Janelle Asselin
MRA Group Honey Badger Radio Removed From Calgary Expo For False Information, Disruption
A GamerGate-associated group named "Honey Badger Radio" crowdfunded an appearance as exhibitors at CalgaryExpo, in part to sell pro-GamerGate merchandise, and in part to disrupt panels with a feminist angle. As a result of their disruptive behavior, the group has been removed from the convention. This has many GamerGate supporters shouting "censorship" and "misogyny" at the convention, though the convention acted within the bounds of its rules of conduct and for the good of its attendees.
Feisty and Adorable: ‘Powerpuff Girls Super Smash-Up’ #4 Exclusive Preview
While the Powerpuff Girls TV show has been over for nearly a decade now, and the rebooted version has yet to launch, fans of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup can still check out new adventures from the Girls in IDW's Powerpuff Girls Super Smash-Up series. As the title would suggest, the Powerpuff Girls have been introduced to the worlds of other Cartoon Network series, and issue #4 sees the Girls entering the world of Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends. Check out our exclusive preview!
The Challenges Of Publishing And Crowdfunding
ComicsAlliance senior editor Janelle Assellin has wanted to start her own publishing company for a long time. When she finally decided to pull the trigger at the end of 2014, she had no real idea just how much work it would take, and to make matters more challenging, she decided to do a Kickstarter as well! With so many people out there who want to do similar things, Janelle has decided to explain how it all happened for her, and to share what she's learned.
Empowering Versus Objectifying: How Power Matters For Real and Fictional Women
Cartoonist Ronnie Richie has a great piece up at Everyday Feminism that explains what makes a portrayal of a woman empowering versus objectifying. It seems like there should be an easy answer to this question, and Richie offers one, but they also make clear that creators and consumers still really need to think seriously about individual portrayals and depictions in order to understand the distinction. There's no one-size-fits-all answer to what makes something empowering rather than objectifying, because there's an eternally shifting dynamic in each situation: who has the power.
Outrage and Complacency: Responses to Frank Cho’s Spider-Gwen Cover
You may have missed it, but last week Frank Cho posted an image he'd drawn on a sketch cover of Spider-Gwen in a pose reminiscent of the Milo Manara Spider-Woman cover that drew a lot of negative attention. Many people were grossed out by Cho's drawing, including Spider-Gwen artist Robbi Rodriguez, while others jumped to Cho's defense, like J. Scott Campbell and Rob Liefeld. What began as not that big of a deal turned into the latest hot mess to preoccupy the industry, so let's talk about outrage and complacency in comics.
Supervised by Frankie: The Comics of Rachel Dukes [Hire This Woman]
Rachel Dukes is a cartoonist who has a diverse body of work, including contributions to the Subcultures and Beyond anthologies and a Steven Universe comic, as well as her own self-published Frankie Comics about her cat. Dukes has her first graphic novel, Let Me Walk You Home, coming out through Abrams in the fall.
ALA’s Most Challenged Books List of 2014 Includes ‘Drama’, ‘Saga’ and ‘Persepolis’
The American Library Association (ALA) announced their list of Most Challenged Books in 2014, and three comics were on the list: Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' Saga, and Raina Telgemeier's Drama. These comics were challenged for a number of reasons, but many of the complaints had a basis in trying to limit what books children have access to. It's important to note that the ALA is made up of more than just school libraries; public and academic libraries are also part of the ALA.
Organic, Flowing, and Very Ink-centric: An Interview with Tara O’Connor [Hire This Woman]
Hire This Woman is a recurring feature on ComicsAlliance that shines a spotlight on female comics creators, whether they're relative newcomers or experienced pros who are ready to break out. In an overwhelmingly male business, we want to draw your attention to these creators --- and to raise their profile with editors and industry gatekeepers.
Cartoonist Tara O'Connor has worked on a lot of self-published comics, as well as the comic In Your Wake from Sawdust Press, a short comic for Princeless: Tales of Girls Who Rock, and her forthcoming travelogue Roots. She primarily works on her own, doing everything from the writing to the coloring and lettering.
Female Heroes Lead Bestselling Marvel BOGO Titles In March On Comixology
In March, ComiXology had a buy one, get one free sale on Marvel titles, where you could literally buy any of the Marvel issues in their store. This morning they announced that, during that sale, seven out of the top ten comics sold were books with female heroes. Titles that did well include Thor, Silk, and Ms. Marvel. In fact, the only titles on the list that weren't led by a female hero were three Star Wars titles - Star Wars #1 and #2 and Darth Vader #1. The top ten list was pulled from thousands of comics sold during the sale.
WonderCon Moves To Los Angeles in 2016
Towards the end of this weekend's WonderCon, the convention announced that it would be held in Los Angeles in 2016. The move is caused in part by planned construction on the Anahem Convention Center, and currently WonderCon only has a one year contract with LA, so it's not necessarily a permanent move. WonderCon is one of the most nomadic of conventions, having originated in Oakland, moved to San Francisco, and then moved to Anaheim. Of course, the change from Anaheim to Los Angeles is similar to the move from Oakland to San Francisco - it's not a huge shift in terms of general location.