Full of Whoa!

Comics are horrifying

01d55:

bluejaybirdie:

wonderarity:

official-which:

wonderarity:

You know when I think about it

all the new fans who are getting into comics through the movies

and then they see certain crap happening to their babies

and then they’re all NOPE NOPE WE DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS

oh god I’ve never thought of this

no one prepared them for anything

I mean can you imagine falling on love with a character and expecting everything to have a happy ending like the movies

and then they pick up some comics and start reading

and they aren’t even disappointed I bet

I’m sorry guys.

#welcome to comics #you are probably scarred for life #this isn’t anything you were ever trained for

I helped one of my friends get into comics recently. I’m not sure whether to feel pleased with myself for being helpful and having someone to talk comics with, or to feel incredibly guilty because comics.

#being-a-fan-of-comics-is-the-most-masochistic-thing-ever #especially-if-you’re-a-woman

Storytime: I almost got into comics through Scans_Daily. Through SD, I learned two things:

1. Comics have a lot of neat ideas in them
2. Comics are bullshit

Over time, I saw that the bullshit predominated.

The moral of the story is I don’t go to S_D anymore and that’s not because of anything I thought was wrong with S_D.

I’m basically in have-no-money-for-comics limbo as well as being sick of the mainstream superhero stuff. On a diet of webcomics and saving up for graphic novels or mini-comics at comic conventions/festivals, currently.

There’s so much to love in superhero comics, but it’s a guarantee that they will break your heart, and I’m mostly done with giving money to the Big Two for stuff that just makes me end up feeling like I’m in a really not-fun dysfunctional relationship with comics.

(BTW: It’s refreshing to hear someone say that about s_d.)

I was going to write a long post about how my comics reading has changed over the past year, blah blah blah, how I’m glad I stopped reading mainstream superhero comics, how I still love comics and what other stuff I’ve been reading, blah blah blah.

But the gist of it really was: my need for awesome heroic female characters has been almost totally filled by Legend of Korra, despite not being a comic. (Although thereare A:TLA comics from Dark Horse.)

Anyways.

When do you say, “enough”?

dcwomenkickingass:

“This is an initiative to build and reshape an industry we all love…” Dan DiDio, DC Nation June, 2011.

“This is a great opportunity for people to come in and start collecting comics .. We’re trying to get new fans, people who never even bought a comic before to get excited about the medium .. We’re here to grow the industry and we’re going to do everything we can to do that.” Jim Lee, New 52 video, June 2011

As part of a two-pronged strategy to try to revive its moribund business and draw newer, younger readers, the nation’s oldest and best-known comic-book publisher has also decided to start over from scratch. Los Angeles Times, August 22, 2001

“There is a generational opportunity to get new readers,” said artist Rob Liefeld, who is drawing DC’s new “Hawk and Dove” series. “The industry has been stagnant, and it’s the right time to hit the reset button.” Los Angeles Times, August 22, 2001

 “The launch of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 galvanized the traditional fan base for superhero comic books: male readers, who were already—or have at one time been—comic book fans.” DC Comics the Source, February 2011.

I said this morning on Twitter that I have never been more depressed about comics. The last few days it has become clear that despite the greatest make-over over at DC Comics in history,  a “generational opportunity”, there was really no change at all. There are few new readers and the demographics haven’t changed. Not that we didn’t know they wouldn’t. 

In the end I can’t even be mad. I am just sad, very sad. Sad that with the opportunity to revitalize an industry and put it on a path to a healthy, vital future it seems as there have been some some deck chair moving on a sinking ship.

An industry can’t grown if the audience does not grow and bring in fresh blood. Stealing share from your competitors can help your bottom line but doesn’t help the overall bottom line of the industry.

For years, there’s been lots written about how DC (and Marvel) need to expand beyond their traditional fan base. God knows, I’ve written plenty about it.

In the last few days with the results of this survey, there has been more written, not just by me but by other outlets. They point to the lack of young readers and the untapped potential of the female audience.

Over the last few days I have received notes telling me “STFU, see you don’t matter.” And “women DON”T read comics”.  It’s not unexpected and doesn’t bother me. It’s not as if most of these people need a reason to belittle women.

But I admit these results have bothered me and have left me asking myself, “Do I bother to try any more? Is the industry ever going to look outside their base? Do I try and recruit more readers to club where they are not really wanted except as a “nice to have?”

I honestly don’t know anymore. I really don’t. Earlier this week when DC announced the new digital comic Smallville, I was ready to write a post about how this was an excellent opportunity to bring female readers into comics.

But I’ve written that post so many times. And so many times, nothing happens. There’s no push, no marketing, no follow through.

I’ve written about the opportunities of marketing to women many times - the money sitting on the table.  I just interviewed a former DC editor about it two weeks ago. I’m not going to rehash it here.

So, yes, Smallville is an opportunity. But I doubt it will mean anything if things don’t change. And if they didn’t change in the biggest rebranding event in the history of the company, why would they now?

I hope I am wrong, but I suspect I am not.

When it comes to superhero comics and the opportunity of the female demographic it is like banging one’s head on a brick wall for all the change that comes.

I don’t know about others who share my view but my head is sore and the wall looks the same.

So, do you get a helmet? Or do blow a kiss for luck and walk away?

I think it’s time to think about that. 

Resurrecting a good thing; an industry call to action

dcwomenkickingass:

Last night on Twitter I mentioned that I was sad that due to the demise of Friends of Lulu, the organization devoted to female comic creators, that it meant the end of the Kim Yale Newcomer award.

