For years, fans of all ages and genders have lamented the lack of love for female superheroes. From Gamora to Wonder Woman, it”s been an uphill slog to find toys or TV shows that showcase lady heroes.
But after all the Twitter hashtags and grassroots activism, change is in the air. Just now, Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment announced their launch of “DC Super Hero Girls,” which is exactly what it says on the tin.
Aimed squarely at girls ages 6-12, the new initiative will comprehensively cover everything from TV Specials to partnering with Mattel for toys. From the official press release:
[DC Super Hero Girls] centers on the female Heroes and Villains of the DC Comics universe during their formative years-prior to discovering their full super power potential. Featuring a completely new artistic style and aesthetic, DC Comics” icons such as Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Bumble Bee, Poison Ivy, Katana and many more make their unprecedented teenaged introduction. Each character has her own storyline that explores what teen life is like as a Super Hero, including discovering her unique abilities, nurturing her remarkable powers and mastering the fundamentals of being a hero.
It sounds like they”re taking page from Mattel”s insanely popular hit “Monster High,” which also puts the focus on female friendships and giving girls a diverse range of characters to relate to. Mattel makes sure to note that their “DC Super Hero Girls” dolls will feature strong, athletic bodies that are representative of heroic action but will also put focus on action figures, an area that companies have primarily seen as “for boys” in the past.
To help tie the new line together, Random House Books has been tapped to create a portfolio of books and graphic novels while LEGO will add “DC Super Hero Girls” into their building sets.
”DC Super Hero Girls” begins its initial roll-out in the Fall of 2015 and will be fully operational by Spring of 2016.
You can read more about the franchise launch on DC's website.