Comic Book Women

Peyton Brunet is a graduate of DePaul University's communication and media master's program. Blair Davis is an associate professor of media and cinema studies at DePaul University. He is the author of Movie Comics: Page to Screen/Screen to Page, Comic Book Movies, and The Battle for the Bs: 1950s Hollywood and the Rebirth of Low-Budget Cinema.

Foreword by Trina Robbins Introduction Chapter 1. Superhero Comics Chapter 2. Jungle Comics Chapter 3. Crime Comics Chapter 4. Horror Comics Chapter 5. Western Comics Chapter 6. Title Characters Chapter 7. Science Fiction Comics Chapter 8. Romance Comics Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

This study of women in Golden Age comics is an absolute joy to read. Comic Book Women progresses smoothly from pioneering superhero stories to less well-known horror and science fiction titles, before shifting to the unexpected complexity behind teen and romance comics. As each chapter makes increasingly clear, evidence of the integral role that women played in the growth of the comics medium in the United States is overwhelming, as are the disturbing obstructions and predatory work environments that hindered their full public participation in the industry.- Qiana Whitted, author of EC Comics: Race, Shock, and Social Protest Comic Book Women is beautifully organized and exquisitely well researched. The authors' method of framing various problems in terms of genre propels the volume into relevance for broader conversations regarding the intersection of gender studies and genre studies. The idea of a recuperation of the role of women in comics (both in the industry and as subjects) is long overdue, and this volume holds the possibility of re-envisioning comics history.- Kate Polak, author of Ethics in the Gutter: Empathy and Historical Fiction in Comics Comic Book Women is a necessary counterweight to...male-centric [comic book creator] biographies...Brunet and Davis take a fresh look at the early days of comics, focusing on the women who helped to build up the industry-and who were subsequently erased from the history books.- Book Riot A comprehensive look at the important role female creators played in the production of the media in the Golden Age of Comics...Comic Book Women is thoughtful and well-researched, guiding us to not only reexamine comics history but also to push for more accountability and intersectionality in the modern canon.- ANTIGRAVITY Magazine Comic Book Women recognizes the often-unremembered women characters and creators of the industry while recognizing their sometimes problematic roles.- Technical Communication The depth and breadth of this heavily illustrated book is stunning. This is a groundbreaking contribution to the field...Essential.- CHOICE An ambitious, exhaustive work that works to change how women have been perceived in the field of comics and document their contributions to the medium. . . the book serves as a foundational work in comics scholarship and brings women's work into the mainstream research. Covering all possible genres, it is comprehensive and a must-read for any comics fans.- Journal of Popular Culture