I read Kabuki lately. A secret organisation composed of women specially trained. 

It has a very partucular style as there no "lineal evolution" along the volumes, the story is told from memories, dreams.. I like it a lot..Its very well written.

Kabuki 

Well, comics have always been a huge passion for me... but I'm not surprised to see that the fact that women read them is big news for some people... tsc tsc... how come I always feel like the overlooked minority?

I've read a lot of the common DC and Marvel titles, but I've moved on from that a few years ago... Then I went on to find some mangas like Vagabond, which is really well made and worth checking out, about the history of Musashi, a famous samurai.

Any thing Frank Miller does is pretty much always incredible also, from Dark Knight to Sin City. All well made and well written. I LOVE his style.

Sandman is also a good story, if you're into some surreal stuff. I particularly love the character Death...

Strangers in Paradise is a must see to anyone who likes platonic love stories and amazing artwork. Plus it doesnt hurt that the lesbian character, Katchoo, is hot.

My favorite one at the moment is Alison Bechel's biweekly strip Dykes to Watch out For. It's just great. Her autobiographical graphic novel Fun Home also blew me away. The most amazing thing about her, besides her great style and narrative, is that she always incorporates political satyre within the stories.

So, I guess what I want to say with this huge post is YES we do exist!

 What planet these men live on that womyn and girls don't read comics?

I wish I knew some,but I don't. The Sorcerers Secretaries seem like it'll be fun comic to read. The Foundation, oh I can't wait to get my hands on that .  

"Do I have to dial 9 to call 911?"( This  quote was shared to me by a nurse who was talking about her then 14 year old  daughter who asked her  this while the father was suffering a heat stroke)

I am always confronted by the look of awe and gaping mouths whenever I mention the fact that I read comic books and graphic novels. Of course the gaping audience is not only male but some straight women who think it beneath them and very immature for a “lady” to do. All I can say to them is stuff it and what a shame since it’s their loss after all, so there! :)

After sounding sooo mature and there for advocating my cause I shall share with you a few of my fav comics, manga and novels….

Well my all time favorite character in comic books is Withcblade. Hot, very strong and can handle her self in any situation….plus she’s hot…like really hot! Also Danger Girl, three hot women who are agents…no need to say more.

As for Manga, I’m reading Gunshmith Cats which I adore, Blood the last Vampire which was also made in anime with UNBELIEVABLE graphics, and Azu Manga Daioh….its cute and funny also made in Anime series and is a bit yuri.

Graphic Novels there are many. Recent favorites include Bite Club by Howard Chaykin and David Tischman's with a bi kick ass vampire mob boss….just sweet. It was six short stories but now its out as one whole book….and I’m now reading Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean….the illustrations are breathtaking.

Well I could go on for a while but won’t…. So I’m just saying for all those haters out there…don’t kick it till you’ve tried it…

Losing lesbian street cred every second of the day @ www.attictales.com

I like Witch Girl Bunny. It features a Lesbian witch, Bunny, who is the main character and her Drag King/vampire girlfriend, Dean. And a crazy sexy faerie who wants Bunny for herself. It's super cute.

Also, Alan Moore's Promethea is excellent too. There is some Lesbian themes, but it's more about the occult and Kabbalah.

One of my good (and surprisingly straight) female friends absolutely loves all things Vertigo, and turned me on to Y: The Last Man a few years ago. She also gave me copies of Sin City long before the movie came out, and I briefly got into Fables, but haven't really branched out since. I'll have to look these (above mentioned) comics up. Thanks!

Yeah! Another good reason for me to mention the fantastic Love And Rockets series.

What else hasn't been mentionned yet? Occult Crimes Taskforce by (and kind of with) Rosario Dawson (that should be reason enough to check it out and kudos to Image comics for letting us do so online: http://www.imagecomics.com/onlinecomics.php). Of course, all the classics: Ariel Shrag, Paige Braddock, Diane Dimassa, Erika Lopez.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some but that's what the edit button is for, no?

Thanks for all the ones I haven't tried yet. I'll be at the store tomorrow so I'll check them out.

I have been waiting for Echo since I firt read about it in the Previews catalogue from Diamond. It's Terry Moore doing superhero genre, I think.

But yes, *sigh* - why are people still surprised women want engaging characters, intelligent stories and great art?

Is it because a lot of the readers on the demographics are perfectly willing to just go with stuff with big boobs, wafer-thin storylines and no characterisation at all? Just because I don't want to read alot of the D grade stuff that is being published doesn't mean I don't read comics - or that I do not possess the brain function to appreciate comics.

Okay, getting angry here, so will stop rant here.

Genevieve Grenier, I love your list, because I enjoy a lot of the same titles also. Titles I read and is looking out for:

1. Peter David's Fallen Angel (I love how she's a fallen angel with PMS)
2. Birds of Prey (I read the TPB, so I'm still wonder if it will be any good without Simone)
3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer volume 8 
4. Checkmate (Greg Rucka)
5. Astonishing X-Men (Joss Whedon as writer, yay)
6. The Sandman (must read!)
7. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
8. Fun Home
9. Manhunter
10. Gotham Central: Two Lives (by Greg Rucka - and it's the story where Renee Montoya, a detective at Gotham PD is "outed" when someone send a photo of her kissing her girlfriend) One of the few decent lesbian storylines in comics
11. Fables

Greg Rucka's Crime Bible series (currently still in singles, if I'm remembering it right) features Renee Montoya as The Question. (I believe Batwoman will be in there from time to time - but she has been so de-gayed I couldn't care less)

DC also released their MINX series of graphic novels targeted at the "female audience". I cringed at first, but some of the titles, like Re-Gifters are not bad.

