How many women make webcomics?

I have noticed a few, but this seems to be very much a male-dominated activity...

Just curious!
fg33

I doubt most female webcomic authors will want to reveal themselves, for fear of rabid lonely males.

There's one right here (http://www.genvid.com/Sheik/index.txt)... she and i are affiliates.

Comics are very much male-dominated, especially in the US. Computers are still a male thing too. So when you put the two together...

It's a pity. I read the first issue of Grrrl Scouts (http://www.imagecomics.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?main=features&sub1=onlinecomics) last night, and though it kicked some ass, I couldn't help wonder what it would have been like with a woman at the helm.

More than you might be led to believe. Drunk Duck is chocked full of them.

http://www.drunkduck.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1175&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
By the way, I have a penis.

congradulations

congradulations
I can also spell. :jester:

Aliens Are a Plot Device (http://www.obscurant.net/janedoe/3apd/)

Just found http://www.comixpedia.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=Search&file=index&action=search&overview=1&active_stories=1&stories_topics[0]=42.

Yeah, after posting that last comment, I realized there were more than came to mind immediately. There's even quite a few on TWC's frontpage. They just don't spam in forums as much, I guess, heh heh.

Litazia - The Tao of Geek

Skoolmunkee - The Repository of Dangerous Things.

Zoe Stead: Earthbound
Aerie What's-Her-Nuts: Queen of Wands

www.sixthirtyfive.com

She makes good comics.

Aerie from QoW

It's possible that being a female comic artist is just something that is still discouraged somewhat by society and even families. I didn't know of any girls that were into comics when I was growing up. It just wasn't one of those things that proper girls do.
Other than that, I don't have a clue as to why there would be or even should be such a significantly tilted minority of female authors to male authors. I think it's tragic that there is such a ratio of difference. This is a fun field of creativity. Why should guys have all the fun?
There is hope (http://www.tripshotpress.com/moondog/).

Being a female comic artist, I only became involved with comics later in my life. I don't think this is necessarily my gender, but more my parents. I have one brother and he doesn't read comics either.

I have noticed that society/parents seem to be offering a wider variety of choices for young boys. Think of it... it's socially acceptable to be a geek (at least more so now than before), a musician, a career man, a general laborer, or just about anything. Women pick between being a housewife, having a career, or trying to be famous (model, singer, actress, athlete). It's not nearly that cut and dry, but see what I mean? If we don't have ambitions of trying to be famous and glamorous, and we don't see ourselves married with 5 kids by the time we are 25, then we are supposed to find a career.

This happened in my family. I grew up and went to college. My sister grew up and went to college. The next sister had a boyfriend in high school and is now married to him with a kid. She is going to finish college because when they got married she was very close to being done. My brother? Video game player. Just recently decided to go to a vocation school to learn to be a programmer. My youngest sister is growing up athletic, educated, popular, and will probably go to school to try to get a career either as a soccer player or something else if she doesn't make the cut.

I've felt an enormous amount of pressure to fit into the mold of a normal woman. I'm supposed to like shoe shopping. I'm supposed to like credit cards. I'm supposed to spend hours doing my hair in the morning. I'm supposed to care about knowing fashion and all of that stuff. Maybe other women haven't experienced this, but I have, even while going to an engineering school. It seemed like if you are a guy and you want to be a "geek" then it was fine, you were just another type of guy from the jocks and the preps. If you were a girl then you were a freak.

I think there is also an unfair amount of pressure in the comic industry itself for women to fit in a certain way. Just looking at the newspaper, I find that men get to write slapstick, adventure, mystery, and all these different forms, while women are generally reserved for having the cute comics that you don't laugh at or the drama ones, like Brenda Starr.
I would love to see one syndicated female author just break that mold. Just one. If there are, I apologize for not recognizing them, but I get the Chicago Tribune here.

Woman shouldn't be making comics. they should be in the kitchen making dinner or in the hospital making babies

Woman shouldn't be making comics. they should be in the kitchen making dinner or in the hospital making babies

Prepare to be lynched Rezo, not a lot of people get sarcasam too well here
:jester:

I got one,
Why don't women bring umbrellas to work?







Why would they Need to from the bedroom to the kitchen.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Great!

stop being sexist. you'll make the women cry

Lee Majors: "What? Women are things."

Prepare to be lynched Rezo, not a lot of people get sarcasam too well here


ha, I've noticed. Though I think you gave it away to the few people that couldn't pick up on the sarcasm immediately.

You know, amidst all of this talk about the roles of women and such, I just have this to say:

Women are irrational, that's all there is to that!
There heads are full of cotton, hay, and rags!
They're nothing but exasperating, irritating,
vacillating, calculating, agitating,
Maddening and infuriating hags!

Why can't a woman be more like a man?
Men are so honest, so thoroughly square;
Eternally noble, historic'ly fair;
Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat.
Well, why can't a woman be like that?
Why does ev'ryone do what the others do?
Can't a woman learn to use her head?
Why do they do ev'rything their mothers do?
Why don't they grow up- well, like their father instead?
Why can't a woman take after a man?
Men are so pleasant, so easy to please;
Whenever you are with them, you're always at ease.
Elftor, you're a man
Would you be slighted if I didn't speak for hours?