For those of you unfamiliar with Friends of Lulu, it described itself as as organization:

whose main purpose is to promote and encourage female readership and participation in the comic book industry. Among the goals of the organization are:

1. To increase female readership of comics

2. To promote the work of women in comics

3. To offer networking opportunities and general support to women in comics

4. To facilitate communication among women and men who share the organization’s purpose

The organization was founded in 1994 and saw its official demise last year. I am not going to focus on why it died; the explanation given was tax issues.

What I want to talk about today is resurrecting one piece of it. Each year the organization would give awards to female creators in a variety of categories as well induct female creators into the Hall of Fame. The awards were a big deal at one time and would often hold their ceremony at a top comic convention. You can see a list of past winners here.

Each year one award was given to the most talented new or emerging creator and was named after Kim Yale. Yale was co-writer on Suicide Squad and was, with her husband John Ostrander, the creator who created the Oracle person for Barbara Gordon. Yale passed away from cancer in 1997. Among the creators who won the Kim Yale award are Kate Beaton, Kathryn Immonen, Devin Grayson and Carla Speed McNeil.

I hate to see an award that honors and remembers a vital creator like Kim Yale no longer exist. While one can debate whether there is still the need for an organization like Friends of Lulu, recognizing and encouraging new female creators - especially in light of the discourse that’s gone on in this market this past year - is, I believe, still very important.

For the award to exist it will also require the support and involvement of organizations far larger and influential than mine. It needs creator and publisher support, publicity and access to a database of industry participants. It could be hosted separately by one of the comics sites or it could be folded into an existing set of awards such as the Eisners. Or it could simply be open to voting by the comic community. As long as it is supported and treated with respect, I don’t think it matters.

The most expedient way is probably for one of the larger comics sites to step up and take it on. I am not going to recommend a “how” today. I just want to try and build some industry support. I am volunteering to help in any way needed.

Comics needs more Kate Beatons and Kathryn Immonens and Devin Graysons and Carla Speed McNeils. And it needs to remember Kim Yale. I hope the industry can make this happen.

Totally agree. I think the Kim Yale award is something that was really important and should be maintained.

Women Write About Comics

thewherefores:

Women Write About Comics

Thanks for all the likes and reblogs on my orignal post! Please do keep on reblogging, to help spread the word.

Since there’s interest in the carnival, I’ve set up a WordPress to serve as blogbase alpha. That’s where I’ll be posting all the administriva for the carnival, although I will be linking here and on Twitter.

I haven’t set posting dates for the carnival, because I’d first like to talk about topics. Think of a blog carnival as a dispersed webzine, with very open participation. What we need to do now, is figure out what the September Issue, as it were, is going to be about. In these early days, I’d love it if people who’ve expressed interest thus far, would share their own ideas for our guiding theme or topic. I’ll be holding a poll later in the week, to see which are most interesting, to most potential participants. In terms of topics, we’re looking for something pretty broad, that has the potential to generate a large number of posts of different kinds, and from different kinds of fans.

If Women Write About Comics goes well, I’d love to host future rounds, so don’t worry if your favourite topic isn’t chosen, because we may yet get to it.

You can use the tag “womenoncomics” to spread word about the carnival on Tumblr and Twitter. It’s the tag we’ll be using when posting starts.

Personally, I think a good “due date” would be maybe the first week in January? Give people some time to write their posts and to help spread the word as well. Holidays might get people distracted, but people also tend to be in the mood for reflection and whatnot.

As for topics, something I’d be interested in possibly writing about is maybe something like: “Conversations About Women in Comics: Are We Getting Anywhere?” (Because although I will forever probably be interested in reading about the topic of women in comics, lately I feel like I wanna stand back and take stock about what’s changed in those conversations or what hasn’t, and think about whether comics/the comics industry is changing with respect to women or if it isn’t, etc. Kinda metameta, though maybe.

Women Writing About (Writing About) Comics

thewherefores:

Another week, another round of retro-bizarre statements about the lack of women (and hipsters) interested in comics. Another round of That Laura, That Sue, That Kelly—don’t these ladies have anything better to do than complain?

Well. Would there be interest in a blog carnival-esque crossover event, where journalists, bloggers, and fans write en masse about what if feels like for a girl ladies, comics and fandom?

Here’s how it works:

1. We pick a topic.

*Actual and specific topic to be chosen by early bird participants, should there be interest, but some (off hand) suggestions:

• Girl Comics, The Next Generation: getting girls into comics, and keeping them here.
• Women in Comics: Creators, editors and journalists who’ve inspired.
• Girl-Centric Fandom in 2011 (and Beyond!): GeekGirkCon, The Mary Sue, Kyrax2, the much talked about lady-hordes at NYCC and SDCC… girls (and their big mouths) got a lot of attention in 2011.
• What It Feels Like For A Girl: Girls in comics, girls and comics—finding/making a place in the fandom, the industry and the books themselves.
• Writing/Drawing The Body: Race, gender, sexuality and women’s body’s in comics.
• Women In Refrigerators, 12 Years Later: What’s changed and what’s stayed the same.

There are so many awesome topics we could tackle, but I’ll stop there.

2. We pick a week to post all our tl;dr about said topic.

3. We spread the word.

4. We write.

5. I maintain a masterlist of participating posts, for all to enjoy.

Please reblog if this sounds like something you might want to participate in. I’m trying to gauge interest.

Not clear how a blog carnival works, but SOUNDS GOOD!

This is an important question

If Nightcrawler got caught under the mistletoe with someone, and he decided the best choice was to *BAMF* away, who do you think that person would be?