DK Publishing is set on making sure readers know their female superheroes just as 2018 fires its last shots with the release of Fearless and Fantastic! Females Superheroes Save the World.
The book continues the DK tradition of introducing characters and ideas in encyclopedic format, popping the metaphorical hood for a fairly general look at origin stories and superpower mechanics. In essence, these books are not too different from a guided museum tour offering what they consider to be essential information per piece before moving on to the next one.
And that’s okay. What these books do well is serve as a reliable reference for new readers or even for teachers trying their hand at character analysis or character creation. They can even help in getting more readers into comics, especially at earlier ages.
Fearless and Fantastic will focus on around fifty female superhero profiles that range from established names to more obscure faces that have yet to make a splash in today’s comics scene. With the Captain Marvel movie on the horizon, this kind of book can go a long way at getting younger readers excited for characters that are growing in popularity. It can even gauge how audiences take to certain characters and whether they warrant a deeper look.
While the official PR (which is just ahead) mentions ‘girls’ as the intended audience, the book should cater to all young readers, of all genders, as it seems to be interested in confirming female superheroes are undoubtedly needed to save the worlds we read about in Marvel Comics. The book has the capacity to present these characters as part of a whole that would be weaker without them. A fact certain people still need to be reminded of.
Here’s the official PR and a short preview:
Fearless and Fantastic! Females Superheroes Save the World
Authors: Sam Maggs, Emma Grange, and Ruth Amos
(DK Books)
“Women can save the world. More than 50 incredible female Super Heroes from the Marvel Comics universe inspire girls and women of all ages to be powerful, passionate and persistent.
From Captain Marvel and Wasp to Storm and Shuri, this beautiful book profiles dozens of aspirational female comic-book characters, all of whom use their intelligence, strength, kindness and courage to help others and save the world. Fierce fan-favourites such as Gamora, Squirrel Girl and Black Widow feature alongside lesser known faces from all corners of the Marvel comic-book universe. Young girls will discover modern, diverse heroes they can relate to and look up to, including America Chavez and Kamala Khan. Featuring a foreword by Marvel Comics writer Kelly Thompson, DK’s Fearless and Fantastic! is the ultimate tribute to Marvel’s most powerful women and girls, and a treasured gift for comic fans.
Illustrated with stunning comic-book artwork, and featuring inspiring quotations, each short biography is carefully curated to focus on the character’s key abilities and achievements. With four chapters based on personal qualities-Determined, Daring, Compassionate and Curious-this book for girls and women of all ages will create new fans of comics, as well as inspiring comic-book creators of the future.”
