Warner Bros. goes after girls market with Supergirl clothing line

While the Walt Disney Co. works to broaden its appeal with boys, rival Warner Bros. is eyeing the lucrative girls market.

Variety reports that Supergirl is leading the charge as Warner Bros. Consumer Products teams with mid-range department store chain J.C. Penney for a line of clothes sporting the familiar “S” shield for girls ages 8 to 12.

Gymnast and five-time Olympic medalist Nastia Liukin is lending her name to the brand, called Supergirl by Nastia, and will serve as its spokesperson. The 20-year-old Liukin lives in Plano, Texas, headquarters of J.C. Penney.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Supergirl by Nastia is an extension of Supergirl Jam, the all-girls athletic competition and music festival launched four years ago by Warner Bros. This month the studio launched the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, which honors young, rising female gymnasts.

The line, expected to be the first of several new products tied to the superheroine, will be priced between $20 and $38, and debut in stores on July 20 — in time for back-to-school shopping season.

The retailer will support Supergirl by Nastia with ads, direct mailings, social media and nationwide appearances by Liukin. And, hey, who knows? Maybe DC will even bring back Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade or introduce another age-appropriate comic featuring the Maid of Might.