Of course not!

Would you be livid if I had a drink or two?

Nonsense!

Would you be wounded if I never sent you flowers?

Never.

Well, why can't a woman be like you?

One man in a million may shout a bit.
Now and then there's one with slight defects;
One, perhaps, whose truthfulness you doubt a bit.
But by and large we are a marvelous sex!
Why can't a woman take after like a man?
Cause men are so friendly, good natured and kind.
A better companion you never will find.
If I were hours late for dinner, would you bellow?

Of course not!

If I forgot your silly birthday, would you fuss?

Nonsense.

Would you complain if I took out another fellow?

Never.

Well, why can't a woman be like us?

Rabid Fan, you're a woman...
Why can't a woman be more like a man?
Men are so decent, such regular chaps.
Ready to help you through any mishaps.
Ready to buck you up whenever you are glum.
Why can't a woman be a chum?
Why is thinking something women never do?
Why is logic never even tried?
Straight'ning up their hair is all they ever do.
Why don't they straighten up the mess that's inside?
Why can't a woman behave like a man?
If I was a woman who'd been to a ball,
Been hailed as a princess by one and by all;
Would I start weeping like a bathtub overflowing?
And carry on as if my home were in a tree?
Would I run off and never tell me where I'm going?
Why can't a woman be like me?

I ain't even gonna touch those comments. I'm divorced and already housebroken.

ha, I've noticed. Though I think you gave it away to the few people that couldn't pick up on the sarcasm immediately.

You know, amidst all of this talk about the roles of women and such, I just have this to say:

Women are irrational, that's all there is to that!
There heads are full of cotton, hay, and rags!
They're nothing but exasperating, irritating,
vacillating, calculating, agitating,
Maddening and infuriating hags!

Why can't a woman be more like a man?
Men are so honest, so thoroughly square;
Eternally noble, historic'ly fair;
Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat.
Well, why can't a woman be like that?
Why does ev'ryone do what the others do?
Can't a woman learn to use her head?
Why do they do ev'rything their mothers do?
Why don't they grow up- well, like their father instead?
Why can't a woman take after a man?
Men are so pleasant, so easy to please;
Whenever you are with them, you're always at ease.
Elftor, you're a man
Would you be slighted if I didn't speak for hours?

Of course not!

Would you be livid if I had a drink or two?

Nonsense!

Would you be wounded if I never sent you flowers?

Never.

Well, why can't a woman be like you?

One man in a million may shout a bit.
Now and then there's one with slight defects;
One, perhaps, whose truthfulness you doubt a bit.
But by and large we are a marvelous sex!
Why can't a woman take after like a man?
Cause men are so friendly, good natured and kind.
A better companion you never will find.
If I were hours late for dinner, would you bellow?

Of course not!

If I forgot your silly birthday, would you fuss?

Nonsense.

Would you complain if I took out another fellow?

Never.

Well, why can't a woman be like us?

Rabid Fan, you're a woman...
Why can't a woman be more like a man?
Men are so decent, such regular chaps.
Ready to help you through any mishaps.
Ready to buck you up whenever you are glum.
Why can't a woman be a chum?
Why is thinking something women never do?
Why is logic never even tried?
Straight'ning up their hair is all they ever do.
Why don't they straighten up the mess that's inside?
Why can't a woman behave like a man?
If I was a woman who'd been to a ball,
Been hailed as a princess by one and by all;
Would I start weeping like a bathtub overflowing?
And carry on as if my home were in a tree?
Would I run off and never tell me where I'm going?
Why can't a woman be like me?


Ahem

Everyday I give thanks to the Goddess,
I have two mounds upon my bodice.
I shave my legs, I sit down to pee,
Can justify any shopping spree.

Don't go to a barber, but a beauty salon,
Can get a massage without a hard-on.
I can balance the checkbook, can pump my own gas,
Can talk to my friends about the size of my a$$.

My beauty's a masterpiece, and yes, it takes long,
At least I can admit to others when I'm wrong.
I don't drive in circles at any cost,
And I don't have a problem admitting I'm lost.

Let me tell you men
Listen to me boys
Those things in your pants
That you treat as toys
You love them more then we ever will
We would rather s*ck on a cold pickled dill

I never forget an important date,
You just gotta deal with it, I'm usually late.
I don't watch movies with lots of gore,
Don't need instant replay to remember the score.

I won't lose my hair,
I don't get jock itch,
And just 'cause I'm assertive,
Don't call me a B*tch!

I don't wear the same underwear everyday,
The food in my fridge has no sign of decay.
Don't burp, don't belch and I certainly don't fart,
Ballet, not football, is what I consider an art.

Don't say to your friends,
"Oh yeah, I can get her" -
In your dreams, my dear,
I can do better!

Flowers are okay,
But jewelry's best.
Would you look at my face,
Not at my chest!

