Culture & ArtsFemale ArtistsComics

The Comic Book Industry Officially Has No Excuse Not To Hire Women

Thanks to the #VisibleWomen hashtag, which gathers together names and skills of gifted women in the comic book biz.
Priscilla Frank
ByΒ 

Arts and Culture Reporter, HuffPost

For some, August 7 was just another Monday. But for women in the comic book industry, the day marked the second iteration of #VisibleWomen, a social media initiative meant to help women in the comics world gain visibility, connect with one another and get paid.

Production company Milkfed announced the effort on their website, inviting all women-identifying comic artists, colorists, letterers, inkers and writers to take to Twitter and promote their work. Creative individuals who identify as women or non-binary were instructed to announce who they are, what they do, what they’re working on, and supply some sample images of their creations.

The #VisibleWomen poured in, with hundreds of gifted women sharing their work on Twitter, from 16-year-old self-taught illustrators to seasoned professionals. There are queer comics, trans comics, comics of color and comics with disabilities. Mall Goths, sci-fi nerds, naturalists and half-orc fighters. Women creating memoirs, queer love stories, fantasy-inspired folklore and creepy demon babes.

After the day is done, Milkfed will compile every tweet with the #VisibleWomen hashtag into a massive spreadsheet, which will be available free of charge to any hiring professional in the comic book industry, which has historically been dominated by men. Folks in the biz will officially have no excuse not to compile a diverse roster of contributors and employees on future projects. Right? Right.

Like Women Who Draw, #VisibleWomen encourages women to make their voices heard and their work seen, asking employers to take note in return. With databases like these in place, we’re hoping to see more comic books that represent the wide range of people that read them, not just the same old white boy superheroes.

Check out over 50 of the incredibly gifted women working in comics today below.

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