It is, I think, more indepth than "women want the same thing as men".

"And here’s the thing I think will surprise people… women want exactly the same thing as men: engaging characters, intelligent stories and great art. The thing is, although there will certainly be some overlap, the average woman and average man may have differing opinions as to what meets that criteria. "

The question of "great art" is where the divide is. I am instantly turned of by art that I find demeaning to women...you know, the unrealistically large boobs, teeny tiny waist, and a lack of clothing. When I see that my impression is that this book is for boys. And sometimes I wonder what the appeal is for guys because sometimes the disproportions border on grotesque. Like Elephantitis of the breasts.

I'm not opposed to any and all augmentations or nudity when it's well done and proportionate...because after all, I do like women. LOL

After reading the column, I'm convinced I must have the best local comic book store on the planet. I admit that I have never seen another female there, except for when I drag my girlfriend with me to the shop. (And I only just realized that now that I thought about it.) But I'm honestly treated like frickin' royalty when I'm there....and not in a freakish "OMG it's a girl" kind of way.

IE, That limited edition hardcover of Buffy: The Long Way Home that select stores only recieved one copy of? The store saved it for me....and I didn't even ask.

Good grief, do poeple get paid to research this stuff...honestly...

Some good comics I've picked up have been (in no particular order):

Strangers In Paradise

Charm School a.k.a. Witch Girl Bunny

Bleu Monday

Liberty Meadows

Finals (only a four part series, but soooo freak'n funny)

Maus (ok, its a graphic novel)

Persepolis (another novel)

Blade of the Immortal

Gotham Central and 52 (based around Detective Montoya)

Hmmm.... not many typical comic books here. Kinda get fed up with the Superman, Spiderman, X-men, Batman and all their spin offs I use to love. What happen Stan the Man? And WTF with Supergirl and Batwoman being gay for like two seconds! Where's Mystique's bisexuality? Poison Ivy? Ugh! Batman Year One is good though and Will Eisner's Contract With God. Not really newer stuff, but good.

...but the moment I caught a glimpse of Purgatori (produced by Chaos) I was hooked - think Xena on demonizing steroids (horns and tail included) and the attitude to boot.  Purgatori led me to Lady Death (hot but definitely written for the adolescent male) among others.  I recommend the updated version of Lady Death now called Medieval Lady Death and another character called Belladonna (though it escapes me how a medieval IRISH battle axe-wielding female warrior would be named 'Belladonna' but there ya go).  See my Avatar for what the latter looks like...gotta love a grrl with an axe and an attitude.

• "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field.  I'll meet you there."  Rumi - 13th century
• "Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity"
• Dolor Temporarius, Gloria Aeterna, Cicatrices

Heh, I have a few thousand comics in storage.  By 'storage' I mean they're still at my mom's.  She just loves that.  ;)

Actually, comics helped me realize my orientation.  For any X-Men fans, you'll know of Shadowcat and maybe even Rachel Summers/Dark Phoenix.  The Excalibur comics were full of subtext between these two and I was totally hooked.  I wish I could find a good image of the two of them online, but I haven't had much luck.  But anyway, it was quite an epiphany when I realized why I was so obsessed with the two of them. ;)

Another comic that women readers will enjoy is Razor by London Night Studios.  She's similar to Aeon Flux, but better.

_________

The Vulcan mating season of Pom-far is upon us!
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while DC is moving from Hachette to Random for bookstore distribution my begging privileges are suspended, but i did get copies of most of the first release of MINX titles and they're not bad.  actually, as they're targeted for the female 10-14 set they're pretty darned good and The Plain Janes was my introduction to Cecil Castelluccia (Boy Proof is a great non-graphic YA read and, judging from her picture, if i were to meet Ms Castelluccia i'd want her to be boy proof, and single -- she's dreamy) and i did like the Re-Gifters, although i don't think it's as good as American Born Chinese.  speaking of, the :01 (First Second) line has really good literary offerings, although they do seem to skew towards a male audience.  but Laika is a graphic biography of the doomed sputnick dog (if you don't shed a tear you are heartless), and they publish several of Joann Sfar's works.

many of my favorites have been mentioned already, although for my money SiP cannot be praised enough.  Alan Moore's Hypothetical Lizard is gorgeous and intelligent and all of his work i've read so far has been well worth my time.  The Sandman . . . wow.  and for anyone looking for a great satire on the "helpless girl with big endowments" genre then you must, must, must read Adam Warren's Empowered.

always lovely to hear what smart women are reading and passionate about recommending.  i have a ton of good books to choose from because of this post.  thanks!

How could I forget!? "Dykes To Watch Out For"! Lol. Ok, more comic stripy then comic booky, but there are quite the storylines there. Course no one said these were off limits :)

Any manga fans here? I don't really have the chance to get my hands on much, but I hear the "Revolutionary Girl Utena" series is a good one. I have some of the anime and its great. It can be a little off the wall sometimes but hey, you get a girl married to a girl right in the first episode (so to speak ^_^ ).

By the way, the movie to "Persepolis" is coming out this Friday (atleast here it is). Its animated and looks exactly like the book. Which is a good read, I think, for Maus fans.

The heart has its reasons, for which reason knows nothing. - Pascal