I don't have a problem,
Expressing my feelings.
I know when you're lying,
You look at the ceiling.

I know all you men
Think that you're "IT"
But compared to a woman
You just ain't SH*T!

Don't call me a girl,
A babe or a chick.
I am a WOMAN,
Get it, you pr*ck?!

:)

*claps*
thank you, Rabid Fan.

As a female comic artist myself I can say that I haven't run into any discouragment from family or friends in drawing but I don't intend to make it my career. Maybe there are fewer women doing webcomics right now, but I sincerely doubt that'll last.

I can't really bitch about women in webcomics. Alot more of my fanbase is female than I first thought. Kinda odd considering my material.....

Anyway, for what it's worth I get more use out of talking with women about art styles and presentation. I just find they are more analytical than most guys.

Feedback from guy: Dude! His fuckin' head blew up! SWEET!

Feedback from girl: It's good but your linework is kind of unsteady in contrast to the background. You could have used a bit more lineweight on that one eyeball coming toward the reader. Not bad, though.

Women tend to be more detail oriented. I'm nit-picky to a fault. If you wanted me to analyze a comic, you'd get an analysis right down to the number 2.05 pencil you used instead of a number 2.

I find this happens at work too. I work with CAD drawings and a lot of times I catch a bunch of mistakes that guys missed.

There seem to be more women, both creators and readers, in webcomics than print comics. I imagine some of that has to do with not having to go into comic book stores.

I go into comic shops all the time AND, get this, video game stores. I even give the clerks a run for thier money when it comes to knowledge on 'classic gaming' :p

I've never had a problem with discouragment from making comics, or being an animator.

It probably depends a lot on where you grow up. Like around me, people are extremely and embarrassingly conservative.

There are loads of female webcomic artists, I think. It depends where you look. There seems to be a lot more of them drawing long-form stories (a lot of them (not all! XD)manga inspired...) instead of strip comics which is interesting... Demonology 101, Eversummer Eve, Wish3, that Valkerie Yuuki thing, Saturnalia, Rules of Make Believe, Drowtales (i think), Alien Dice, Sensus, Terminal, Ghosthunters...uhhh...and I'm spent, I think... But yeah, there are female artists out there. :D Loooads of 'em. :D

Sexist jokes are funny. And besides, we don't mean them.

...Well, I don't mean them at any rate.


What do you tell a woman with two black eyes?



Nothing! You've already told her twice.



...Remember, I DON'T MEAN IT. :p

I used to do a strip comic (JaneDoe, which is down for some reason) but I found I get more satisfaction out of doing a long story one. I get to appease my dark nature.

Certain sexist jokes aren't funny, actually.

I've also noticed that less female artists do short daily humor gag comics. I've also noticed that among the nexspaper comics less females do the wackier, more slapstick stuff. Not sure why though, but it would be cool to find some short form humor comics done by women online.

im a chick and i make comics, even though they arent very good... but they are getting better, my older ones were pure crap but some will get a laugh out of u if u can read them...

I've also noticed that less female artists do short daily humor gag comics. I've also noticed that among the nexspaper comics less females do the wackier, more slapstick stuff. Not sure why though, but it would be cool to find some short form humor comics done by women online.
Perhaps they take life more seriously than males?

Whew,

Those would be worth commenting on...

...if they were the least bit funny!

Better luck next time, boys! ;-P

fg33

Have you noticed how more often it is the guys who like those slap-silly teen humor movies? I liked the movie "Varsity", but not for its silly gags. I liked the small amounts of content in it. The same probably goes with comics. The trend of having less short gag strips probably comes from the trend of what we think is funny.

I don't know if it is still out there or not, but there was a girl who did a comic like that called Ninja Bob. It was the kind of silly, weird, short gags that you were talking about.

Hmm, backtracking to the initial topic, if you look only at the number of females writing webcomics you're not really getting the full picture. As girls have more exposure to webcomics, there will be more girl readers and more girl writers. Compare the current number of girl members and creators on TWC to the numbers a year ago. There's been a really noticeable change. Since there is no real barrier to girls publishing comics on the web, I think things will continue to even out over time.

For the record, I 'got into' comics because my dad read me the sunday funnies when I was a kid. Knowing that comics exist and are enjoyable is what prompts people to try making them.


Heather, shame on you. You know that linking me to one of these discussions is like summoning the cranky undead on a ouija board. I'm going back to inksandwich now. ^__^

Have you noticed how more often it is the guys who like those slap-silly teen humor movies? I liked the movie "Varsity", but not for its silly gags. I liked the small amounts of content in it. The same probably goes with comics. The trend of having less short gag strips probably comes from the trend of what we think is funny.

I dunno, I've always preferred sci-fi, humor, and action movies to love stories and "deep" movies.

I kinda do a daily gag thing in my comic too. My attention span isn't long enough to do a storyline often. *shrug* It's all a matter of taste.

Ooh, here's one I just found (ok I know her in real life):
http://ascendingheaven.keenspace.com/