Stumptown Mid-Con Update

WOW.
Today is the second day of Stumptown Comics Fest, Portland’s awesome hometown convention and the site of Girl-Wonder’s first-ever booth, and for the first time this weekend, I have the chance to post an update (Livia and Noah are still hard at work at the con).
Stumptown rocks. It’s full of independent comics and creators, and it’s small and friendly enough to avoid the impersonal chaos of bigger cons. If you don’t know everyone going in, you will by the end of the weekend. It draws not only the best and the brightest of Portland’s (numerous) local talents, as well as folks from all up and down the west coast. With a $5/day entrance fee, it’s also accessible to fans who might not be willing or able to shell out the heftier admission prices at larger cons.
And apparently, Stumptown Comics Fest–and it’s exhibitors, volunteers, guests, and attendees–loves Girl-Wonder. We showed up and were greeted by a volunteer who first gushed about how much he dug our site, then solemnly asked if it was okay that we’d been bumped up from a half-table to a full table. We spent Saturday talking with fans and creators, and being generally overwhelmed by their tremendously positive responses. Many had heard of the site; some had sought us out to tell us how much they enjoyed the columns, or the comics, or the forums. Those who hadn’t seemed genuinely interested in checking us out. Partway through the day, we ran back to Kinkos to replenish our rapidly disappearing stickers and fliers. Phil Foglio came to say ‘hi’ and doodle in our sketchbook. Guest of honor Shaenon Garrity stopped by to ask if we were still taking donations for the auction (we’re not, but we made an exception, ’cause c’mon!). Amy Mebberson hung out at our table for a few hours (she’s awesome, by the way!) and drew the cutest superheroes we’d ever seen.
Stay tuned for more updates…

From The WTFiles…

The Supergirl clothing line!
Via new Newsarama blog Spin-offs by Stephanie Chen, this youtube link to the launch of the Supergirl clothing line in LA boutique Intuition.
Oh, the horror, the horror! More pink glittery faux-punk ‘girl power – so long as you’re glamorous!’ than you can shake a stick at, and almost no connection to the super girl herself.
On the other hand, I was enormously cheered to see at least one of the numerous (possibly) celebrities interviewed was a fan. Speaketh Adrianne Palicki: ‘This little blonde girl, growing up… I wanted to be just like her.’
Aw. If only she was visible in this clothing line!

Feminism: Weirdly, Not About Men!

This wonderful post from LJ user pnkrokhockeymom articulates with clarity and passion exactly why responding to feminist critique of patriarchy by reassuring the writers that there are nice guys out there can be so very infuriating.
The thing is, it goes so far beyond any one man’s actions, good or bad. These really nice guys always show up–they’re well meaning but they don’t understand– they say, ‘But some of us are nice,’ as if our reactions and internalized confusions are the result of irritating behavior by individual assholes, rather than institutionalized sexism we bear from all fronts simultaneously. The frustrating thing I always feel, and always want to say, is DUDE: FEMINISM IS NOT ABOUT MEN. This is not about you, individually. This is about a culture that treats me as a breeding machine whose sexuality and sexual activity is to be controlled, through any means necessary. No prince charming in feminist clothing (and believe me, I know they’re out there, I’ve loved them, I’ve fucked them, and I hope to find more of them in the future), simply by saying ‘Well, I like it that you are a sexual being, and I love you and respect you not despite it but for it and apart from it simultaneously,’ can negate the impact of a lifetime as a member of the sex class.

The one where I gush about Darwyn Cooke

Via Newsarama, I discover that the NYT has reviewed the DVD release of The New Frontier. I learn that Mr. Cooke fought to keep Lois Lane and Wonder Woman in the film, which relieves and pleases me; Darwyn Cooke’s Wonder Woman is the most original and progressive reworking of that story since Perez’s.

The one screenshot included did disappoint me slightly, since Wonder Woman seems to have lost the signature look Cooke gave her, but given the scene it portrays, I’m still thrilled that it was included.

Supergirl Reinvented

Interview with Tony Bedard over at Sequential Tart.
I’m stoked about this. Supergirl is one of those characters that I’ve always wanted to like, but I’ve been put off by Kara’s missing ribs and that crotch-length fluttery thing that I think is a skirt?
My favorite part of the interview:

But the point of the book isn’t how she looks in her skirt. It’s that growing up and finding your role in the world is hard to do, but that making the right choices is ultimately the most rewarding thing to do.

Wait a minute, back up here! Did he just say…that how a female character looks doesn’t matter? And that maybe, just maybe…the things she says and does and thinks matter more? Zoh. My. God. No way.

GWOG!

Welcome to GWOG, the Girl-Wonder blOG, run by the Girl-Wonder team for your edification and entertainment!

Here you will find links to items that will amuse, amaze, inspire or depress you, short posts and quotes about Interesting Things and a way to procrastinate even further on those things you will get around to doing any minute now. Check back often – there’s so much comics and other interesting stuff going on that there’s sure to be something new!

Feel free to comment!

And keep an eye on that star in the upper right-hand corner. MYSTERIOUS.

Girl Wonder Adds Support to Bra Blitz

Girl-Wonder, founded on the idea of activism and collective action, is officially joining and supporting P.O.W.E.R. In Comics’s Bra Blitz.
Lisa Neptune, founder of P.O.W.E.R., is looking into ordering overstocked/slightly damaged bras from Enell for use in mailing campaigns to major comic publishers. For those unfamiliar with the network, P.O.W.E.R. in Comics is a social network devoted to the promotion of women and minorities in comic creation, comic store/ publishing house ownership, and simple comic enjoyment.
At the moment, she would like to get a head count of members interested, and how many bras they would like. Once she has that, we can get a price estimate out. Also, begin collecting the names and addresses of those you feel should receive a letter and bra. Those will be discussed and posted at a later date. If you’re interested, please leave a comment at the forum topic.