitter and s**t on them you can't find them at Target, Wal-mart or toys r us. So we try a comic shop that sells toys as well but we never actually get to the toys because some sack of crap with a neck beard (And I mean he actually did have a neck beard) starts talking s**t about how comics aren't for girls and how she should just go get a Barbie. Now this upset her a bit because she's 4 and this jack ass is basically making fun of her and instead of telling the guy to back off like any intelligent business owner would the comic shop guy chuckles along like this 20 something dude just won something for talking s**t to a 4 year old. So we left because I didn't want to knock this dude's teeth out in front of my kid.

Point to this, ass holes need to get over this fear of girls, if you aren't 12 its not acceptable. If you want to know why girls aren't impressed with your comic knowledge, its not because they're weird its because some jack ass tells them they don't belong regardless of how much they like something.

Maybe if this industry wasn't run by the same type of men as that jack ass in the comic shop then more women and girls would get into comics and maybe the comic industry wouldn't be on the verge of becoming a dying medium.

End of rant.

I agree. I think comic books can become A LOT more popular among various people if the main demographic didn't scare away everyone different. For example,"black guys don't read comics!" or "Women don't read comics" or "Football players don't read comics!"

Think of the enthusiasm for various people that was ruined because of the closeminded individuals that almost seem as if they are trying their BEST to make comics some sort of periphery hobby.

@joshmightbe: I know of three 12 year old girls that tried to get into comic books and got discouraged. Apparently, they went to a comic book store and were treated similarly as the little girl in the op.

@cameron83: Its one of the reasons I get mad when people like Todd McFarlin and Mark Millar say comics aren't for girls, F**k them, comics are for everybody who wants to read them.

Wow, fck that dude, for real.

There are a truly terrifying amount of horror stories that I've seen from other females who went into shops (whether they'd been reading comics forever, for a few years, or were new) and had horrible experiences from ignorant, sexist assholes.

It blows my mind. I don't know why it does. I know that it shouldn't, especially after things I've experienced online, but it still does.

I'm so thankful for the shop that I work at, which is the first and only shop I've ever been to. We have a pretty healthy amount of female customers, and not once has a female been made to fell lesser or unwelcome, or been patronized to. That's such bullsh&t when it happens. It makes me legitimately angry.

Money coming from females has the same value as that from males, and honestly, shops that don't get with the program are just driving away customers, which seems bad for business all around.

Seriously? Wow, what a d!ck.

Jmarshmallow

A-MEN! I see no point or benefit of being close-minded and trying to restrict the amount of people that enjoy comic books.

I actually never knew Todd or Mark said such things. People just....ugh.....they sicken me.

@cameron83: It doesn't surprise me, with very few exceptions all the female characters in their comics are either victims or eye candy, Hell Todd had to out source to Neil Gamin to get the one female Spawn character with any kind of dimension to her.

That's lame. I really hope that experience doesn't blow comics for your daughter. My girlfriend, who reads comics, refuses to go to our LCS and just gets me to put her books on my pull-list

That is a shame. It really is. Kudos to OP for acting like an adult and not beating that dude's f****** face in, because I wouldn't have been able to help my self. Wow. I hate people like that. What is wrong with a female liking comics? And for f**** sake who actually has the audacity to say/do something like that to a 4 year old? This will sound immature but I swear people like that need their asses whooped one good time.

This strikes a nerve with me because I have a sister who is way younger than me (6 years old) and she likes TMNT, Dragon Ball/Z ,Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go, Wonder Woman, Cat Woman, Hawk Girl (She likes Injustice lol) Avatar:The Last Air Bender, Legend Of Korra and other stuff that arrogant sexist douche bag pricks think girls shouldn't be into and just the thought of people like that really pisses me off a lot.

Makes me feel like I am about to turn Super Saiyan for the first time.

@doomdoomdoom: I'm at the point where I just feel like I'm done with comic shops, if my kid isn't welcome there then I certainly won't be giving the LCSs my money. I can get TPBs from a book store and I may even just go all digital for my books.

A woman works at the comic shop I go to so I've never seen a situation like that but I'm not surprised. Don't let her get discouraged

That seems like the opposite of a good business model.

Also it's already hard enough to be a chick who likes comics, people shouldn't make it harder then it already is. Who knows, some of the girls who could like comics may grow up to be a great writer, artist, or movie/show producer and give us something amazing some day.

For the first and last time I will type something I promised never to type: SMH

That is really discouraging. If I worked in a shop I'd be really hyped that a girl that young was interested in comic book characters. A Supergirl figure and a few kind words could have been this little girl's gateway into a wonderful world. You blew it guys.

@joshmightbe: I'm very sorry to hear that, that was incredibly rude and disrespectful

I've been to a lot of comic book shops and I've never met anyone like that. All the people I have personally talked to have been very kind and cool people. I'm almost certain that most comic book fans that so happen to be male aren't like that at all

Agreed. Who doesn't want more customers? Heck, if you can make a life long customer at anytime what business doesn't want to do that. I don't work at a comic shop, but I work at a shop, that guy would have gotten ignored as hard as I could manage and that little girl would have gotten her Supergirl figure and I'd probably have thrown in a back issue of said series for free. Customer goodwill is like a diamond in the dust. Also more than that, what idiot doesn't want to get more people interested in their interests. Heck if I could get a person a day to be interested in the things I am I'd be happy everyday.

Hopefully that doesn't discourage your daughter, kids interests shouldn't be shot down like that at a young age.

@darkday: I know right. Do you not want new business? Do you not want repeat business? Where does this elitist attitude come from?

