Texty Ladies » Comics

Thursday Thirteen: My Christmas Book Wish List

Pamela Sweet — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:48:43 +0000

THIRTEEN BOOKS I’D LOVE TO RECEIVE FOR CHRISTMAS

Since I’m starting to gear up for the holidays (and I’m ALWAYS geared up for books!), I thought I’d share a wish list of books I wouldn’t mind receiving for Christmas (*hint* *hint*, honey). Maybe these will give you some ideas, too. If you click on the picture, it will take you to the Amazon page where you can learn more about the book.

Who wouldn’t want to see what these writers can create in another medium?

I have only heard great things about this book and how it will help you to remember what is important.

This looks like great fun!

Art journaling is something I’ve been wanting to get into. Maybe this book would get me started.

I must have all things Dracula!

This is actually for my husband since he has the first three volumes, but I wouldn’t mind a peek, too!

Love The Clash! This is a must have.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Only the Collector’s Edition will do!

Her book flap reads: “What is this book?” and replies, “Who am I? Who are you? STOP IT FORGET IT This is a year in my life profusely illustrated, abounding with anguish, confusion, bits of wisdom, musings, meanderings, buckets of joie de vivre and restful sojourns.” Yes, dear readers, this is self-deprecating hype you can trust.

10.

I recently finished Kat Richardson’s first novel in this series, “Greywalker”, and enjoyed it very much.

11.

The cover makes me happy and my creative spirit needs wings.

12.

Looks fascinating to me.

13.

I want to read and ponder and read some more. His poetry is playful and inspiring.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

4. MsMenozzi

6. Paige Tyler

7. Heather

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

~ Pamela

Thoughtful Thursday: Inspiration from Neil Gaiman

Pamela Sweet — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:14:06 +0000

A week ago, my husband, son and I attended a reading by author Neil Gaiman. He is listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography as one of the top ten living post-modern writers, and is a prolific creator of works of comics, prose, poetry, film, journalism, drama, and song lyrics.

The reading was held in a church, as were all of his readings on this tour, which made for a strangely fitting setting. Mr. Gaiman read one chapter from the The Graveyard Book at each stop. It just so happens that our stop ended up being the night he read the last chapter, Chapter Eight, Leavings and Partings. We had already purchased The Graveyard Book and my husband had read it but my son and I had not.

I could sit and listen to Neil talk for hours. That soft British accent; the tone and inflection he puts into each character’s voice; his quick wit and obvious love for his work all pull you in so you’re focused on his words, his voice, and his world. He was able to read that last chapter so it stood on its own. It had import and meaning and brought tears to our eyes, whether we’d read the rest of the book or not.

What I really love about his work is that it is distinctly his. I’m hard pressed to give a name of an author I could compare his work to. His stories are odd, charming, positive and completely original. During the Q&A session of last week’s reading, one person said they wanted to illustrate children’s books but had been told their work was disturbing. They asked Neil how they could get their work noticed. I think his answer could apply to writing as well. He said to just get your work out there. Send in submissions and post it on the Web. Be really good! And, don’t worry about whether or not your work is disturbing or different. There is most likely someone out there who is looking for just what you’ve got.

Another question had Neil explaining that to become a good science fiction writer, you should read not only science fiction, but all other forms of writing as well. Try not to write the same old science fiction story (good friends on a quest) but draw from other genres to help make your story unique. When J.R.R. Tolkein wrote The Lord of the Rings, he created a whole new world, even a new language! This battle of good versus evil had not been told in quite this way before.

A teacher wrote about how he was trying to get his students to read stories with a moral and what would Neil suggest to help him with this. Was it okay to put a moral in a fairytale? Neil said he didn’t see anything wrong with doing that, as long as it was a big moral or lesson. Don’t try to cram too many ideas in there; make it clear what the moral is. This made sense to me. He talked about how when he was a child, he thought bravery meant not being afraid. As we grow up, we start to realize that being brave is not about having no fear but about doing what needs to be done even though you are afraid. Make your short story or fairytale have a clear message that children, and adults, can respond to and learn from.

