Big Bang Theory: Comic Books and the Unintentional Sexism of Amy

One of the ongoing jokes of Big Bang Theory's early seasons is that the comic book shop is devoid of girls. Not even Lucy comes to the comic book shop on purpose--she stepped in because she saw the lonely hearts party sign. 

The joke is most self-mocking. The men are mocking their interests that appear to isolate them from others. 

Later, Amy states that more women would visit the comic book shop if more comics had strong female superheroes, beyond just Wonder Woman presumably. Stuart concurs, stating that he sees more and more women in his store, due apparently to changes in comics. 

I don't hold Amy's belief against her--it is entirely in keeping with the character and with someone who isn't that interested in comic books to begin with. 

But the belief implies NOT that women might be more interested in shojo manga--which is a plausible argument regarding female versus male tastes overall (presumably, Stuart could branch out to manga)--but that the only thing keeping women from superhero comics is a lack of strong female role models. 

As if women aren't interested in story and art. 

I went to comic book stores in the 1990s. I did not walk in and exclaim, "Where are my female role models?!" I went because I have always been drawn to the combination of text and art. When I was in high school, a few of my friends got into the Elf Quest comics, and  I read the initial books. Post-high school, I encountered Miller's Batman graphic novels. I never found the X-Men particularly engaging (despite, shocker of shockers, the series having MORE female role models than Batman!). In any case, my tastes tends to run more to standalone comics/graphic novels--such as Kurt Busiek's fantastic Superman: Secret Identity--than to series. But in the 1990s, I happened across a comic called The Next Nexus and wanted to find more. 

What is interesting about Amy and the Big Bang Theory writers in general is that Amy's viewpoint is a credible part of her character, not necessarily a political point. Not only does Leonard meet a very cool woman at the comic book store--who is there to collect, not simply by accident--Stuart later dates a woman, Denise, who loves sci-fi and fantasy and is so well-versed, she helps Sheldon (with a Busiek suggestion!). So the possibility of women caring about story is there. 

And the underlying idea that everyone wants to collect something applies to Amy. Her primary "collecting" interest is Little House on the Prairie, which comes with its own level of unreality (of which she is aware). Sheldon touchingly supports that interest--though part of his support leads them both to get very realistic food poisoning. 

Amy is a well-rounded character who does, in fact, face sexism in her profession--but draws the wrong (though common) conclusion about comic books.