Captain Marvel fans: eBay's new all-female comic shop highlights your heroes
Wonder Woman and Batgirl writer Gail Simone, one of Superheroine HQ's curators, talks about the importance of female superheroes: "People want these stories, and I want the gates wide open."
This eBay Superheroine HQ poster is designed by comic illustrator Cat Staggs.
Captain Marvel. Wonder Woman. Spider-Gwen. She-Hulk. Supergirl. Birds of Prey. Black Widow. Squirrel Girl. Jessica Jones.
These are just a few of the many female superheroes who've had their own comics for decades, but are often overlooked by collectors and comic book fans.
With Friday's announcement of eBay's new online shop Superheroine HQ, fans can find favorites and discover new comics featuring their favorite female characters.
This celebration of female comics seems especially important at a time where sexism in the geek fanbase itself is at an all-time high.
The new eBay shop offers a curated selection of comics and memorabilia from vintage characters to modern fan favorites.
Top items include Wonder Woman #1 ($149,950), All Star Comics #8 ($87,495), Ms. Marvel #1 signed by Stan Lee ($4,350) and Batman Adventures #12, which has the first appearance of Harley Quinn ($1,949.99).
Here's a closer look at the Ms. Marvel #1 signed by Stan Lee.
Additionally, eBay is offering a newly released, limited-edition Captain Marvel : Braver & Mightier #1 comic book with an exclusive variant cover designed in collaboration with eBay, Marvel and eBay seller MyComicShop.
Female comics creator Gail Simone -- best known for her work as a writer on Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Red Sonja and Birds of Prey -- helped to curate the new eBay store, along with comic book artist Cat Staggs.
"Spotlighting the amazing spectrum of women in comics has long been my passion, both the characters in the books, and the writers and artists who create them," Simone said. "I believe these fantastic women can inspire readers everywhere to the limits of their imagination and creativity."
As a comic book writer herself, Simone also finds the idea of a place to celebrate female comic book characters empowering -- especially since female superheroes had such a profound impact on her own life.
"When I was a kid, I lived in a remote part of Oregon on a farm," Simone said. "I was the only kid in my class that had red hair. I was tall and I read all the time. I got teased a lot. I was pretty awkward."
"One day, I saw an old episode of the Batman syndicated TV show, and it featured Batgirl," Simone continued. "It's hard to even explain what that meant to me -- this smart girl, a librarian with red hair, and she's as clever as Batman, she can fight, she sticks up for herself. It was just amazing. It changed how I lived my life, and I started standing up for myself because Batgirl did."
"Years later, I got to write the Batgirl comic, and it felt surreal passing on that feeling to people, being part of that wonderful legacy," Simone added.
Simone has seen a shift over the years not just in the popularity of female characters, but in the prominence of female comic book writers and artists.
Here's just one of the many Captain Marvel comics fans will find on eBay's new Superheroine HQ online store.
"When I started writing comics, I was often the only female guest, the only female panelist at many conventions," Simone said. "Now women routinely dominate The New York Times best-selling graphic-novel list. The Captain Marvel film is very clearly inspired by (comic book writer) Kelly Sue DeConnick, who revitalized the character. People want these stories, and I want the gates wide open."
For those who are new to collecting, Simone has some ideas on which comics to begin with.
"Captain Marvel, written by DeConnick is wonderful as well as Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson, and Ironheart by Eve Ewing; there's so many out there now," Simone said.
"If someone wants to try my stuff, I had lengthy runs on Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Red Sonja and Tomb Raider , as well as Birds of Prey -- a female espionage superhero team, currently being filmed as a blockbuster movie," Simone added.
And for any girls or women out there who want to create their own comics, Simone offers a good deal of useful advice.
"Do it. I had no writing experience and I can't draw a lick," Simone said. "I was told I would never be able to do this. And now I write comics for all major publishers. I've given keynote speeches at the White House and the United Nations. A lot of my work is being developed for TV and film. Don't let people tell you you can't."
