Women in Comics (Expanded)

Women in comics! Yaaay! For me, I was always reading comics aimed at women and girls from the beginning. I read Archie for a long time, before discovering manga, and the kind I read was almost exclusively written and illustrated by women. Largely because of manga and webcomics, I grew up thinking that women in the comics industry were everywhere.

Eventually I discovered that a lot of mainstream comics (particularly Marvel, DC, and “classic” comics) here in the U.S were male-dominated. Walking through the aisles at the comic/gaming stores, its pretty obvious that these comics aren’t made with me in mind. I see a lot of covers that feature women in skin tight costumes and spine-breaking positions, ensuring that I never pick it up. When I open these kinds of comics, the few female characters that exist are stereotypes with no personalities, and seemingly exist as eye candy for male readers. Of course, not all comics by men are like this, but there is definitely an abundance that seem to try and exclude any other audience except for straight white males.

In my experience, comics made by women are more inclusive and sensitive to fact that many different types of people read comics and need to be represented.

This week I read Skim (for the twentieth time) and it remains one of my absolute favorites. I think it’s a great example of the strength writing in combination with pictures has. It helps that there’s a writer and artist team, and each is very talented in their own right. The story is great, I love the diary aspect of the writing. It explores some problems a lot of teenagers go through, but with some interesting elements. Falling in love with your teacher, fitting in at an all-girls school, getting sick of lame friends, and of course the super cool hobby of practicing Wicca.

Like we talked about in class, the day is fast approaching where “women in comics” won’t be a big deal, because we’ll have been integrated into the community for so long it’ll be like we were always there (and we were!).

EXPANDED:

In addition to Skim, I've also read Anya's Ghost multiple times. This is another comic that any teenager can relate to, but girls especially. Like when she's at the party and suddenly boys talk to her just because they can see her cleavage, and the parts where Emily starts to derive her personality from magazines, and gives Anya advice on changing herself to be whatever boys want her to be. The story is also super creepy and I thought about it all day after I read it. This book it yet another example of the prowess women demonstrate in comics. The art style is fresh and animated, and the story is easily accessible to any audience. 

Every time I see Power Girl I want to punch someone in the face

I've had male friends be surprised at my interest in comics. In reality, I think women read them just as much as men do, but there's still this stigma that its just something girls aren't interested in. Granted, Marvel and DC comics are SO not my cup of tea, but that's because they aren't written with a female audience in mind, and I guess that's what everyone thinks of when they think of comics. I think we teach girls from a young age that comics, video games, and anything involving action or sci fi is for boys only. Nowhere in our DNA does it say that girls will like shopping and boys will like video games. We are not born knowing pink is for girls and blue is for boys. These things are conditioned in us since day 1, and so many girls grow up not being interested in comics because they honestly don't believe they can be. But guess what? Girls are just as visual as boys are. Girls like good stories just like boys do. And girls need to be represented in comics, and represented in non-offensive or degrading  roles that teach readers that women are to be respected and admired in the industry. 

Week 14: The Future of Comics

I have been reading webcomics for a loooong time. I’ve been following some since my high school days. As an artist who makes comics, I was really excited to find a platform to share them. It started with web comic hosting sites- I read all kinds of shitty comics by amateurs and truly talented developed artists alike.  The stories are all over the spectrum, including all sorts of weird characters and situations. I think that’s a huge advantage that webcomics have over published comics. They don’t have to go through the editing process. The creator can do whatever they want and people can like it or hate it but its still out there.

The other great thing about webcomics is that you can read them for free (usually) and also experience a connection to the creator through their comments and blog posts. That’s something I always really enjoyed about reading comics online. They talk about their lives and what’s going on while they’re making their art, and they usually thank their audience for being there and supporting them in doing what they love.

This week I read Erica Moen’s DAR comic. I knew her from her new series, Oh Joy Sex Toy and from Penny Arcade’s Strip Search webisodes, where comics artists competed for a year making comics at PA’s headquarters in Seattle. I personally really like memoirs and journals so it was fun to read about her life. She’s really grown as an illustrator, and just watching her journey is inspiring to me as a creator of comics as well.

I have to admit that I like a lot of dirty comics like Chester 5000 and Oglaf. They’re aimed at women and men alike, and you can find a lot of (I don’t want to say porn but I guess that’s kind of what it is) porn-type media that’s really pretty good and women-friendly in webcomics.