Oh, we became rich with many nuggets of gold that night and I wish I could share them all with you here. But alas, I cannot. You can, however, go to www.mousecircus.com and click on The Graveyard Tour to enjoy the video recordings of his readings of The Graveyard Book. You can visit his website and learn all about Neil, his work, his journal and his many awards. Here are just a few titles in his incredible body of work:

I’d like to thank Neil Gaiman for the amazing work he has shared with us and for an incredibly inspiring evening. Thank you, dh, for turning me on to such a gifted author and creative soul. ~ Pamela

Thursday Thirteen: Steampunk

Pamela Sweet — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:12:46 +0000

STEAMPUNK

(some information taken from the Steampunk wiki)

1. Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy.

2. Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion. Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely.

3. The term “steampunk” was coined by science fiction author K. W. Jeter.

4. Steampunk fiction focuses on real, theoretical or cinematic Victorian-era technology, including steam engines, clockwork devices, and difference engines.

5. While much of steampunk is set in Victorian-era settings, the genre has expanded into medieval settings and often delves into the realms of horror and fantasy. Various secret societies and conspiracy theories are often featured, and some steampunk includes significant fantasy elements. There are frequently Lovecraftian, occult and Gothic horror influences as well.

6. Because of the popularity of steampunk with people in the goth, punk, cyber and Industrial subcultures, there is a growing movement towards establishing steampunk as a culture and lifestyle.

7. Steampunk was influenced by, and often adopts the style of the scientific romances of the 19th century, by Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain, and Mary Shelley.

8. Early authors of steampunk: H.G. Well’s (The Time Machine), Tim Powers (The Anubis Gates, 1983), James Blaylock (Homunculus, 1986), K.W. Jeter (Morlock Night, 1979 and Infernal Devices, 1987).

9. Steampunk Fiction and Films: The Gatehouse, Steampunk Speculative Fiction, Steampunk Magazine

10. Steampunk Comics: Girl Genius

11. Steampunk Music: Abney Park, Vernian Process

12. Steampunk Art, Design, and Steamwork: Heterodyne Designs, The Art of Alex CF, Crabfu Steamworks, Steampunk Wallpaper

13. Some great steampunk websites: The Steampunk Workshop, The Speculative Fiction Clearing House, The Steampunk Home, Brass Goggles, Steampunk Fashion (LiveJournal Community), Da Vinci Automata, Curious Goods, Datamancer,

Look here for some fantastic steampunk fashion!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

4. Paige Tyler

6. Inez Kelley

7. Dayle

8. Heather

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

~ Pamela

A Day With Jim Lee

Pamela Sweet — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:08:52 +0000

Standing in line at a book signing is an exercise in patience, I tell you. Especially on a hot and sticky Saturday afternoon in a small comic book shop with about 1800 fellow sweaty fans. Lucky for me, my husband, Ryan, is a kind soul and let me sneak off for coffee and book browsing while he held fast in line at number 396. Who was the object of this crowd’s unwavering affection? Super-talented comic artist, Jim Lee!

Source Comics & Games in St. Paul, MN, scored big when owner Nick Postiglione bid a winning $7,000 on a store appearance by Jim which he put up for sale at the last Baltimore Comic Con. All proceeds are to go to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF). The CBLDF is a non-profit organization which battles censorship and defends the first amendment rights of comic book professionals and retailers throughout the United States.

X-Men #1

Jim Lee rose to fame on X-Men with Marvel, helped form Image Comics, them moved to DC Comics. X-Men #1 is the best-selling comic book of all time with sales of 8 million copies of the first issue, due in large part to the varient covers illustrated by Jim.

I was turned on to Jim’s art by my husband who has been his #1 fan since childhood. When it was finally our turn to meet with Jim, my stomach was all aflutter to match my husband’s shaking hands. Each person could have Jim sign two items and Ryan had picked his with care. My first gift to my husband when we were “dating” (across three states), was an original artwork of Jim Lee’s from Grifter/Shi (a solo title for a main WildC.A.T.s character). It has special meaning for us and Jim’s signing it would be icing on the cake. His second choice was Absolute Batman Hush (written by Jeff Loeb, art by Jim Lee & Scott Williams), which some say is Jim’s best work to date.