What comic shop are you going to? In my local shop, I have seen some girls and quite a few young women recently come in and the comic dude is always willing to help and get people interested in comics. I mean these dudes go out of their way to help locate whatever books or toys these girls were looking for. They almost treat them better than us old nerds.

I applaud your self control, I would have started throwing punches.

That's the biggest reason I hate geek culture at times (Games, Comics, ect) they feel the need to belittle someone if they aren't exactly like them or as knowledgeable in some part of the it that they know but you don't. Be welcoming people, embrace the people liking what you like.

Honestly I think it is just people being jerks. People want to blame the gaming or comics community and stuff like that, but honestly that isn't really the problem. It ends up being the same as almost every other interest or social group and that is that you just have people that are so insecure and petty that they need to belittle someone else and ruin their day to feel better about themselves.

F@$k those guys, comic books are for everyone. Btw if you can't find good toys then you can try searching online.

@feartheliving: I love talking about comics. I've spent a lot of time hanging out at one particular local shop talking comics with the owner. What I love more is talking comics with people who are interested, but unknowledgable. Using what I know to help people find something that they might like. It's far more rewarding.

THIS!!! Spread it and encourage more peeps to read! :D

situations like that makes me glad that the clerk running the comic shop i go to is a woman

@joshmightbe: I assume the person who made the comment was a customer. He is an imbecile. The comic store owner or employee is a dumb f-ck. If I were there I would be trying to sell you and your daughter as much stuff as possible. I don't give a flying f-ck who comes in, from a business standpoint it's about money first and foremost. As a human being I would encourage her and anyone else to find a character that speaks to them or is interesting. Why not cultivate the potential future of the business early? I also personally feel like comics are a sanctuary for outcasts. Just my opinion.

And this is exactly why I buy all my comics digitally.

Mark Millar and Todd McFarlane NEVER said ‘Comics aren’t for women’ - Nerd Reactor

It's sort of a self fulfilling prophecy isn't it? People say "girls don't like comics", and so shun them when girls actually show interest because maybe, on some deep level, we think the interest is feigned or insincere for some reason. Thus we end up alienating the very population segment we say aren't interested in comics?

The title got me.

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EDIT:

I just read it. I was looking for some humor. I was disappointed. But, yeah... it is a sad truth that the comicbook industry is sexist. I mean it is a U.S. American artform. Everything created in the USA has remnants of sexism, racism, ostracization, greed, and ruled by profit instead of quality. (+)

And that's how it should be, but then you have people like in the OP that feel like the medium is only for them and no one else can jump on board. I'm really hoping these type of people are in the minority though with no comics shop actually near me I don't have to deal with people at the shop so I've never seen this first hand.

Ooooh, man. I would'a had "words" with that freakin' beta-male...

What a couple of jerks. There's a lot of problems with this situation in my opinion. On one hand it's people conforming to gender identity and the whole "pink aisle" situation. On another it's a case of what I think is probably typical comic shop reaction to outsiders from regulars. The latter is kind of an issue with a lot of non-mainstream media. People like stuff for genuine reasons, but then they feel like they're part of something special and want to try to dictate who else is allowed to like it, which is utterly idiotic.

I have a couple of nieces, one is 9 and the other is 3. They used to say certain things were for girls but I make it a point to say that things don't belong to one gender or another, they can be for both. The 9 year old has since taken an interest to Wolverine & the X-Men on Netflix (and her favorite is Wolverine), also says she likes Spider-Man and Captain America too. The 3 year old is next in line.

He must have been allergic to money

That's probably the first girl they've talked to in years. F#ck em.

Seems damn right stupid, to treat any paying customer like s**t if i'm honest. I mean why do that, I have always got my comics and figures ect... from ebay & amazon as there isn't a comic book shop anywhere near me.

@joshmightbe: Well f&ck that guy DC do do an action figure for the New 52 Supergirl

http://www.amazon.com/DC-Collectibles-Comics-Supergirl-Action/dp/B00JPIQOXU

And her series has been great might not be suitable for a 4 year old as it deals with Supergirl trying to find a home and dealing with her loss and grief after losing all her family and friends with the destruction of Krypton.

Just skip the Superman cross overs those where terrible issues 14 -17 and 25

That's the kind of behaviour that should result in a letter to the manager/owner of the shop explaining that he has now lost income because of uncivilized behaviour from both his employee (who fails to intervene) and the culprit. That is something that should get the guy's attention, because you are striking at his wallet and his store's reputation.

I am ofc assuming the desk clerk wasn't the owner, but if it was... if you know anyone else who buys from this place, tell them to avoid it.

There probably isn't anything more irritating or pathetic than 'fanboys' like that.

wow some people really suck

I'm glad the shop I go to is owned by a couple of women, and the other one downtown has girls working at it too

if i saw crap like that i wouldn't stand for it

Hope that guy runs his comic shop into the ground. He probably will, too, allowing someone to discourage potential customers like that...

From my experience, comic book readers don't tend to be the most accepting people in the world.

I haven't seen a girl on here so......

@beyondergod: There are tons of women and girls on this site all the time.

Being 100% have not saw one on here only guys with female pictures.

What horrible situation...comics promote creativity, reading, writing, presentation, culture, etc...just a great all around mixture of humanity and imagination...that EVERYONE should be able to be apart of and not be ridiculed for...

Dude i have problem with fake nerds, fake geeks and fake dorks.

Still i am not an ahole with people that say they like this way of life even when you can notice they dont.

But when you notice some one is into comic books for real, you should help them to go beyond this.

This is one of the reasons many people hate nerds and the hate will never stop, many nerds are really mean, violent and aholes.