Anyway, if you want to read it, its probably out there somewhere in the world wide web! 

Week 12: Women in Comics

Women in comics! Yaaay! For me, I was always reading comics aimed at women and girls from the beginning. I read Archie for a long time, before discovering manga, and the kind I read was almost exclusively written and illustrated by women. Largely because of manga and webcomics, I grew up thinking that women in the comics industry were everywhere.

Eventually I discovered that a lot of mainstream comics (particularly Marvel, DC, and “classic” comics) here in the U.S were male-dominated. Walking through the aisles at the comic/gaming stores, its pretty obvious that these comics aren’t made with me in mind. I see a lot of covers that feature women in skin tight costumes and spine-breaking positions, ensuring that I never pick it up. When I open these kinds of comics, the few female characters that exist are stereotypes with no personalities, and seemingly exist as eye candy for male readers. Of course, not all comics by men are like this, but there is definitely an abundance that seem to try and exclude any other audience except for straight white males.

In my experience, comics made by women are more inclusive and sensitive to fact that many different types of people read comics and need to be represented.

This week I read Skim (for the twentieth time) and it remains one of my absolute favorites. I think it’s a great example of the strength writing in combination with pictures has. It helps that there’s a writer and artist team, and each is very talented in their own right. The story is great, I love the diary aspect of the writing. It explores some problems a lot of teenagers go through, but with some interesting elements. Falling in love with your teacher, fitting in at an all-girls school, getting sick of lame friends, and of course the super cool hobby of practicing Wicca.

Like we talked about in class, the day is fast approaching where “women in comics” won’t be a big deal, because we’ll have been integrated into the community for so long it’ll be like we were always there (and we were!).

Week 11: Comics as Contemporary Literature

I consider most comics to be “real” literature. In school though, comics were never part of the conversation. If I brought a comic book for reading sessions I was asked to bring a “real book” instead. True, some comics aren’t exactly masterpieces and are more straightforward entertainment, but there are plenty out that that can taken as serious works of literature.

This week I read Bottomless Bellybutton. I really liked this story. It’s pretty different from a lot of stuff I’ve read. The story is about a children dealing with their parent’s divorce. Except the children aren’t literal children. They’re adults! With kids of their own. Their parents are getting up there in age and the kids (especially the older son, Dennis) can’t understand why after so many years together, they would want to separate. He thinks that there must be some other reason they’re splitting up, something they’re not telling him, and he goes in search of evidence.

It was really cool, because when I got to the part where Dennis discovered his father’s coded letter to his mother, whoever read the book before me had solved the code and left a piece of paper where they wrote out the decoded letter. It was pretty awesome.

I think this story is a good example of why comics can (and should!) be taken seriously as literature. The subject matter is definitely adult, the main characters are adults and they’re dealing with situations and feelings that real adults might find themselves in too. The book is very large and long and is very honest about the things these characters are experiencing. And its got everything you could want in a work of literature- humor, drama, teen angst and even some sex!

People shouldn’t be afraid to consider comics in the same way they do traditional novels. There’s great things to be discovered there, and look! There are pictures too! 

Week 10: Manga and the Japanese Comics Tradition

Most of my friends are “normal” non-artists. They think the fact that I like anime/manga is weird, or any cartoons for that matter. Of course, they like Family Guy and The Simpsons, but God forbid they be caught watching any animation not specifically aimed at adults. In class someone asked why people in America frown upon anime/manga, and I think the basic reason is because its geeky, dorky, whatever. Someone pointed out that the reason could be a little racist, that the public at large isn’t keen on watching something foreign or in another language. I think that’s a good point too. But I think the stigma is generally that anime is watched by overweight, unwashed, socially awkward “fangirls” and “fanboys”.

The first anime I ever watched was Sailor Moon. My best friend in 2^nd grade had a bunch of the movies on VHS, and we would watch them basically every time I was over. I had never seen cartoons like that. Everyone was so pretty and I wanted to wear their outfits, the cats were cute and Tuxedo Mask was a total hottie. Plus they had superpowers based on the planets. And they kicked ass. It wasn’t until 8^th grade or so that I discovered manga. I had only read Archie comics up until then. 