Grifter Hush

Ryan became an even bigger hero in my eyes (if that’s even possible) when he told Jim the story behind his wanting the original art work signed and went on to fill him in on how we met online and dated long distance; even how he stole a move from Max Farady (a character Jim drew for Divine Right: The Adventures of Max Faraday) and took me out on a cyber/phone date as we both watched the same movie at the same time in our respective houses. I’ll never forget Jim’s quiet, “Oh, wow,” as my husband slipped the artwork in front of him.

Jim was so kind and personable and took quite a bit of time with us, granting us the two signatures, a sketch and two pictures! I later learned that he stayed until everyone in line got to meet him and get his signature. He was to sign from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and we, at number 396, met him around 4:00-ish so you just know he was there for many more hours! Kudos to his girlfriend, Carla, who stayed with him the entire day!

Jim & Ryan

Ryan and I left the signing with huge grins on our faces and happy songs in our hearts. It was so nice to meet an artist who was so kind and generous. We felt starstruck but also like Jim was a guy you could hang out and have a beer with. My husband is an artist, too, and our day with Jim was inspiring and helped rekindle the creative flames once again.

Thank you, Jim, for sharing your time and talent with us. It was an unforgettable day!

UPDATE: After reading this post, Jim Lee sent me a message which included the following:

“Thank you for the very sweet writeup. I do like reading about people’s experiences at these types of events…makes you realize each and every person in line has their own unique story to tell. Thanks for taking the time to write it up…”

Thank you, Jim!

~~*~~

Here’s a link to Carla’s live blog from Jim’s appearance at Source Comics & Games.

Jim’s Wiki

An archive of Jim’s art

Jim’s MySpace

Jim and studio-mates art blog - gelatometti

Where to purchase Jim’s original art

~ Pamela

TT: Interview with Natalia Pierandrei

Pamela Sweet — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:25:40 +0000

Artist Natalia Pierandrei, who was featured here at Texty Ladies on May 12, 2008, graciously agreed to an interview with me. Nati’s an awesome woman and a very talented artist so I’m happy to bring you her interview today. Thanks, Nati, for taking the time to answer all my questions. You definitely lead a fascinating life!

You recently moved to Rome. How are you settling in?

I moved to Rome because of my full-time job: actually it was something quite unexpected and consequently my life and my habits have been changing a lot since the past few months. I’ve visited Rome many times and I lived in Tokyo for almost a year so moving from the provinces to a big city wasn’t a problem. I have a double personality, one loves nature and peaceful places, the opposite one loves the confusion and the lively atmosphere of metropolies. I have to content both of them, every now and then!

Did you draw often as a child?

Yes, I’m used to draw often. I’ve been drawing since I was a little girl, my mom was my first drawing teacher and I spent so much time drawing during my childhood that I remember almost all my relatives were completely sure that I would have attended an Art School (by the way, secondary education in Italy is quite different from North America one). At that time, I wanted to become an archaeologist so I attended the ‘liceo classico’. During the high school I changed my mind and finally I went to University and graduated in Oriental Languages and Economics of International Trade.

I’m curious about how you discovered your “style.” Will you talk more about that process?

I think it’s something unconscious and partially related to the fact I live in Italy. I mean, I’ve never said “Hey, I like the style or the use of colours of “put a name here”: I want to draw in the same way!” My style is the consequence of many factors. I visited a large number of art museums during my life that I think it produced an effect on me at least! So, my style is strongly influenced by that of Renaissance Italian Painting (the use of sepia tones) and Art Nouveau (strong lines). Also by comic books and manga, but in a minor way, especially in the latest times. I changed my way of drawing many times in the past, what you see now is the final result of a very long process. I don’t know when I exactly started drawing in this way, especially because my style is naturally evolving every day and I hope I’ll never stop developing new methods of expressing myself as artist.

Do you ever dabble with different styles? Use different tools?

