[...] Another thing that needs to happen is that the comic book industry needs to not function under the assumption that all readers are men. Their marketing is done almost exclusively toward men. For example, let’s look at DC’s recent diversity push. Was it really necessary to describe Batwoman as a “buxom lipstick lesbian?” Who does that appeal to? Obviously, the straight men…and, not wanting to make assumptions, lesbian fans who are into buxom lipstick lesbians. Publishers need to talk to women fans out there about what it is that appeals to them. Now, I’m not going to pretend to know what women want in comic books because, as much as I can guess and as much as I try to get my women friends who are not into comic books into comic books, I just don’t know, but, I was struck by something that Derek Coward said in his Comic Book Noise podcast when he devoted a podcast to women in comics. He said, “Women readers want compelling interesting stories with appealing art work…simple as that…while I’m at it, get what men want? Compelling interesting stories with appealing art work…Every person have different things that they consider compelling, interesting and appealing. Don’t make assumptions based on sex, race or any of those other things people want to use to classify people with.” Well said. [...]