Gender and Diversity in Comics

 There is a push in the comics industry to introduce characters that are diverse in race, gender, and sexual orientation. A large motivator for this change is the belief that children from diverse backgrounds deserve to see people in heroic roles that look like them and/or share their gender or sexual orientation. As a result, major comic publishers, such as Marvel, are introducing more characters that are people of color, female, and LGBTQ. Listen to learn more about the growing diversity in comic book characters and the controversies surrounding it.

Listening Comprehension Questions

• What controversial statement did the Marvel Comics VP recently make?
• What are other possible explanations for decreased sales other than increased diversity?
• What is the evidence that diverse comics sell well?
• What is the fastest growing demographic in comics readership?
• How have comic book shop sales changed over the past five years?

Classroom Discussion Themes

•    Do you believe that Americans want to see more diversity in their comics, movies, and television? Why or why not?

•    Do you think sales should determine which comics are available to customers? 

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