

Marvel Comics is expanding its merchandising outreach to women, Women's Wear Daily reported today.
After more than 70 years of gearing the bulk of its merchandise efforts toward the young men's market, selling everything from Captain America business card holders to Incredible Hulk T-shirts, the entertainment company is making a major push into the women's apparel, cosmetics and accessories markets.
Since 2007, the $5.7 billion consumer products division at Marvel has been testing select items for females, such as graphic character T-shirts at Hot Topic and Gap and jewelry at Claire's.
Susan Fields, vice president of product merchandising at Marvel, said the company plans to roll out a series of female-friendly products with a new range of licensing partners.
Currently, stores are selling contemporary fashion tops licensed to Mighty Fine, junior fashion tops from Junk Food, mass fashion tops with Fortune Fashions and jewelry with H.E.R. Accessories. A larger array of items will soon be introduced, including handbags from Bioworld, stationery with iScream, color cosmetics with Lotta Luv and watches and fashion jewelry with MZ Berger.
The plan, said Paul Gitter, president of consumer products, North America, is to have a full Marvel lifestyle brand of products available before 2012. Marvel is negotiating deals for footwear, swimwear, outerwear, intimates and loungewear.
By ottoscorzato at 2:33 PM ON 03/26/09
I'm a girl, and I read comic books, and on the one hand while it'd be cool to not have to buy boys' shirts, why does everything have to be tacky or cutesy? I wouldn' t purchase any of the items pictured here. Good try Marvel, but just cause I have estrogen doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good straight up Spider-Man shirt.
By hyperactivewok at 3:45 PM ON 03/26/09
I gotta agree with you ottoscorzato. I'm also a girl who reads comic books and the cutesy/tacky style is just not something I like.
By Mandy at 5:05 PM ON 03/26/09
As a female I feel somewhat insulted though also very entertained by that shipper pendant up there.
By darkstrad at 5:18 PM ON 03/26/09
ok, i have to ask, how come the last pics just a cheesy photoshop job, and a bad one at that. What, they couldn't erase the extra threading at the bottom of the picture
By dragonhung at 6:20 PM ON 03/26/09
That last pic of the tshirt - does that come in a mans' XL??
By Ben Reily at 12:11 AM ON 03/27/09
They smell like desperation, or is that loneliness?
By angiek42 at 12:16 AM ON 03/27/09
@dragonhung Word. I'm betting that shirt is going to be in babydoll sizes only meaning I can't wear it, nor can any guy who wants to buy it. Not that I'd wear that particular shirt. It's a little too cutesy, as others have said. Can't we have the same shirt designs as men have but on women's cut tshirts (And I mean women's shirts, too, not just babydolls)?
Also, a variety in pics on the gloss tubes would be nice. It's a nice idea but I'm not inspired to buy it.
I appreciate the thought of them trying to cater to women but that means more than slapping a cutesy pic on a tshirt of making some generic brand lipgloss. (Also, the jewelry? Wouldn't touch that with a 10 ft. collapsible pole.) These products make me feel a little...insulted.
By mazikeenmorningstar at 9:51 AM ON 03/27/09
Its nice that theyre finally realizing that chicks read comics too, but come on, accessories at claires? I personally woouldnt walk into that store if you paid me. I'm completely satisfied with my (guys) wolverine and joker/harlequin shirts the way they are, thanks.
And by the way, just because we're girls doesn't mean we want some sucky boys rock shirt and a tube of spiderman lipgloss. I mean really. I personally prefer the sex, blood, and violence that comes with the comic book genre and would prefer it if they didnt dilute it in their products for females. If we couldnt handle it, we wouldnt be reading them in the first place.
By the way, the pendant is highly amusing. I would do one with Deadpool and Wolverine, or Wolverine and Sabretooth. Just for kicks.
By Bernice at 7:31 PM ON 03/27/09
I want that necklace! Spider-Man/Green Goblin in love for ever! (Or broken hearts, whatever. Harry/Peter = love). I bet that will never come to Australia - I wonder if anyone will sell it via ebay?
By --Dom at 6:15 PM ON 03/28/09
You know? Just today, (after buying an especially awesome shirt from the Men's section at a shop) I though 'I'm getting sick of buying men's shirts'.
Now i realise why i do in the first place.
Because a) They do not make me look 13 and are not too Cutesy, and
B) They have actual characters (Who are not consistently Batgirl or Wonderwoman, as in the women's section.)
Not ditsy drawings that look hardly anything like the originals. (Sure, colour him green -- we'll call him the Hulk!)
Although, gotta agree with mazikeenmorningstar. I'd totally dig a Deadpool/Wolverine Pendant. ;D
By Adam & Eve, Adult Sex Toys at 1:47 PM ON 09/09/09
"Marvel is negotiating deals for footwear, swimwear, outerwear, intimates and loungewear."
I wonder what all the guys will think when they see their girlfriends (or otherwise) wearing Incredible Hulk lingerie! ;)
By Sabbatha at 3:21 PM ON 12/16/09
I could go w/ the swimwear, but lingerie?
I don't know.
When I was a kid I was always jealous that my cousin had Hulk and Spiderman undewear and all they made for girls was Wonderwoman. If they did it right. I would buy some. I could use a pair of Wolverine panties.As long as the artwork was cool like the old school under roos.
Sabbatha:
I could go w/ the swimwear, but lingerie? I don't know. When I was a kid I was always jealous that my cousin had Hu...More »