Sometimes, I do. The matter is if you like trying new styles and techniques you need time to do that and actually my main problem is finding some free time for drawing…in general! But, I also think once you have discovered ‘your’ method you should go on to perfect it instead of non stop trying something different almost every day. It’s just my opinion but it’s like you lack of personality: having your own, different in kind style is very important to be appreciated as artist.

Do you have any hobbies?

Drawing has always been my main hobby. It became something a little bit different when I was at university and, with a friend of mine, I posted some illustrations to Elfwood. To my surprise, the drawings met with success. That tempt me to submit more artwork to different online galleries. Speaking honestly, I’ve never supposed that my work was worth of publication, and I’ve never thought of me as an ‘artist’.
Apart from drawing, that I think it’s still a hobby for me, I like reading, going to the cinema, travelling…nothing really special, to be honest! I’m a very common person!

Is travel a factor in your work?

Yes, it is. I like very much travelling, experiencing new cultures and habits is always exciting and inspiring. Not just for an artist, I think that getting in touch with something different from your everyday living is a way to improve yourself and enrich your life, aside from your profession or education. And yes, many of my illustrations are based on real places I visited.

What is a typical day like for you?

During the week, my typical days are quite ‘boring’. I mean, I wake up early in the morning, I take the metro, working almost 8/10 hours by day at office, come back home. If I’m not very, very tired, I draw or go to the cinema, go shopping, or take a walk in the public garden near my house. In the weekends my life is more eventful, I have time for drawing, visiting exhibitions, meeting friends, etc, etc.

Do you do anything special to your environment to help your creativity?

It’s very important to me to draw in a bright place, with lot of space for my drawing tools. I’m easily suggestible by anything I see, listen to, read. I’ve never got the so called “artist’s block”, on the contrary!
Listen to music, sketch in a certain place?

Sketching is not a problem, I can sketch everywhere, at office, at restaurant, I only need a piece of paper and a pencil/pen. If I’m at home, sitting at my desk, listening to the music is basic. Music always fills me with thoughts and feelings and creativity.

When did you first realize that this would be your vocation?

Actually, I’m not sure art is my vocation yet. I like drawing a lot, but realistically I have a practical idea of how difficult is to be an artist. Then being a person with a lot of different interests like me doesn’t help. Deeply in my heart, probably I’m dreaming to be an artist someday but I doubt about my capabilities and not having a formal artistic training is something that blocks my progress in this way.

How did your first sale come about and how did you feel about it?

People started to ask me if I was available for commissions about 4 years ago. At first time, I refused to take commissions, basically because I don’t like the idea of being ‘forced’ to draw a specific character, situation, background…I draw because I like drawing, art is something very personal: I can do, I can create something without anything limits or restricts me. I should add that commissions are a positive and immediate way to improve yourself by doing something you hardly do if it’s not your greater interest. So, I finally started taking commissions. It’s a real pleasure when people is satisfied with how I worked on their characters. So, basically I don’t take commissions for money, simply because I like testing my abilities with different themes!

Recently, I’ve stopped taking commissions, I’m too busy with different, long-term projects and I have no idea when I’ll be available again.

What type of art do you enjoy viewing?

Comic books, figurative and traditional paintings, I like art museums (so, basically old, traditional paintings), I’m not very much fond of modern, abstract art…basically because I have not a good knowledge of modern art to appreciate it.

What specific work of art have you felt most satisfied with?

Hard question! Usually, I’m satisfied with almost all my pieces….for the first 10 minutes! Being a perfectionist (in anything I do, not just art), I tend to be the stricter critic of myself. Actually, I don’t like the 90% of pieces I painted!

Will you talk about the business side of your art?

Business….hmmm, am I in the business of art? Well, the 90% of commissioned works I did, both for private or commercial use, have been done by ‘chance’. I mean, people usually contact me after seeing my artwork online, I’ve never sent my portfolio to a publisher. Probably, I’m just a very lucky person, probably I should seriously try to contact publishers and start thinking of a profession as illustrator…who knows! At this point, I’m totally unable to make up my mind!

