The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book HeroinesMedia Release -- The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy and the History of Comic Book Heroines
Booksigning and presentation with author Mike Madrid
Thursday, September 10, 2009, from 7pm to 9pm
Free and open to the public

Comic book superheroines bend steel, travel across time and space, and wield the mighty forces of nature. These mighty females do everything that male heroes do….but they have to work their wonders in skirts and high heels.

In THE SUPERGIRLS, author Mike Madrid traces the cultural history of the superheroine, and asks whether their world of fantasy is that different from out own. Are the stories of Wonder Woman's search for an identity, Batwoman and Power Girl's battle for equality, and Manhunter's juggling of crime fighting career and motherhood also an alternative saga of modern American women?

THE SUPERGIRLS takes off at San Francisco's Cartoon Art Museum on Thursday, September 10 at 7 pm. Join Mike Madrid for a glass of wine and a lively discussion about the fabulous fighting femmes of American comics. Mike will tell us about the start of his life long fascination with these superheroines, sharing pictures and anecdotes from 70 years of comic book history. And then he wants to know: who's YOUR favorite superheroine?

Along with Madrid's talk, there will be a wine tasting hosted by Small Vines Wines, a dynamic winery run by a dedicated pair of sophisticated self described hippie rednecks, Paul and Kathryn Sloan. Small Vines' wines come from unique vineyards planted ultra high-density in the Russian River and Sonoma Coast areas. Small Vines strives to keep yield low per vine, while maximizing land and conserving resources. In harmony with nature, they use no synthetic chemicals, and their passion for meticulous viticulture and low input winemaking create world-class wine.

About the Author:

Mike Madrid is a san Francisco-based refugee from the advertising world, and a life long fan of comic books and popular culture. He is the creator of www.heaven4heroes.com , where comic book fantasies come to life, and popular culture editor of Exterminating Angel Press at www.exterminatingangel.com . He loves rock 'n' roll.

THE SUPERGIRLS: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines

By Mike Madrid
Exterminating Angel Press Publisher
Publication Date: September 15, 2009
Trade paper / $16.95 / 336 pages
ISBN: 9781935259039

"Supergirls is a long overdue tribute to the fabulous fighting females whose beauty and bravery brighten the pages of your favorite comics."
— Stan Lee

"Entertaining and informative, Supergirls is a breezy and thoroughly accessible history of the comic book heroine. A great resource!"
— Marc Andreyko, writer, Manhunter and Torso

"Mike Madrid's fast-moving, encyclopedic, and often funny Supergirls shows the author's lifelong affection for these heroines on every page. He has a great feel for the genre and its history, with evident sensitivity to issues of female power and powerlessness. The section on the She-Hulk is not to be missed!"
— Larry Gonick, author, Cartoon History of the Universe