This week I read Black Jack, and I loved it! It was so awesome. The stories were slightly creepy but you just had to find out what happens. I noticed that the stories were pretty universal, they could have been taking place anywhere, not just Japan. It was cool to see that style of art with dark stories, as well to just witness where the style originated in the first place.

I think manga is a gateway to comics for a lot of people. There are stories for everyone, no matter how strange or niche they are, and they are told in a huge variety of styles. I think that’s what makes Japanese comics so alluring.

Week 9: A Wide World of Comics

I have owned the Persepolis book and the film for a couple years, and have read it many times. It is one of my favorite stories for its artistic and historical value. When I first read the book I was probably 16 or 17, and I remember not really understanding the political situation that was taking place. I wasn’t super interested in politics or even what had begun all the trouble in the Middle East (except 911 of course), or maybe I just didn’t know because I don’t think its really talked about here. I know that Iranians, Iraqis, and Afghans aren’t well understood by the general public in America. I think that’s what really gives Persepolis an edge. I knew nothing of their revolution or the struggle the people there face everyday. I can’t imagine being in such an unstable environment and watching everything good about my country and religion become a tool used to oppress people.

The other draw to Persepolis for me is Marjane’s journey to discover who she is and where she belongs. Its cool to see a kid be so passionate about politics, but its sad to see a kid who is sent away because their own country isn’t safe. Marjane is very funny and clever, and I loved reading about her little rebellions after she returned to the country. You always think that these people are devout and unwavering (or scared into being so) and I was surprised to see that they still had parties and dancing and had fun.

I’m really grateful that this book exists, and I think its important for people to read it.  It helps to educate people about a country that they may think very negatively of, but probably know nothing about. And what they will find is that they are just like us.

Week 8: Stereotypes and the Ethics of Representation

This week I read American Born Chinese, and I own Persepolis and have read it many times. I really enjoyed American Born Chinese. The illustration is clean and simple, and the stories intertwine in a really interesting way. I liked going back and forth between segments and getting a little closer to the climax of the story each time.

In the book, Jin feels that he is an outsider and is terrified that people will detect his Chineseness. It is a source of shame for him. In “Danny’s” portion of the story, his cousin Chin Kee is supposed to represent everything Danny fears people see when they look at him, which is an extremely negative stereotypical image.

It was kind of hard to read the sections with Chin Kee, because he was a really embarrassing, racist representation of what people actually say and think about Chinese people. But we got the picture that this is what Danny is trying so hard to not become. As if what people think and say about you makes you who you are.

Are stereotypes a necessary tool to use as a kind of shorthand for characters? Yes and no. When you write a character, you need to use certain clues to let the audience know who they’re looking at. If you were writing about a businessman, you’ll probably give him a suit, briefcase, glasses, and a short tidy haircut. Unless you plan on making him a main character, that’s all people need to know about him. The problem comes in when characters are stereotyped because of their race, gender, sexuality, etc. You can’t (usually) change these things about yourself, and you shouldn’t be lumped in with every bad joke ever told about it. Artists, writers, and other contributors to media should know the difference between stereotyping a football player and a gay man. Have I ever personally felt hurt over stereotypes? Yes. In countless movies, comics, books, songs, conversations in real life, etc., I have been offended by stereotypes of women. That we’re not rational, that we don’t like sex, that all we care about is our hair and shopping, that we’re gold diggers, that we’re just sex props, the list goes on and on. This is easily fixable. Creators need to ask themselves if a stereotype is harmful or not, and be careful about how they represent them.

Okay, rant is over. 

Week 6: Underground Comics

So the Underground comics are super interesting. I was really impressed with their honesty and gritty, yet silly nature. I read some of the Tijuana Bibles and thought they were kinda cheesey (not that porn these days isn’t) but they’re still interesting because they’re historical and in comic form, which lends to their ridiculous nature.

I also read Gay Comix, and was really happy to see that they were honest, non-stereotypical stories written by ACTUAL gay people. I enjoy reading about LGBT characters and was a little shocked that these stories were being told back then. I mean, even today those kind of stories are not main stream. But I guess that’s what happens when people are just putting their stuff out there, regardless of what mainstream “acceptable” comics are doing.

Another thing I loved about these comics were women’s stories. The story in Tits and Clits about the woman who was paying men to have sex with her after misinterpreting a conversation about prostitution was hilarious. It communicates that women, despite what our culture seems to think, actually ENJOY sex. Who knew? I was also very impressed with the stories of lesbian relationships in Tits and Clits as well as Gay Comix. Thank GOD we weren’t subjected to yet another straight male lesbian fantasy that degrades and over-sexualizes the women involved. It was very refreshing.

