"How Many Women Are Working In Comics Today?"

I've been doing research lately on exactly how many women have comic books, via Diamond, coming out each month.

It's been quite a learning experience for me. This learning experience is continuing. I haven't even really started the manga yet.

What is the percentage of comics created (in some capacity) by women in Previews in any given month? A rough estimate: about 10%.

Given this, to set out and purchase all the female-created comic books that come out on the stands on Wednesday is no big economic set-back for me. I become so familiar with the comics through the research that once I finally see them on the stands on Wednesday, they are sort of like "old friends." And so I pick them up.

This is not an endorsement of such a method of comics purchasing. This is just what I have consciously decided to do.

I'm doing this research for Friends of Lulu, and a lot of this hard data will be collected and presented, via our newsletter, to FoL members. But here is a list of the female comic book creators who will have books come out, via Diamond, over the next two months.
EDIT: this list does NOT include colorists or letterers. If the coloring & lettering information is not available through the Previews information, I would have to contact each publisher individually and go over every book they have. I do this research on a volunteer basis, as time permits between work. So unless I have volunteers to help gather and collate this information on a bi-monthly basis (we do these lists for two months at a time), it may be unlikely that I can include colorists and letterers at this point. If you feel strongly about this issue and would like to volunteer your time, please email me via the envelope icon on my sidebar
Gail Simone
Nicola Scott
Colleen Coover
Rhianna Pratchett
C.E. Murphy
Trudy Cooper
Rebekah Isaacs
Emily Stone
Charity Larrison
G. Willow Wilson
Barbara Randall Kesel
Ellie Bethel
Alexandra Colombo
Amy Reeder
Linda Medley
Emily Salzfass
Chrissy Delk
Christine Boylan
Bettina Kurkoski
Ariel Schrag
Fiona Staples
Nancy Butler
Robin Furth
Raina Telgemeier
Marjane Satrapi
Lark Pien
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Nikki Cook
Johanna Stokes
C. Tyler
Sho Murase
Sarah Kinney
Miss Lasko-Gross

Compared to the list of male comic creators with work coming out the same time, this is a relatively small group of names. But, to be honest, these are more names than I expected to find.

There are some caveats to this. One, if we added the female creators from independently-distributed comic books and webcomics, the number of women jumps dramatically. Two: like I said, I haven't taken into account female manga creators yet.

But when I'm interviewed, I am almost always asked how many women are working in comics today. I usually have a vague answer, along the lines of "not many," or "not enough."

I don't want to approach this issue in the future as a matter of vague answers. I want data. I want to take this out of the realm of vagueness and get to know names. I want to know names & content. I want the creators and the content to be the focus. I want what has been done to be the focus, not what hasn't.

(this post cross-posted at the Friends of Lulu blog)

Big Apple Comic Con: Friends of Lulu and Yours Truly

Hey all,

I will be appearing on behalf of Friends of Lulu at Big Apple Comic Con, which is being held this weekend in New York City.

I'll be there doing some set up & a couple of hours of volunteering at the table on Friday evening, then most of Saturday. We will also have reps from the New York Chapter of Friends of Lulu on Saturday.

This is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see in person a real-life comic blogger! Share the magic! Have me sign hastily-printed copies of my actual blog! Ask me about my Cloak and Dagger miniseries for Marvel Comics! (I won't be able to tell you anything, but you can ask me). Waiting for the actual printed comic book to come out is too boring! Come talk to me now!

And support this fine women-in-comics organization, Friends of Lulu. You can join on-site or donate. We'll have tons of literature for you to take! Including a handy-dandy recommended reading list of comics and graphic novels!

Breaking: Occasional "Valerie D'Orazio" Superheroine will be selling off parts of her personal collection of comics, toys, and original art at Big Apple Comic Con to help support Friends of Lulu. Own a piece of comics history! You can't miss this opportunity to own genuine Occasional Superheroine Memorabilia!

Picture from last year's Big Apple Con w/Jamal Igle.

You could be standing where Jamal is in this photo!

If you bring your own camera!

