Jan 31, 2012

Women and Comics

A while ago I was on Joy FM talking nonsense in a much nicer studio than 3CR, with actual windows, individual headphone volume controls and a cough button if you can believe it. I was asked a simple question, but I don't think I answered it very well.
(if you want to hear it http://www.cpod.org.au/page.php?id=215&page_style=joy.css&no_brand=1)

Sonja asked me how women were supported in comics in Australia.

I think I gave a fairly inadequate answer, basically complaining about how major publishers had failed to support me in the style to which I would like to become accustomed, but the question is not as simple as it sounds. I could have said, there is no real comic publishing machinery that we can fit into, or a literary patronage system that women practitioners are excluded from. Women comic artists don't compete with male comic artists for prizes, the attention of a range of comic publishers and fight exclusion on the basis of sex. Like in most democracies women's oppression and exclusion is more subtle than a sign saying 'no girls allowed'.

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