As for Robert Crumb, I like reading about his experiences, but I still get a really creepy vibe from him. He obviously loves women, but he expresses it in ways that tend to make me uncomfortable. I think his art has something to do with it. He’s a skilled artist but I honestly think his art is gross-looking! I know he’s this huge amazing artist but that’s just how I feel!

All in all, I think the comics from this era are so important because they tell it like it is. They don’t sugarcoat anything and it captures a generation of people in a specific time in history. The stories being told are unique and represent real people, whether they be homosexual, women, drug-addicts, or all of the above. Power to the people. 

Week 5: Eisner & Thompson

Excerpt from a Naked Man comic. Very old. 

This is a little embarrassing, but when I was in high school my friend and I drew this comic called "Naked Man". Basically it was just some dumb text message story we had made up about a naked dude that runs around having sexual adventures with a boy at a Catholic school. We posted it on the internet and had a small following. One day, while showing a family member my work, my mom came across the webcomic. She approached me that night, in tears, asking me why I would ever want to "lead people astray" by writing a story that lets people think homosexuality is okay. And how did I know enough about sex to draw pictures of it? Why did I have to use swear words and take His name in vain? How did I think this makes God feel? I told her that we were just messing around, and it doesn't mean anything. As punishment she took away my tablet, keyboard, mouse, and watched me delete it from every site it was on. 

My mom is super Christian and I was raised that way too. But as with most kids that are pushed into a religion, I soon quietly rebelled. I'm not sure if I'm at the point where I can say I'm an atheist, but like Thompson, I think the part of me that used to believe is gone, or at least damaged. 

Reading Blankets is a really personal experience for me, because I can relate to much of what happens to Thompson. His upbringing especially. I went to church camp, I memorized bible verses, I sang the songs. The people were fake and the environment was cliquish and hostile. And a good deal of that contributed to my disdain for organized religion, and Thompson's as well. However, I didn't have the traumatic childhood that Thompson had, and so didn't have a fervent need for God in my life. Its rare to see someone that still holds on tightly to Christianity during their teenage years, and lets other people see it.

When I first read this story, I couldn't put it down. I thought Craig and Raina's relationship was so passionate and even thought they were good for each other. I remember being disappointed when he told her it was over. Upon my 5th or 6th reading of the book, I can see now that there was nothing there in the first place. She needed him for moral support and he needed to experience her. I think a lot of what he portrayed about Raina was idealized, like she was some beautiful, unknowable creature to be worshipped. When really, she was just a girl with a messed up family life that needed a shoulder to cry on. A friend. 

I could go on for a while about Blankets and Thompson's other work, but I'm going to stop here before I write and essay. 

Week 4: The Comic Book

I was shocked to learn about the censorship of comics. Out of all the media that should be censored, comics? Really? Probably one of the most harmless mediums possible. God forbid the children enjoy reading something. Speaking of which, the notion that comics are meant for children in the first place is strange. I think of them as for all ages, although some should definitely be labeled as "for adults" (like that ever stopped anyone). Nowadays, there are comics for every age, every genre and every walk of life. However, I find that most people (non-art school people) still think that comics are for children and shouldn't be taken seriously. Or if they’re Japanese comics, then they think its just porn.

I mostly read Carl Barks' duck comics. I loved them. I can see that they’re clean and simple and aimed at kids but honestly anyone with a sense of humor can enjoy these comics. They're hilarious, charming, and just plain entertaining. Even if they're just ducks. The same goes for Tin Tin, which is really pretty intriguing and exciting. The art is elegant and colorful, and suits the story perfectly.

Superhero comics…are not my cup of tea. I think a lot of it has to do with my hate for Marvel and DC comics, but I find them to be pretty dull. I didn’t get a look at many of them since a lot of the links were broken, but I’ll admit I’m not too crazy about them anyway. 