Have comics or original art to donate to the sale? Come on over to the Friends of Lulu table! Help us raise money for projects like a new bi-monthly electronic newsletter! An elegant printed annual for the members! Increased outreach! Comic mentorships for young people! And much much more!

Friends of Lulu would like to thank the fine folks at Big Apple Con (and John Rosas!) for graciously donating to us the table. Come visit Big Apple Con/ The National this weekend! They've got Bond Girls too and Captain Janeway! You'll be sorry you missed it!

2008-2009 Nominations for the Friends of Lulu Board of Directors.

The time has come again to nominate the best and brightest for the Lulu Board of Directors! We need our members to nominate dedicated people to keep up the good work, changes and new adventures for Friends of Lulu that has been the hallmark of 2008.

Nominating and voting individuals to the National Board is one of the privileges enjoyed by members of Friends of Lulu; if you are a member please visit our online nomination page at http://www.friends-lulu.org/basicNomForm.php and submit your nominations!

Comics professionals and members are welcome to run for the board; self-nominations are also accepted and encouraged! We are looking for a few dedicated souls to volunteer their time and energy for a year as we go about bringing women and comics together. Being part of the national board can be very rewarding, enjoyable, and you will make a huge difference in the FoL organization.

We currently need to fill the following positions:

Treasurer:
The Treasurer keeps account activities up to date including PayPal and checking accounts,establishes & adheres to budget for Friends of Lulu projects and programs, and processes retail purchases through the website.

Recording Secretary:
The Recording Secretary sits in on monthly online meetings, records minutes and presents them, maintains an archive of previous minutes, and prepares documents as necessary.

Membership Secretary:
The Membership Secretary keeps an updated record of current and lapsed members, and maintains e-mail and snail-mail correspondence with them. Mails out welcome letters and membership cards to FoL members, new and returning. Regularly sends membership updates to the Newsletter Editor.

Make a nomination online by using our form at:
http://www.friends-lulu.org/basicNomForm. php, and please include the full name and email of your nominee.

We are always looking for volunteers to help us out at conventions, on our website, and in our newsletter! If you wish to donate your time and energy to Friends of Lulu but do not wish to be on the Board of Directors, please contact us by e-mail: board@friends-lulu.org. We are currently seeking volunteers for many positions, and your skill set may be just what we are looking for.

Nominations will CLOSE on Monday, November 10th and voting shall begin shortly thereafter.

MoCCA Art Fest & Lulu Awards In Photos

Wind beneath our wings Marion Vitus
taking memberships at the MoCCA Art Fest Friends of Lulu booth

Cliff Chiang draws some lucky person a Batman pinup;
Cliff donated his time and skills to help out Friends of Lulu

Alitha Martinez presents her new comic
Yumi and Ever at the Friends of Lulu booth

Elayne Riggs is not only a Comic Mix reporter,
she's also a Lulu member and volunteer

Brian Wood would be happy to know
that I purchased the floppies, not trades...

If you were Jamal Igle, you'd be smiling too.
Helping us out at the Lulu booth & sketching...

Proud Friends of Lulu member Dan Slott
donates some time for the cause...

High Moon's David Gallaher at the Zuda booth

Cecil Castellucci signs copies of the Minx book "Young Janes In Love."
The Minx booth was giving away galley editions of all of their new titles.

Comic creators Shaenon K. Garrity, Steve Ellis,
and David Gallaher all volunteer at the Friends of Lulu table

A good party, NYC Friends of Lulu Chapter President
Danielle O'Brien assures us, starts with dishes...

...and ends with napkins

Danielle is not only a great chapter president --
she also pours a mean glass of wine.

The Lulu Awards were attended by a full house;
people eventually had to be turned away at the door
because we had reached capacity.

The Night Owls' Peter Timony and some dude

Friends of Lulu Chapter Vice-President Marc Wilkofsky
gives the refreshments a thumbs-up

Rachel Nabors announces the Kim Yale Award

Kim Yale Award winner Martina Fugazzotto

Lulu Awards emcee Emily Flake

Heidi MacDonald

Vertigo's Angela Rufino accepts the Woman Of Distinction
Award on Shelly Bond's behalf

Marion Vitus

Abby Denson

After 6+ Lulu board meetings over Yahoo Chat,
I finally get to see what Leigh Dragoon looks like!

