Women in Comics

The first in-depth look at the important role women have played in comics history, from the late nineteenth century to today, with a focus on both female cartoonists and female characters.

From iconic characters including Lois Lane, Blondie, Mata Hari, and Black Widow to legendary creators such as Nell Brinkley, Jackie Ormes, Cathy Guisewite, ND Stevenson, and Alison Bechdel Women in Comics is the first-ever global history of women in comics. Spanning the period from the late nineteenth century and the rise of newspaper comics and editorial cartoons through twentieth-century comic strips, trade issues, and early graphic novels to twenty-first-century comics in digital and print form, the book is structured around six key archetypes: the Patriot, the Working Woman, the Socialite, the Fashionista, the Reporter, and the Spy. It shows the ebb and flow of these core archetypes over time and the gradual inclusion of multicultural and LGBTQ+ influences. Illustrated throughout with archival images, some never-before-seen, Women in Comics is a must have book of essential comics history for all fans of the genre.