Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
After giving away a free comic from EMET Comics a few weeks ago, I got to talking with their founder about the value of diversity in media, specifically in the world of comics books. Both of us agreed: we need more. So, thanks to her team member, Marial Llorens, we have a helpful post today on that very topic. And as a refresher: You can download their free comic here.
It’s undeniable that comic book culture has exploded in the past decade. You can see its influence everywhere, though most notably in film and TV adaptations inspired by comics. It seems that every day a new comic book adaptation is announced, and that trend seems unlikely to wane anytime soon. Stories that already have a following are less of a financial risk for the mostly white, mostly male gatekeepers of pop culture.
These comic-based TV shows and films have, admittedly, been skewed toward men and male characters. The big names are all dudes: Captain America, Iron Man, Superman, Batman. Black Widow and Gamora are the token women in all-male teams.
As comic writer Mark Millar put it: “I do think it’s interesting we got a talking raccoon before we got a female lead in a comic-book movie.”
More infuriating than interesting, but you get the point. In 2014, only 12% of protagonists in films were women. Only 10% were non-white.
In Hollywood, it’s almost exclusively men that get to spearhead comic book adaptations, sci-fi, action, and fantasy films and TV shows. And movies by male filmmakers only have a female lead 4% of the time.
Movies and TV have yet to really catch up to comics, an industry that’s also mostly male (and white, and cis, and hetero) but shifting at a more rapid pace. Comics with strong female leads and female creators, at least, are frequenting bestseller lists more than ever before. The serialized format of comics and the frequent creation/cancellation of stories mean that the industry has had more flexibility as of late in responding to a growing and more diverse audience.
What does this all mean? It means comic books are the future.
Comics are a battleground where women, minorities, and people of varying gender and sexual identities can make a big impact on media. What starts in comics will end up on TV, in movies, on billboards, on kids’ lunchboxes, and in the popular imagination.
Representation in the comics industry remains far from perfect. Tim Hanley of Bleeding Cool reported that at both DC and Marvel, about 83% of credits on comics were men in August 2015. And that’s a “fantastic” month for women. Only 1 in 4 of Marvel’s titles launching in January are led by a female character. At other publishers, the numbers aren’t much better.
But there are signs that things in comics are improving. Thor is a woman and Captain America is black. Raina Telgemeier rules the bestseller lists with graphic novels aimed at middle school girls. In a recent issue of Batgirl, a smart and brave transgender female character helps rescue her fiancé—a woman—and marries her.
There’s still a long way to go to get equal representation. As consumers, we can make a difference in how media is created and who is included in the conversation. What’s the simplest, most powerful solution for effecting change?
Vote with your wallet.
You want to see more women and minorities creating and starring in comics, TV, and films? Seek out stories that feature them and are created by them and throw your hard-earned dollars at them as fast as you can. Get your butt to a comic book shop or a bookstore and be vocal online about what you want to see in your stories.
With your support, they may even make it to the big screen.
Emet Comics was founded in January 2015 by a community of female filmmakers to empower storytellers and artists who didn’t feel like they had a platform for their unique stories. It is widely known that media images can be incredibly powerful in influencing biases that marginalize young women, often making them feel like they aren’t smart enough, pretty enough, or brave enough. Emet Comics aims to empower young women to see themselves in the driver seat of their lives and to dare to dream the impossible! Through bold and diverse comics, Emet’s creators are proving that women are not afraid to take risks, dream, and lead adventurous lives. They hope to create a movement to empower female storytellers and in turn empower women all over the world. Learn more at emetcomics.com
Sometimes awesome things happen. Right now is one of those times. Why? Because I’m happy to announce that the awesome giveaways for Geeks Go Glam are being provided by ThinkGeek Solutions!
Many people know the main ThinkGeek store for their many amazing wares, but not as many are aware of the very cool work of their Solutions counterparts. Those peeps make online stores and official merchandise for major gaming brands including Betheseda and BioWare. I know you love their games, but I’d bet you’d love their awesome merch too.
