Comics are an infinitely diverse medium, used to tell stories of every kind. The creators of these stories are just as diverse, and for Women’s History Month I decided to highlight some of my favorite stories by female creators!
Black Cloak by Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren
An amazing sci-fi/fantasy comic by the wonderful tag team of Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren, focusing on a murder mystery taking place in the last civilized city in the world. The Black Cloaks are an elite detective force in Kiros, a city that blends technology and magic to form a metropolis of skyscrapers as well as giant tree houses. The prince of the kingdom is murdered, and it’s up to his former betrothed (now Black Cloak) Essex and her partner to find out who did it, and why. Black Cloak is perfect for fans of detective noir stories with a twist, featuring art to match the dark yet fantastical feeling of the genre-blending setting.
Power Pack by Louise Simonson, June Brigman, and Bob Wiacek
One of my favorite classic Marvel series, by a killer creative team. Power Pack focuses on the Power siblings, as they gain super-powers from a dying alien in an effort to save the world (without letting their parents know). With guest stars galore (including sometimes team member Franklin Richards), this long running series is perfect for readers of any age. My favorite part of Power Pack has always been how it connects with the reader, presenting the characters and story like any other comic and not dumbing it down in an effort to make it purely a “kids” comic. It’s a wonderful story and a great way to introduce new readers to comics!
X-Terminators by Leah Williams and Carlos Gomez
I am not a huge X-Men fan, but this is probably one of my favorite X-series I’ve read. The story focuses on Dazzler, who’s just getting over a messy breakup. While Jubilee and Boom-Boom try to console Dazzler with a night out, they end up getting kidnapped and put in an arena style death-match with none other than Laura Kinney aka Wolverine. After escaping, the gang goes on a revenge tour against their would-be kidnapper, who just so happens to be Dazzlers ex! A hilariously fun romp, with some kick-ass X-ladies leading the book, highly recommended even if you aren’t the biggest X-fan.
Mother Panic by Jody Houser and Tommy Lee Edwards
The first comics I started seriously collecting were from DC’s Young Animals imprint, and one of my favorites was Mother Panic. Focusing on a young vigilante with an enhanced cybernetic suit patrolling the streets of Gotham, Violet Paige aka Mother Panic, deals out a more brutal justice then the other heroes in Gotham. Focusing her rage on her fellow upper-class peers, Violet is on a mission to make right the wrongs of Gotham City and it’s elite. Perfect for fans of street level vigilantism, or people who don’t think Batman is doing enough.
Peepee Poopoo by Caroline Cash
A modern underground comix masterpiece by Chicago native Caroline Cash! PeePee-PooPoo is a series of semi-autobiographical comics heavily inspired by the underground comix style of the 60s and 70s. The art and stories have a ton of heart, and you can feel the charm oozing off of every page. Each issue includes a unique collection of fun, short comics that means you can read the series in sequence or individually. PeePee-PooPoo is wonderful, and I can’t wait to see more from the creator!
There are so many more comics done by wonderful women, but sadly one month just isn’t long enough to cover them all. As always, if you’re looking for something more, ask your friendly neighborhood Graham Crackers employee for suggestions! We are always happy to point you in the right direction, and can talk your ear off more then I can in this article alone.