'DC Super Hero Girls' Product Launch Coming From Target, Mattel, and Boomerang

The anticipated rollout of DC Comics' "DC Super Hero Girls" is coming next month full of new products designed for young girls, filling a market that's long been ignored. Action figures, dolls, costumes, toys, sleepwear, and more are hitting Target stores in March folowed by a world-wide release in July. There's also a planned animated special on the  Boomerang network. 

"Superheroes at DC Comics traditionally have been targeted toward men and boys, so targeting girls is the smart economic thing to do," said Laura Martin, senior entertainment analyst at Needham & Co. "That DC Comics is focusing on the less well-served target market is smart business."

 Despite the long list of wonderful female characters in the DC universe, they languished for decades, ignored as far as it came to merchandising and product development. Plenty of toys were made featuring the male heroes like Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, but targeted to only boys. Diane Nelson, who runs DC Comics and Warner Bro.'s consumer products business, realized that had to change. Billions are being spent by consumers on girls' toys but DC lags behind in that market and the superhero segment overall. 

Marvel, under the marketing muscle of Disney, has dominated the superhero business with a consistent stream of movie blockbusters, the number one comic book publisher, and hit television shows. It's virtually impossible to avoid some type of Marvel marketing. Brand awareness is something DC is working on with this onslaught of "DC Super Hero Girls" products. It's already released a series of animated online shorts featuring younger versions of Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Katana, Bumblebee and other DC heroes in high school. It's aimed at girls 6-12 years old and shows the varied personalities of the heroines like a studious Wonder Woman, a troublemaker in Harley Quinn, and a quirky Supergirl.

"I think [girls] have been ignored for a long time," said Deborah Snyder, who is producing "Wonder Woman," "Justice League" and other films for Warner Bros. "Girls like action. It's important for girls to see themselves as the hero."

 The DC world building has taken off on the small screen espcially with shows like 'Arrow,' 'The Flash,' and 'Supergirl.' They all feature heroic female characters with 'Supergirl' drawing an average of 10 million viewers a week. Wonder Woman is getting her first live-action appearance in March's 'Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice' film before getting her own solo film in 2017.

 Two years ago, investors asked where were the female heroes? DC and Warner Bros. have made progress leading to this comprehensive initiative of 'DC Super Hero Girls' to appeal to young girls as consumers with a wide product launch. 

Source: Los Angeles Times