We can’t tell you exactly what they’re going to be giving away, but if the previews we’ve been seeing are any indication, you definitely have every reason to be excited about it.
We’re so grateful to all our sponsors and can’t wait for you to meet them. If you haven’t already seen: we’re going to have a great photobooth brought to you by Quirk Books and one of their newest titles: The Fan Girl’s Guide to the Galaxy. And swag for EVERYONE from the amazing WattPad. Music will be going all night with the awesome LA-based band, The Filthy Souls, thanks to High Voltage Magazine. And of course, you’ll be thirsty after walking around all day, so we’re really excited for you to meet Kombucha on Tap, who will be bringing us fresh Kombucha and brewed ice coffee.
I can’t believe it’s finally happening this week!
If you still haven’t gotten your tickets for Geeks Go Glam, you gotta do it! Visit geeksgoglam.com to pre-order! (That’s important! We won’t be offering tickets on site!)
So by now, you’ve probably noticed that I’m going on and on and on and on and on and on on Twitter about this party, Geeks Go Glam at San Diego Comic Con 2015. And maybe you want to go, but you are wondering about a few things.
Well, let’s start with the fun stuff. I’m giving away TWO TICKETS! Hoorah. I’m going to buy two tickets for you and a date. How do you enter? You Tweet!
It’s this simple:
TWEET THIS: “I want to go to Geeks Go Glam at #SDCC! Let’s get swanky! #SDCCGiveaway www.geeksgoglam.com”
You can do that by either copying and pasting the above, or pressing this super helpful button right here, which is specially coded for the simplicity of making Tweeting ridiculously easy.
You have until Midnight, Wednesday, July 1st to tweet this business and win. Got it? Good. Good. Now Tweet.
Ok, so now that we have that out of the way I want to talk about the questions people have been asking me about this party over and over again. Here’s the deal: no, it’s not strictly required that gents wear a suit! Just be clean and nice and friendly and we’re happy to welcome you. Here are some more answers to your questions:
FAQ:
1. Do I have to really wear a suit?
A: No! This is not a requirement at all! Being glam can happen in shorts. And if you’re really brave, you can wear a tuxedo t-shirt! No hate from us.
2. It’s going to be hot in San Diego, are you sure we should dress up?
A: We understand! Ladies have it much easier with skirts and dresses! For the dudes, feel free to go for beach glam. Or kilts. Just come with a smile and a good attitude!
3. There are other parties that night, will I miss anything if I come later?
A: No! Our party starts at 8, but there will be activities all night long. It’s a mixer with fun and treats and entertainment all through the evening.
4. Can we buy tickets at the door?
A: Currently, we are not offering tickets the night of the event, so please pre-order.
5. Can I bring a friend?
A: Yes! Just be sure you buy an extra ticket for anyone you may want to join you. It’s not necessarily tied to your name. Just need an extra ticket.
“Nobody wants to acknowledge that a one-sided (and one-dimensional) portrayal of women is the dominant paradigm in gaming; the vast majority of female characters are sexual objects. If a girl wants to see herself represented in video games, she better get used to the idea of being the prize at the bottom of the cereal box. If she wants to see herself as a main character, then it’s time to get ready for a parade of candyfloss costumes where nipple slips are only prevented by violating the laws of physics. The number of games with competent female protagonists who wear more than the Victoria’s Secret Angels are few and far between.”
Go check out this worthy read.
Movies like Paul, Scott Pilgrim, Chasing Amy, and Fanboys chronicle the saga of the male geek. Obsessive female fans don’t see much of themselves on the big screen. Now a movie is in production that could change all that.
One Con Glory is a story about life, love, and action figures - and one woman’s obsession with avoiding the first two while seeking the third. It follows Julie, a nerd culture reporter covering a giant comic book convention. A little too much drinking on the first night leads to antics that leave Julie with an ill-gotten classic action figure, a new relationship, and a blood feud against another reporter.
