WHEN Victoria Ellesley first started going to comic book conventions she said she was the only one there.
But now there are increasing numbers of women are getting into the superhero and villain filled genre.


At the San Diego the Comic-Con convention 40 per cent of the 130,000 visitors were female - thought to be the highest proportion in the event's four-decade history. The UK comic convention Kapow!, now in its second year, has had a steadily building female attendance at its London event.
Victoria works at Ace Comics, which has stores in Colchester and Southend.
In the 13 years she has been there, Victoria has seen an sharp rise in female comic book fans.


She says: “TV shows like Twilight, Buffy, Angel and True Blood and have all helped get women into buying the comic book versions.
“When Buffy ended, they continued series eight in the comic book and a lot of women started buying it to find out what happened next. It becomes very addictive.
“In the shop we’ve seen around a 10 per cent increase in female customers in the last few years and it seems to be rising.”
 

Victoria, who met her now husband Colin while working at the shop, has been a regular at comic conventions over the years.
She says: “When I first started going to conventions I was the only women there. They would all look shocked to see a woman - and even more shocked when they realised I knew about comics! Now there are more and more women going because they are interested in comics.
“I have been to quite a few comic conventions in Bristol Comic Expo and London MCM Expo. I haven’t been to Kapow! yet but I really want to. I have a young son James who is two and I want to take him along when he’s a bit older.”
 

Victoria, 34, was fascinated by the idea of superheroes as a child.
She says: “I was obsessed with Wonder Woman and there are lots of photos of me dressed up as her as a child. As a teenager I loved Buffy and Angel which got me into buying comics. I like comics because they are a form of escapism, I think that’s the reason most people like them.”
So what are her favourite comics?
Victoria, who lives in Colchester, says: “I have always loved Ex-men comics and also the Punisher who is a sort of anti-hero.
“There are more strong female character now because the writers are starting to try to appeal to the female readership. They are not all there to look pretty - there are the big busted women characters but also the more normal regular looking ones as well.”
 

Despite the rise in popularity Victoria still believes the genre is quite niche.
Victoria says: “I have friends who will happily go and watch a film like the Avengers at the cinema but laugh when I present them with a comic book.
“I can’t understand why because comics are so interesting. They are collectable and the art work is amazing - we have a lot hanging up at home and people always ask about them.”
Log on to www.acecomics.co.uk for more information.


An army of comic book characters will descend on Colchester next month.
No need to run in fear though, it’s all in aid of the annual Invasion Colchester event.
People dressed as comic book, sci-fi and fantasy characters will invade the town centre on Saturday 18 August from 10am to 4.30pm.
The event will raise money for the Invicta Foundation, Colchester Community Voluntary Services and the Colchester Hospitals Charity.
Visit www.invasioncolchester.co.uk and further details.