I was busy in March, so I picked up talking to walls in April.
Dear Marvel,
I know the first ‘rule’ of ‘complaint letters’ is to be brief and directly to the point. Considering this is my third letter (if we’re counting the number of letters written) or 7th+ letter (if we’re counting the number of copies sent)—none of which garnered even the HINT of a reply from Marvel, I’m afraid I must apologize that I doubt I will be brief and to the point. My complaint has, in the last 4 months, expanded in scope and now also includes frustration with Marvel choosing to ignore customer feedback/concerns as well as the original problem.
My daughter got a Color Wonder book for Christmas (for those who aren't aware of what the preschool crowd is into, these are coloring books that use special markers so they can’t color on the couch)—I had purchased ‘The Avengers’ specifically because, hey, female superheroes. In the 18 pages, there was one picture of Black Widow (and one of Nick Fury, the only non-white superhero). There were several group pictures that showed 3 or 4 superheroes, but Marvel had apparently decided that a token, 1 image appearance by Black Widow and Nick Fury was enough for each of them—so they weren't in any of the group pictures.
At that point, the number 1/18 seemed egregious, so in early January, I wrote a letter to both Crayola and Marvel—I also created a Marvel account through the website I could send an email. Crayola wrote me back a generic (brush off) letter and blamed Marvel. Marvel used my email to send marketing/advertisements to, but apparently decided not to respond to my letter.
This lack of response irritated me—especially as my daughter’s love of superheroes was (is) growing. As I now had a burgeoning young superhero on my hands, I was also finding that the 1/18 number that had seemed so egregious was, while still egregious, far, far better than the female representation in most products that Marvel marketed. A great deal of the time, the representation was 0.00%. So I wrote a second letter to Marvel. Once again, there was no response.
I don’t expect Marvel to overhaul their policies and choices because one grumpy parent wrote a letter (even if overhauling their policies is the right thing to do because of the serious sexism inherent with having female characters only appearing in 1/18 images). I DO expect Marvel to respond (at least in the ‘generic brush off’ fashion) to complaints from someone who is both a fan/customer and the parent of a fan.
“Geek” enclaves have a sexism problem. Marvel has a sexism problem. When 50% of the population makes up less than 5% of the population in Marvel’s images, there’s something very wrong. Those are numbers which feed into paranoia—they’re veering out of ‘oversight/accident’ territory and into ‘wow, are they intentionally marginalizing women?’ level.
If it were JUST this coloring book, it this would not have even made my radar, but it’s everything you sell; the superhero bandages (with Marvel characters, sold at Meijer) have no women. The chutes and ladders game (with Superhero Squad characters) has no women play pieces (instead of, say, Scarlet Witch or Wasp, we have Spider man, who doesn't even appear in the cartoon). The Play-Doh Marvel Super Hero Squad Set doesn't have any women. Women exist as a part of the series—they never get as many ‘good’ roles as the men, but they make up a somewhat reasonable proportion of the characters. But those women never see even moderate representation in Marvel’s toy lines.
This came up again this week; my daughter was picking out bedding. She asked for Ms. Marvel bedding. It doesn't exist. So she asked for Scarlet Witch bedding. It also does not exist—there are Superhero Squad sheets, but they have Spider man (again, not even in the cartoon) in the group picture, rather than any of the female characters. She asked for White Tiger (from Ultimate Spider Man) bedding. It doesn't exist. She asked for Wonder Woman bedding. It doesn't exist (although that’s on DC, not Marvel, I know. But, truly, DC gets more points than Marvel, because DC used to make it—it’s just not on the market currently). My daughter would have settled for Avengers bedding, but apparently Marvel has kicked Black Widow out of the picture if it comes to items they sell.
I want to see my daughter represented in the images that Marvel portrays—because the images that Marvel portrays can be very awesome. I’d like for her to look at the pictures of superheroes and see them as something she can imagine being—not something she’s imaging herself on the outside of as the rescued civilian or the bystander. I’d like to see her want to come to Cons and read comic books and stack her 20 sided dice and be a card-flopper with me. She might be able to overcome not seeing herself portrayed there and the dearth of other issues that will block her way, but I’d much rather bring her into a community that sees her as a valued participant—and not as an afterthought.
Right now, Marvel’s marketing department is treating women as an afterthought. My daughter is an afterthought. I, as a female fan, am an afterthought. I expect better. Marvel has, in it’s past, been groundbreaking in dealing with issues of racism and sexism—the new Ms. Marvel has me excited to read it and actually signing up for a pull at the comic shop. The X-Men continues to be awesome.
But that’s what’s happening in the ‘fan club’—that’s what people who are already into comic books see. What is produced for the masses, what my daughter sees, is a white male community that’s not interested in seeing her continue to participate in this hobby/watch this show/join this club if it means they actually have to make any effort to quit writing things solely for, and depicting only, a white male audience.
Marvel is capable of better.
Sincerely,
-D
P.S. Marvel, by ignoring letters, is treating customers and customer services as not even an afterthought—as non-entities. I do really suggest that someone respond to this letter. I haven’t quite gotten to the point of posting open letters online and e-stomping my feet at Marvel’s door, but I’m definitely at the point of considering it—and I’m far past the point of being satisfied by a generic brush-off answer.