Have you ever considered working in a different medium?

Often. I’d like to learn how to use acrylics. Maybe in the future…actually I need to take some art lessons before!

Please tell us about “Magna Veritas.”

‘Magna Veritas’ is a comic written by Marco Felicioni, illustrated by Jacopo Camagni and published by Le Soleil Editions, France. I only did some fanart of it, actually I’m not seriously involved in the project. The comic is great, and Marco and Jacopo are two of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met in my life!

Has your art book been released? If so, where can we purchase it?

Not yet, but I’m completing the last illustrations in these days. Recently, my life was very agitated and I had to stop drawing for awhile. I hope in the future I’ll have more time for my paintings. Anyway, as soon as the book will be out, I’ll post a entry with all the information about it to my blog.

Do you have any advice for artists just starting out?

Well…I don’t think to be the right person to give advices for aspirant artists, anyway…..To me, the most important thing is draw intensely, with passion. And, if your aim is to become a professional artist, try to be innovative and fresh in your style. Imitating might be fine at the early stage of your learning process, not if art is a vocation and it’s supposed to be your dream job. Trying always to be yourself in your artistic expressions not someone else. Diligence and originality have always been rewarded.

What will you be working on next?

After completing the illustrations for “Precious Things” I’ll start working on two different comic book projects, and another art-book. I have been contacted by a popular publisher here in Europe and this new art-book will be a challenge!

Then, illustrations for magazines, interviews, various online projects….

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I thank all my fans for supporting me, like a Placebo’s song, “Without you I’m nothing”.

~~*~~

For more on Natalia Pierandrei and her work, please go to the following sites:

Nati’s website, blog, myspace, deviantart, etsy and cafepress.

Monday Mix: Writing Contest #2

Pamela Sweet — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:48:26 +0000

Okay, folks, here’s our picture for this week’s writing contest. We ask that you write a poem, song, story, or whatever you like using 200 words or less. You can post your entry in our comments or post a link to your blog and put your entry there. We’ll announce the winner this Wednesday, July 2nd. Good luck!

Jay Maynard

We love you, Jay!

~ Posted by Pamela, Jane & BB

Thoughtful Thursday: Females in Comics-Vol.1, Issue 2

Pamela Sweet — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:00:16 +0000

Rather than talk about some of my favorite female comic book writers, artists and characters, I’d like to hear from you. Let me know your thoughts by answering the following questions. Please feel free to explain why you feel the way you do. I can’t wait to read your answers!!

1.   Who is your favorite female comic book writer?
2.   Who is your favorite female comic book artist?
3.   Do you think women characters are represented in a realistic way?
4.   What storyline about female characters has been your favorite?
5.   Have any storylines with females characters in lead roles stood out as being important or ground breaking?
6.   Do you have any preferences regarding the art work in comics?
7.   Do you prefer single issues or trade paperbacks?
8.   What is your favorite all time comic book or graphic novel?

more at twiigs.com…

Sites about Women in Comics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_comics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrayal_of_women_in_comics

http://www.womenofcomics.com/

http://womenincomics.blogspot.com/

Thoughtful Thursday: A Case for Comics-Vol. 1, Issue 1

Pamela Sweet — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:00:21 +0000

“Hey, that does sound like a good book. Who wrote it?” “Neil Gaiman. It’s a comic book.” “Oh, you mean those superhero stories? Nah, I don’t read that stuff.” This is the overwhelming response I receive from other women after holding a conversation like this. Heck, I’m fairly certain I gave a similar response to my husband when he first broached the subject with me. “I’m not really into superheroes,” I must have replied in fear that I’d be asked to read one.

It may be true that there are plenty of stories with two dimensional alpha male heroes who fight and conquer two dimensional supernasties from outer space. However, there are also just as many stories that appeal to the non-fanboy/girl in all of us who appreciate a little something more.

