Part of the Series
Ladydrawers
Earlier this year, DC Comics announced it would “re-boot” its entire spate of 52 monthly superhero books and start all storylines from scratch, with all new creators. The radical move was intended to attract new readers, sure, but it also attracted immediate criticism, since it followed the release of several female creators from the DC roster.
Critics say that number dropped from 12% to 1%—here at Ladydrawers HQ we only tallied creators on DC’s Vertigo line, but 12% does match our findings for women creators at commercial comics publishers in general. When queried about the drop in female creators in July at the San Diego Comic-Con, DC Comics co-publisher Dan Didio responded, “What do those numbers mean to you? What do they mean to you? Who should we be hiring? Tell me right now. Who should we be hiring right now? Tell me.”
His response struck many as defensive and deflective. ComicsAlliance editor-in-chief Laura Hudson, echoing our own concerns at Ladydrawers wrote, “Women are half of the world, and a significant percentage of the DC Comics character stable, and yet only 1% of their creators. And the way that you treat and represent half of the people in your world—and by extension, half of the people in the real world who might potentially buy your books—should be more than a marginal concern.”
DC followed up with a July 29 letter on its official blog highlighting the notable female creators they currently publish and promising more in the future. So when it launched, we looked at the New 52 carefully. What we found was disturbing—even if you like men in tights.
To see past Ladydrawers comics, click here.
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Truthout Is Preparing to Meet Trump’s Agenda With Resistance at Every Turn
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If you feel rage, despondency, confusion and deep fear today, you are not alone. We’re feeling it too. We are heartsick. Facing down Trump’s fascist agenda, we are desperately worried about the most vulnerable people among us, including our loved ones and everyone in the Truthout community, and our minds are racing a million miles a minute to try to map out all that needs to be done.
We must give ourselves space to grieve and feel our fear, feel our rage, and keep in the forefront of our mind the stark truth that millions of real human lives are on the line. And simultaneously, we’ve got to get to work, take stock of our resources, and prepare to throw ourselves full force into the movement.
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There are many terrifying planks to the Trump agenda, and we plan to devote ourselves to reporting thoroughly on each one and, crucially, covering the movements resisting them. We also recognize that Trump is a dire threat to journalism itself, and that we must take this seriously from the outset.
Last week, the four of us sat down to have some hard but necessary conversations about Truthout under a Trump presidency. How would we defend our publication from an avalanche of far right lawsuits that seek to bankrupt us? How would we keep our reporters safe if they need to cover outbreaks of political violence, or if they are targeted by authorities? How will we urgently produce the practical analysis, tools and movement coverage that you need right now — breaking through our normal routines to meet a terrifying moment in ways that best serve you?
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