#DearMarvel, #StanLee, #Marvel
Dear Marvel,
I know the first ‘rule’ of ‘complaint letters’ is to be brief and directly to the point. Considering this is my third letter (if we’re counting the number of letters written) or 7th+ letter (if we’re counting the number of copies sent)—none of which garnered even the HINT of a reply from Marvel, I’m afraid I must apologize that I doubt I will be brief and to the point. My complaint has, in the last 4 months, expanded in scope and now also includes frustration with Marvel choosing to ignore customer feedback/concerns as well as the original problem.
My daughter got a Color Wonder book for Christmas (for those who aren't aware of what the preschool crowd is into, these are coloring books that use special markers so they can’t color on the couch)—I had purchased ‘The Avengers’ specifically because, hey, female superheroes. In the 18 pages, there was one picture of Black Widow (and one of Nick Fury, the only non-white superhero). There were several group pictures that showed 3 or 4 superheroes, but Marvel had apparently decided that a token, 1 image appearance by Black Widow and Nick Fury was enough for each of them—so they weren't in any of the group pictures.
At that point, the number 1/18 seemed egregious, so in early January, I wrote a letter to both Crayola and Marvel—I also created a Marvel account through the website I could send an email. Crayola wrote me back a generic (brush off) letter and blamed Marvel. Marvel used my email to send marketing/advertisements to, but apparently decided not to respond to my letter.
This lack of response irritated me—especially as my daughter’s love of superheroes was (is) growing. As I now had a burgeoning young superhero on my hands, I was also finding that the 1/18 number that had seemed so egregious was, while still egregious, far, far better than the female representation in most products that Marvel marketed. A great deal of the time, the representation was 0.00%. So I wrote a second letter to Marvel. Once again, there was no response.
I don’t expect Marvel to overhaul their policies and choices because one grumpy parent wrote a letter (even if overhauling their policies is the right thing to do because of the serious sexism inherent with having female characters only appearing in 1/18 images). I DO expect Marvel to respond (at least in the ‘generic brush off’ fashion) to complaints from someone who is both a fan/customer and the parent of a fan.
“Geek” enclaves have a sexism problem. Marvel has a sexism problem. When 50% of the population makes up less than 5% of the population in Marvel’s images, there’s something very wrong. Those are numbers which feed into paranoia—they’re veering out of ‘oversight/accident’ territory and into ‘wow, are they intentionally marginalizing women?’ level.
If it were JUST this coloring book, it this would not have even made my radar, but it’s everything you sell; the superhero bandages (with Marvel characters, sold at Meijer) have no women. The chutes and ladders game (with Superhero Squad characters) has no women play pieces (instead of, say, Scarlet Witch or Wasp, we have Spider man, who doesn't even appear in the cartoon). The Play-Doh Marvel Super Hero Squad Set doesn't have any women. Women exist as a part of the series—they never get as many ‘good’ roles as the men, but they make up a somewhat reasonable proportion of the characters. But those women never see even moderate representation in Marvel’s toy lines.
This came up again this week; my daughter was picking out bedding. She asked for Ms. Marvel bedding. It doesn't exist. So she asked for Scarlet Witch bedding. It also does not exist—there are Superhero Squad sheets, but they have Spider man (again, not even in the cartoon) in the group picture, rather than any of the female characters. She asked for White Tiger (from Ultimate Spider Man) bedding. It doesn't exist. She asked for Wonder Woman bedding. It doesn't exist (although that’s on DC, not Marvel, I know. But, truly, DC gets more points than Marvel, because DC used to make it—it’s just not on the market currently). My daughter would have settled for Avengers bedding, but apparently Marvel has kicked Black Widow out of the picture if it comes to items they sell.
I want to see my daughter represented in the images that Marvel portrays—because the images that Marvel portrays can be very awesome. I’d like for her to look at the pictures of superheroes and see them as something she can imagine being—not something she’s imaging herself on the outside of as the rescued civilian or the bystander. I’d like to see her want to come to Cons and read comic books and stack her 20 sided dice and be a card-flopper with me. She might be able to overcome not seeing herself portrayed there and the dearth of other issues that will block her way, but I’d much rather bring her into a community that sees her as a valued participant—and not as an afterthought.
Right now, Marvel’s marketing department is treating women as an afterthought. My daughter is an afterthought. I, as a female fan, am an afterthought. I expect better. Marvel has, in it’s past, been groundbreaking in dealing with issues of racism and sexism—the new Ms. Marvel has me excited to read it and actually signing up for a pull at the comic shop. The X-Men continues to be awesome.
But that’s what’s happening in the ‘fan club’—that’s what people who are already into comic books see. What is produced for the masses, what my daughter sees, is a white male community that’s not interested in seeing her continue to participate in this hobby/watch this show/join this club if it means they actually have to make any effort to quit writing things solely for, and depicting only, a white male audience.
Marvel is capable of better.
Sincerely,
-D
P.S. Marvel, by ignoring letters, is treating customers and customer services as not even an afterthought—as non-entities. I do really suggest that someone respond to this letter. I haven’t quite gotten to the point of posting open letters online and e-stomping my feet at Marvel’s door, but I’m definitely at the point of considering it—and I’m far past the point of being satisfied by a generic brush-off answer.
#DearMarvel, #StanLee, #Marvel