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Comic Book Gender Representation
Data Science and Analytics
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About
This dataset provides an in-depth look into gender representation among characters in the Marvel and DC comic universes. It documents the attributes of thousands of characters from both publishers, supporting analyses of gender disparity within comic books. The data reveals that female characters are significantly underrepresented across both universes, a trend that persists even among the most frequently appearing characters. It serves as a foundation for understanding diversity and representation within a major segment of popular culture.
Columns
- page_id: A unique identification number for each character's page on the wikia.
- name: The name of the comic character.
- urlslug: The unique URL segment on the wikia that directs to the character's page.
- ID: Describes the character's identity status, such as 'Secret Identity', 'Public Identity', or 'No Dual Identity'.
- ALIGN: Indicates the character's moral alignment, categorised as 'Good Characters', 'Bad Characters', or 'Neutral Characters'.
- EYE: The eye colour of the character.
- HAIR: The hair colour of the character.
- SEX: Specifies the sex of the character, typically 'Male Characters' or 'Female Characters'.
- GSM: Flags if the character identifies as a gender or sexual minority, such as 'Homosexual Characters'.
- ALIVE: Denotes whether the character is 'Living Characters' or 'Deceased Characters'.
- APPEARANCES: The total number of times the character has appeared in comic books, as recorded on 2 September 2014.
- FIRST APPEARANCE: The month and year of the character's very first appearance in a comic book.
- YEAR: The specific year of the character's first appearance in a comic book.
Distribution
This dataset is provided in CSV format and consists of two distinct files:
dc-wikia-data.csv (1.11 MB) and marvel-wikia-data.csv. Each file separately details characters from DC and Marvel, respectively. The dc-wikia-data.csv file contains approximately 6,896 records, offering a structured collection of character attributes. Specific record counts for the Marvel dataset are not explicitly provided within the current information.Usage
This dataset is ideal for a variety of applications, including:
- Academic research into gender studies and media representation.
- Data journalism to highlight diversity issues in popular culture.
- Developing visualisations of character demographics and trends over time.
- Educational purposes to teach data analysis using real-world examples of social relevance.
- Analysing character traits and their correlation with gender or alignment.
Coverage
The dataset's scope encompasses characters from the Marvel and DC comic universes. The information was collected from Marvel Wikia and DC Wikia between August and October 2014. Character appearance counts are current as of 2 September 2014. The earliest recorded character first appearance dates back to 1935, with the latest in 2013, providing a substantial historical range. Demographically, it focuses on attributes such as gender, identity, alignment, and physical characteristics. Notably, female characters constitute a smaller proportion, with 29.3 percent in DC and 24.7 percent in Marvel among those with gender data.
License
CC0: Public Domain
Who Can Use It
- Researchers and Academics: To study gender inequality, media representation, and character development in fiction.
- Data Scientists and Analysts: For conducting statistical analysis, predictive modelling, or creating interactive dashboards.
- Journalists: To create data-driven stories on diversity in the entertainment industry.
- Comic Book Enthusiasts: To explore character statistics and historical trends within their favourite universes.
- Educators: As a resource for lessons on data literacy, social issues, and critical analysis of media.
Dataset Name Suggestions
- Comic Book Gender Representation
- DC and Marvel Character Data
- Superhero Demographics Analysis
- Comic Universe Diversity Metrics
- Wikia Comic Character Attributes
Attributes
Original Data Source: Comic Book Gender Representation
QUALITY