Dennis Calero sketches for a good cause and
becomes honorary "Friend of Sluggo"

By the end of the show, Miss Danielle O'Brien
could be found throwing my camera into moving traffic

Girls With Slingshots artist Danielle Corsetto
draws a Secret Invasion cover as Elayne Riggs looks on

How many comics professionals can you spot in this evacuation photo?

The Stars Come Out To Support Lulu At MoCCA Art Fest

Big Apple Con won't be the only New York venue this weekend to feature big-name comic creators from your favorite Marvel & DC titles.

The Friends of Lulu table at MoCCA Art Fest will feature a number of talented artists and writers who are generously lending their support:

Saturday
Cliff Chiang: Green Arrow/Black Canary, Dr. Thirteen, Beware The Creeper
David Gallaher & Steve Ellis: High Moon
Jamal Igle: Tangent: Superman's Reign, Nightwing, Firestorm, Teen Titans
Alitha E. Martinez: Iron Man, Marvel Age's Fantastic Four, Yume and Ever
Dan Slott: Amazing Spiderman, Avengers: The Initiative, She-Hulk

Sunday:
Dennis Calero: Legion Of The Superheroes, X-Factor

Plus, Danielle Corsetto, creator of the very popular webcomic Girls With Slingshots, will be at the Lulu booth both days. She does amazing sketches and commissions, and you should really check her work out!


Really, this is an unique opportunity to meet these comic creators in a very creative, more intimate setting than a standard comic book convention. And MoCCA Art Fest is chock full of other great artists, signers, panels, and so much more.

MoCCA Art Fest is being held this weekend, June 7 & 8, at the Puck Building in Manhattan. Admission is $10 a day or $15 for a weekend pass. Please click here for more information.


And my thanks again to all these talented artists and writers who are taking the time out of their busy schedules to show their support!

Fangirl Fridays: You've Come A Long Way, Baby?

Comics: No Longer A Second-Class Citizen?

"Will one day I really be a real respectable entertainment medium,
Blue Fairy?"
"Only if your movie breaks a hundred mil."

Sometimes I get the impression that comics are to the rest of the entertainment industry the way women are to comics -- or at least, that's the way the media perceives it. Let me explain.

A common post in the comics blogosphere is the "look, a major newspaper/magazine/television show recognizes comics exist." I've done these sorts of posts myself. The posts are well-meaning and informative, but somewhat patronizing. The movie industry blogs don't make posts saying "oh look, Time Magazine paid attention to us. That's significant!" But we do.

The same thing sometimes happens in reporting women in comics stories. "Oh, they're paying attention to us! We're legitimate!" The very fact that women figure somewhere in the coverage, either as the subject of a comic book or as a comic creator, is highlighted. Because it's a woman. It's a "see how far we've grown!" type sentiment. The same type of sentiment I see from the comics newso/blogosphere for the mainstream comics coverage.

I'm not saying that we should stop posting this way. I'm just saying that I feel both comics and women in comics have reached a certain level of success where the fact that they're covered by major media shouldn't be such a shock. "Iron Man" is an over $100 million dollar movie. Don't worry. The media is "on" to us. They're almost going to phase out the "Biff! Pow!" phrases in the articles. It's been over 40 years, but seriously, they're going to stop.

Why I Hate "You've Come A Long Way, Baby"

She's come a long way, baby --
she can wear a man's suit with a baby-pink jacket that doesn't match.
Thank you for 30 years of irony and lung cancer, Virginia Slims

Do we need all-women comic con panels and all-women comic link-dumps? Do we need an organization like Friends of Lulu? I've always envisioned Friends of Lulu as 1) A place to celebrate the achievements of women in comics, 2) A place for women in comics to network with and find support from their peers, and 3) A place to provide young women mentorship in comics creation. Within all that there is another component of promoting all-ages comic book material. But I never saw it as a "You've Come A Long Way, Baby!" Virginia Slims type thing. "You've Come A Long Way Baby" patronizes the hell out of me. I don't need to be told how far I've come. I f**king know how far I've come. I was there!

