Though the series failed to delve satisfyingly into each hero’s personality, it created a stepping stone toward each hero’s solo run, rooting all of them in one foundational world. America, Sister Grimm, and Shadowcat and Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel. A-Force is led by a more-serious-than-usual She-Hulk, and includes female version of male classics like Hawkeye, a visibly pregnant Spider Woman, and Spider-Gwen typically female classics like Scarlet Witch, Agent Carter, Storm, Black Cat and Enchantress a collection of teenage heroes including Dazzler, Ms. No one was surprised when the primary culprit turned out to be Loki (dubbed by fans as “Lady Loki). This new squad, living in a world devoid of men called Arcadia, fought off aliens and accused each other of sabotage for a full run. Perhaps inspired by the success of its female Thor, Marvel released an all-female Avengers comics in 2015, entitled A-Force. Remember Natalie Portman, the character who appeared in the Thor films and is referred to comically in both the Avengers films? That’s her, except in the comics universe she’s dying due to radiation exposure.) When the comics revealed that the original Thor had lost the right to his hammer to Jane Foster, audience were thrilled.

2015’s female Thor outsold her male counterpart’s comics by an astounding margin. The creators of Thor: Goddess of Thunder insisted upon the comic’s release that the mystery woman wielding Thor’s hammer was not She-Thor, or Thorina, or any other dumb twist, but was instead simply Thor, rightful wielder of Mjölnir.

Marvel’s other gender-swap experiments saw greater success. Spider Gwen is notably less funny than her male counterpart, but she’s an interesting experiment in gender and tone on Marvel’s part. Spider Gwen, set in a world where Peter Parker was defeated quickly (and mysteriously) and his girlfriend Gwen Stacy was bit by a radioactive spider, allows the familiar New York City spidey origin story to play out in Gwen’s white and pink aesthetic.

Tor publishing company