Comments on: Comics by Women

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 02:48:02 +0000

I agree that those categories have significant impact and immense growth potential, but I don’t have the knowledge to create or evaluate the entries, and I hesitate to make the attempt if I don’t think I can do it justice. With the extensive manga/anime and webcomic reference sites that are out there, I’m surprised that there aren’t such lists already.

Definitely something to keep in mind, though, once I get this phase further along.

By: Heidi M.

Heidi M. — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 01:42:56 +0000

Johanna I think you should reconsidering including manga and webcomics artists. Some of the most popular manga/anime on earth are written and drawn by women — FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST and RANMA 1/2 to name just two. And webcomics are rapidly becoming a place where women can beheard without all the prejudices of other areas. I think it’s a desservice to segreate these categories away.

By: Lisa Jonte

Lisa Jonte — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 05:57:05 +0000

Awww… they’re all print comics. *shuffles feet*

By: Johanna

Johanna — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:24:22 +0000

Yeah, that’s one of the pleasant side effects I didn’t forsee — I’ve now got a great list of things to read next!

By: James Sime

James Sime — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 18:51:17 +0000

I assumed as much, which is why I (mostly) gave you suggestions of things I thought you’d probably either have read already, or might be interested in reading in the not-so distant future.

But even with that in mind, I just couldn’t help myself from giving some extra love for Mindy Newell and Trina Robbins. Those ladies rock!

By: Johanna

Johanna — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 18:07:14 +0000

Thanks! I’m trying to concentrate on works in print, though, to make things easy for new readers or those new to the works listed. Plus, Friends of Lulu has a list of female creators from all eras, and I don’t want to duplicate their effort.

So many wonderful books by women out there!

By: James Sime

James Sime — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 17:45:13 +0000

This is a great list Johanna! Here’s a few more suggestions, hopefully without any duplicates of things other folks have mentioned…

Albion (Wildstorm) – Leah Moore
Banana Sunday (Oni) – Colleen Coover
Belly Button (Fantagraphics) – Sophie Crumb
Charm School (Slave Labor) – Elizabeth Watasin
Commercial Suicide – Alex De Campi
Cuckoo (Green Door) – Madison Clell
Defective Comics (Self Published) – Alex De Campi
Demo (AIT PlanetLar) – Becky Cloonan
Dope (Eclipse) – Trina Robbins – out of print but essential!
East Coast Rising (TokyoPop) – Becky Cloonan
Elf Quest (Warp) – Wendy Pini
Gloomcookie (Slave Labor) – Sarena Valentino
Go Girl (Dark Horse) – Trina Robbins & Anne Timmons
Grey Horses (Oni) – Hope Larson
Hopeless Savages (Oni) – Jen Van Meter
Jane’s World (Girl Twirl) – Paige Braddock
Little Scrowlie (Slave Labor) – Jennifer Feinberg
Lost Girls (Top Shelf) – Melinda Gebbie
Next Exit (Slave Labor) – Christy Lljewski
Rent Girl (Last Gasp) – Michelle Tea & Laurenn McCubbin
Salamander Dream (AdHouse Books) – Hope Larson
Smoke (IDW) – Alex De Campi
Smoke & Guns (AIT PlanetLar) – Kirsten Baldock
Tom Strong (Wildstorm) – Leah Moore
Wonder Woman (DC Comics) – Mindy Newell – out of print, but Newell *was* the first woman to ever script Wonder Woman so I think she deserves to be on your list for that fact alone.

Also I know you’re not doing Manga, but some Junko Mizuno couldn’t possibly hurt! Personally, I really love Cinderalla (Viz) and Pure Trance (Last Gasp).

By: James Schee

James Schee — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 06:05:06 +0000

Are you doing just artists too? If so Adriana Melo on Witchblade and Pia Guerra of Y The Last Man would count.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 23:25:14 +0000

Dan, would that be Destiny’s Hand?

Allan, I’d almost forgotten!

By: Allan Harvey

Allan Harvey — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 23:16:10 +0000

Sexy Chix is possibly best forgotten, but y'know it was entirely created by women. The first tpb of The Book of Lost Souls is out, drawn by Colleen Doran.

By: Dan Coyle

Dan Coyle — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 16:37:06 +0000

Other Christina Weir books that are in print: New Mutants Vol. 1: Back to School, New X-Men-Academy X Vol. 1-3, Amazing Agent Luna Vol. 1-3, There's another Seven Seas book whose name escapes me at the moment.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:40:22 +0000

I probably won’t add comic strips for the same reason I’m not adding manga or webcomics — it’s a complete field in itself.

Thanks again for all the suggestions! I’ll be doing some revisions this weekend.

By: Kitty

Kitty — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:35:52 +0000

Do you want minicomics/self-published comics as well? Maybe to put in a separate section? Also: Carol Lay's comics and For Better or For Worse if you want to include comic strips.

By: David Welsh

David Welsh — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 22:59:18 +0000

Just thought of a few others: The Squirrel Mother Stories by Megan Kelso (Fantagraphics), La Perdida by Jessica Abel (Pantheon), and When I’m Old and Other Stories by Gabrielle Bell (Alternative Comics). Bell also has another book coming, Lucky (Drawn and Quarterly). In the co-creator category, Kaja Foglio of Girl Genius (Airship) comes to mind.

By: Philip

Philip — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 18:51:31 +0000

Don't forget The Desert Peach & Stinz by Donna Barr or Girl GeniusI/i>, co-created by Kaja Foglio.

By: Dan Coyle

Dan Coyle — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 17:04:01 +0000

Daredevil Legends Vol. 4: Typhoid Mary is the only Ann Nocenti work I know of that's still in print.

By: Dan Coyle

Dan Coyle — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 17:03:01 +0000

The just-released graphic autobiography Fat Free, by psychotherapist (and first time comics writer) Jude Lindner and artist Mary Wilshire. It's a well done portrayal of the author's struggles with her weight.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 17:00:46 +0000

Thanks very much for the suggestions. Some of these are on my reading list and obviously need to be bumped higher up so I can add more in-depth pieces.

As suggested by the note at the end of the page, I’ve ruled out including translated manga, since it’s a huge area in itself and I don’t know enough about how to recognize female Japanese names.

Kev, it was a great idea. Now to keep it going and build on it.

By: Heidi M.

Heidi M. — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:39:57 +0000

Johanna a great start and the best thing is…it’s only scratching the surface!!!!!

By: Ed Sizemore

Ed Sizemore — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 11:25:13 +0000

Johanna, Here are some more manga adds. Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa, Land of the Blindfolded and Penguin Revolution both by Sakura Tsukuba, the works of Erica Sakurazawa, the works of Clamp, Aria by Kozue Amano, and Biker Girl by Misako Rocks!.