Comics for Girls?

I’m sure that there are comics for girls, I’m equally certain that (unfortunately) this isn’t one of them. Oh, sure, I do believe that the people who developed and produced Models, Inc. certainly intended it to be a comic for girls. I just think that they failed miserably in their attempt to do it.

Ostensibly, the story is about Patsy Walker, Milly the Model and a bunch of other Marvel fashion stars who are simply attempting to further their fashion careers. (Which begs the point, where the heck is Super-Star Fashion Model, Mary Jane Watson (nee: Parker?) I can understand why Janet Van Dyne-Pym isn’t there, she died at the end of Secret Wars) Well, anyway, the story really doesn’t read mush like a comic that girls would be interested (Archie comics, Spider-Girl, certainly others, but not this).

Further, part of the selling point on this comic was including Fashion Guru Tim Gunn in the back-up story (where he is designing superhero costumes for Fashion Week, then gets to don Tony Stark’s armor to beat up some bad guys).

Now you would think that if Marvel was going to do a tie-in with Fashion Week, and Tim Gunn, they would make a big deal about it (which they might have), but outside of Gunn’s appearance on The Daily Show, I saw not one bit of press about this.

Sure, sure comics are for kids, but did Marvel even try to get a story in W or any of the high-end fashion mags? I’m not sure that they did. All of which goes to prove my point that we are a dead industry because no one seems to understand that if we keep (marketing comics to only a comicbook audience), then where will the next generation of comicbook readers learn about how cool comics really are?

Your guess is as good as is mine.

The MARVELous Tim Gunn

While I personally don’t watch the show, I understand that Tim Gunn hosts Project Runway (formerly on Bravo, and now on Lifetime). Well, I was watching The Daily Show today (from last night), and I learned that Gunn, will appear in an up-coming Marvel comic!

Fun! Marvel comics is releasing a fashion comic named Models Inc. on Aug. 26 starring Tim Gunn. Similar to his role on Project Runway, Tim will act as the "wise one," helping to solve the crime of a young set designer murdered during New York Fashion Week — all while wearing an Iron Man suit! So far, we know Models Inc. will feature three ladies: Millicent Collins (Millie the Model), Patsy Walker (Hellcat), and Spiderman's Mary Jane. Sounds like a fashion paper version of Charlie's Angels.

By all reports, Gunn will join forces with the Invincible Iron Man this month (August) in a backup story in the pages of the comic, Models, INC. #1.

Here’s the story description from the press release: “The New York Museum of Fashion is hosting an exhibit of Iron Man’s armor—the best suits in the Marvel Universe. When a villainous threat crashes the event, it’s up to Iron Man to save the day, but he will need help from the man best-suited for the job: Tim Gunn.”

Seriously, how wicked-awesome is that?