Glamourpuss #1 Review

I was going to just draw my review by tracing panels from old issues of Cerebus and then putting my review in the word balloons, but I decided against it.

Glamourpuss #1 has two components: 1) A meditation on photo realism in comics and Alex Raymond, and 2) Some fashion model s**t. The former is interesting, the latter is flat. Models are shallow, models have eating disorders, models wear too-expensive clothes that are impractical -- there is nothing new here, at least in terms of how this material has been traditionally presented before. This is coupled with the preconceptions going in based on Glamourpuss creator Dave Sim's reputation.

Yes, I know I shouldn't go into an artist's work with preconceptions based on their reputation. But I see these lifeless pictures of the models, I see how they're presented as empty-eyed self-absorbed materialistic cyphers, I read about "Skanko," and in all honesty I have to wonder what Sim is trying to say about women in all this.

And this page differs from what Greg Land does how???

But then I contrast that with all the reconstructed Alex Raymond panels in the book which also feature women. Most of those women are sympathetic, and ironically have more life in them than the actual real-life women Sim used to draw the models from.

I guess the biggest question I have regarding Glamourpuss -- and the answer would have an impact on how I ultimately review it -- is how much irony did Dave Sim intend for it to have? How much he expected us to laugh at things like sore feet and Skanko and how much did he intended for these things to be ironic would make a difference to me. It would mean the difference between the book being an avant-garde work of art and just an overly-hyped trip through one artist's psyche.

Lulu Awards Nominations Now Open: Make Your Voice Heard!

This Lulu designed & drawn by Paul Salvi -- thanks, Paul!!!

It's that time of year again -- time to nominate the best and brightest for the 2008 Lulu Awards!

Nominations due May 14!

The Friends of Lulu annual Lulu Awards bring honor and recognition to the most inspiring and noteworthy women in the comic book industry, as well as the efforts, achievements, and works that reflect Friends of Lulu's goals. Nominations for the Awards are open to anyone. Once the nominees are chosen, only current members of Friends of Lulu will be able to vote for who should win each award. The Lulu Awards will be handed out this year during the MoCCA Art Festival in New York City, Saturday June 7.

The Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame nominees must have published work, whether self-published, company-published, or Web-published. An individual cannot win more than once.

Women of Distinction nominees must have worked in the comic industry in a non-creator role, such as editing, publishing, reporting, or retail.

The Lulu of the Year Award honors the creator(s), book or other project whose work best exemplifies Friends of Lulu's mission.

The Kim Yale Award nominees must have published work, whether self-published, company-published, or Web-published. Nominees must be nominated for this category within three years of their first published work. An individual may not be nominated more than twice, and cannot win more than once. The award is named for comics writer Kim Yale, a founding Lulu member who passed away in 1997.

The Volunteer of the Year award was introduced in 2002 to recognize those people who have volunteered time and effort to advance Lulu's goals. Current board members are not eligible. The Volunteer of the Year award is nominated by and voted on by the National Board.

To vote -- and read more details about the awards -- go here!

New York Comic Con In Photos: Friday

Me with the blogosphere's Digital Femme, Cheryl Lynn.

Me and future OS columnist Mordicai Burke.

One half of Zuda's Night Owls: Peter Timony

Girl Wonder's Kate Fitzsimons proudly shows her colors.

The MoCCA/Friends of Lulu Crew:
Marion Vitus, Allan Dorison, Matt Murray, and me.

Comic Mix's Elayne Riggs and inker supremo Robin Riggs.

OS regular William Gatevackes and his wife.

The awesome volunteers at the Friends of Lulu table:
OS regular Mordicai Burke, Matt Mowczko, Marion Vitus, and
new New York Chapter Friends of Lulu President Danielle O'Brien.
Seated: Signer Alisa Harris

High Moon's Steve Ellis and David Gallaher.

I told Jeff Trexler: you're a comics celebrity now! Jeff is the author of a series of informative posts on Newsarama giving some insight on the Siegel Superman ruling. He's pictured here with his wife law professor Susan Scafidi.