My first real venture into the more mature comic book world began with Transmetropolitan by writer Warren Ellis. Transmet is a political post-cyberpunk series where gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem battles corruption and abuse of power in the not too distant future. I read this in trade paperback form and learned a lesson in patience while waiting for each new collection of monthlies to be released. It’s brilliant writing and definitely deserves a look. MEK, a three issue mini-series about mechanical augmentation, and Two-Step, a futuristic romantic comedy described as “Pop meets Zen,” are two more fun reads by Ellis.

Author Terry Moore, recently wrapped up his Eisner Award winning serialized story Strangers in Paradise, in which he portrayed real women in real relationships. Ellis’ Transmet opened my eyes to the world of comics, and Moore’s SIP is what kept me there. The characters in SIP think and talk the way I do, have misunderstandings, and cope with self-doubt. If I‘ve done my job and you‘ve decided to try at least one comic book, make it this one. You can thank me later.

Influential English author Alan Moore was one of the first to bring us adult themes with challenging subject matter. His acclaimed graphic novels V for Vendetta, about an anarchist who fights a future British fascist government, and From Hell, which examined the Jack the Ripper murders, are certainly not kids fare. Moore’s highly influential Hugo Award winning Watchmen depicts superheroes in as real people. They’re neurotic, struggle with personal and ethical issues, and fail like the rest of us.

Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, winner of nine Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards and three Harvey Awards, is a cult DC Comics classic about Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams. It’s difficult to summarize Sandman quickly but let’s just say it is about how Morpheus begins to question is past actions and what happens as a result of his questioning. It is interesting that more than half of its readers have been women.

Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, by memoir by Art Spiegelman, recounting his father’s struggle to survive as a Polish Jew during the Holocaust, won a Pulitzer Prize Special Award in 1992. The characters are all written as anthropomorphic animals. This is a multi-faceted important read.

Another one of my favorite comic book series is another Eisner Award winner. Queen in Country, an espionage drama published by Oni Press and written by Greg Rucka features Tara Chace, a Special Operations Officer with the British Secret Intelligence Service, and a fascinating character to watch. Rucka writes about real people in real and extraordinary situations. These books are thrilling spy lit at it’s best.

If you’re worried about sticking out like a sore thumb while perusing the aisles of a comic book shop, have no fear, your neighborhood large chain booksellers now carry a wide variety of comics and graphic novels. Warren Ellis has some interesting words to say about the comic store culture.

“That means getting rid of the talking Jar Jar Binks stand-up in the doorway. It means racking he T&A stuff somewhere else. It means focusing more on graphic novels than back-issue bins. It means displaying your comics in the window, not the bloody toys, and making your standalone floor displays out of comics and graphic novels, no those stupid pewter figures for pretending to be sodding elves in role-playing games with. It means talking to customers, not just standing idly by or peering over your till with an air of false superiority. It means talking to the people who work in and run the shop, telling them what you think works, telling them what you want to read. It means call-out sections where you rack by creator, and all the comics shops I know of that have tried it have discovered that it works very well indeed. Because people who don’t come from the comics-store culture will walk into stores and look, not for a title, but the new Neil Gaiman, or the new Alan Moore, or the new Frank Miller.

Basically, if we’re going to attempt to drive new potential readers into comics store, we don’t want them retching from man-stench and cheap porno-manga the minute they get into the store. We need to provide a mature environment in line with bookstores and record stores. We need to provide a mature environment in line with bookstores and record stores. A sense of relaxed professionalism. An environment that’s proud to sell its wares, as opposed to covering them up with miles of Magic boxes or brazenly (or sloppily) leaving he ugly and ephemeral mainstream stuff in front and hiding the good stuff in back. Newsflash; if someone newly interested in comics enters a comics store for the first time, odds are good that they’re not going to want this month’s AMAZING FROTTAGE-MAN.”

My hope is that at least a few of you out there reading my column will take a chance and run to your nearest bookseller, or better yet comics store, and pick up at least one of the titles I mentioned here. Give it a whirl and report back to me with your thoughts. I’d love to hear them. Hey, maybe I’ll even be surprised by the response I receive during my next comic book conversation!

Great websites:

Journalista
DiamondComics

I’ll talk more about women writing comics and comic book artists in a future column.