Week 3: Newspaper Comics

My experience with newspaper comics is a bit limited, but I've always liked Zits and Get Fuzzy. I think Little Nemo and Krazy Kat are MUCH different though. I can't really imagine them being in a newspaper, they seem like they belong in books. Speaking of Krazy Kat, it was Krazy. I could not understand what the hell was happening in half of the stories, and the speech was super bizarre and was really hard (but fun) to sort out. But despite all that, they were somehow charming and cute, even if the drawings were pretty scraggly. Something I was wondering about though, Krazy and Ignatz are both guys? Right? I mean, who knows, but I saw that Krazy was referred to as a he and thought that was interesting. 

I’ve always liked the Little Nemo comics since we studied them in Art History class. I think they’re really simple and funny and so colorful! I can see this being more of a newspaper comic than Krazy Kat, but it still seems really high quality by today’s standards for a weekly newspaper.

I love Peanuts, its everything a newspaper comic should be. Its cute, hilarious, and is humble about its own greatness. All the characters are different and iconic in their own way, and come together to play off each other’s differences to great comedic effect. My family and I always watch the movies at Halloween and Christmas and laugh the whole time. Whenever I get a newspaper, this is one of the strips I’m glad to see is still around. Although I feel like they’ve gotten a little less funny.

Calvin and Hobbes is something I’ve always wanted to read, but for some reason, never get around to it. Including this time! I’ll have to try harder to get a read on that. I know everyone loves it and it looks super cute and fun. Another day!

Week 2: Scott McCloud: Understanding Comics

As someone who has a special place in their heart for comics, Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is the best tool I can think of for teaching others, and yourself, the reason why comics (or the graphic novel) are important and compelling. I've always known that I love comics, but reading this book helps me understand why I love them, and provides further proof that this is a high art form and is intended for all audiences in all walks of life. And I think it gives comics enthusiasts, artists, and writers the articulated ideas they need to explain comics to people who haven’t yet experienced them.

The discussion I found most interesting was about how we perceive ourselves in our minds compared to how others see us, and how we can accept a simplified versions of ourselves and even gain more insight into the thoughts and feelings of these abstractions despite their simplicity. 

I was reminded of a show on Disney Channel that I watched when I was in elementary school called Lizzie McGuire, about a 13-year old girl’s life and times. One of the things I really liked about the show was the animated alter-ego of Lizzie that would come on screen so we could experience her inner thoughts about a situation she’s in. Literally, it was the little voice in her head, the concept that Lizzie has of herself. This cartoon character was very simple, just some lines and shapes. Yet it represented her true self, and the feelings and emotions she doesn’t necessarily show to others.

I think all of us have this little cartoon version of ourselves that we see in our heads as we go about our day, but I hadn’t read anything that discussed this phenomenon until Understanding Comics. When McCloud talks about seeing yourself in cartoon characters as opposed to more realistic images, I start to see what makes them so appealing to me, and others. It makes it easier to accept and experience any kind of world that is presented to us. The simplicity of a cartoon becomes a vehicle for the messages a story is trying to convey to an audience. Very cool!

Week 1: Shaun Tan's The Arrival

I read Shaun Tan's The Arrival, and having read some of his other works (ones with words) and was really surprised at how different it was from things like The Red Tree or The Rabbits. The artwork in the other stories I've read have been geared more towards children/all ages and accompanied by simple text. 

The Arrival was definitely more serious than the aforementioned stories, and part of that is due to the lack of words and the effect it creates. The story reads more like a storyboard for animation, or a shot-by-shot breakdown of a scene in a film. The action is usually clear about what’s going on in the story, but without accompanying narration it can be a bit of puzzle to try and understand what Tan is trying to convey to the audience.

On the bright side of that, it requires the reader to spend more time with the illustrations, searching for meaning in the images rather than reading and understanding, then moving on to the next panel. I also found the scale of the “panels” to be useful in determining which was the most important information, and which were meant to be read more quickly, or at which speed the events were taking place. I also found his use of the slight color variation, (cold grays, warm grays, sepia) to describe emotions, time of day, and even past and present very clever and successful.

After reading his other stories like The Red Tree and The Rabbits, it was interesting to see him do something more sequential than large illustrations, with a more serious tone than The Lost Thing (another story of his that features paneling and text). The lack of words did not hinder the story and if anything just encourages a second read and a closer look at how you’re interpreting the information.

I enjoy wordless narratives from time to time but am usually worried about whether my interpretation of the story is the right one, or if the author’s intent was totally lost on me. But I think stories like these are meant to be up to the reader’s interpretation, which is pretty cool. It must be interesting as an author to hear what other people got out of the story.