Women and Comics Forum: Bye-bye?

[Elayne Riggs]

Just curious as to why other people think the WaC Forum isn't getting a lot of participation from Penciljackers, if the folks here have any ideas for revving up that Forum again, or if it's just not worth it and maybe Terry should eliminate it. Don't worry, be as blunt as you like, I won't take offense.

(I mean, it's me, isn't it? I need to pop another breath mint or something. Damn it! :) )

- Elayne

[red7ine]

I, honestly, don't see a need for it. It may be because I'm a male, but I don't see the point in setting up an area just to discuss women in comics. There isn't a seperate area for men in comics. I think the general discussion board does good to mention comic creators in 1 out of every 20 posts. Maybe a more specific 'Creators in Comics' forum, to talk about any and all creators, would be more effective.

Plus, girls are icky, and so i don't go to their Womyn in Comics forum...

vaught

[Joel Harris]

I never visited that forum because I assumed it was geared solely for women... that's probably a misconception, but probably one that I'm not alone in sharing.

[Chris Piers]

I have very little, if anything to contribute to a discussion or news about women in comics. Let it be an occassional topic or a news announcemnt in GD or News & Announcements is my vote.

[E]

I also thought it was for just women.

[BenitoCereno]

What the hell?

It's not a restroom, guys. It's a forum.

And one I would be sad to see go.

I know I didn't participate much in it, but I see it as valuable in its potential--primarily for the different type audience it could attract to this board. I've always been sad not to see conversations there flourish. I would gladly contribute if I ever had something to say (I guess there aren't enough threads about Linda Medley in there).

What happened to all the people who registered here to use that forum? Was there too much overlap in conversation with other similarly-themed boards, so they just fell back into the familiar?

I don't want to see it disappear, myself.

[Carter]

No one should get recognized for doing something just because they're a chick or a dude or a honkey or a horse than can count or whatever.

--Carter--

[E]

I don't know what to say, or what kind of discussions i can have, except for the obvious ones.

[BenitoCereno]

No one should get recognized for doing something just because they're a chick or a dude or a honkey or a horse than can count or whatever.

I disagree. I would gladly moderate a "Counting Horses in Comics" forum.

[Carter]

That horse was a damn dirty cheater.

--Carter--

[BenitoCereno]

Originally posted by The Enemy Brain
That horse was a damn dirty cheater.

--Carter--


Are you some kind of horsist?



P.S. Let's let this thread get back on topic, bitte schön.

[Carter]

Good luck.

--Carter--

[dfbovey]

The percentage of males to females in this community is probably the biggest contributing factor. If there were more female posters that were serious about the industry and breaking into it, there would probably be more traffic. I know there is a pretty good chunk of talented female artists here at PJ, I don't know what you can do to get them more involved in the Women in Comics forum.

For me personally, Women in comics are great... but I don't think I have anything to contribute to the forum, which is why I hardly ever go in there.

[Debs]

Well, I just contributed to that forum (as a female) for the first time ever, and in a passion. The primary (and very honest) reason I haven't posted there much is because, as in all areas of life, I don't really attribute my "womanhood" as something that separates me from anyone else in any business/hobby/ etc. So I guess it just feels too narrow a focus for me. Sure, I'm female, but I don't really like to discuss things in view of being female all the time. Leave my womanhood out of this! lol. ;)

Of course, I'm also the person who has a fascination with gender or lack thereof, so perhaps I'm a little too ambiguous for such considerations!

Tis all I can say... :o

[Tory]

Originally posted by dfbovey
The percentage of males to females in this community is probably the biggest contributing factor. If there were more female posters that were serious about the industry and breaking into it, there would probably be more traffic.

Or the exact opposite would happen and there'd be a "Men in comics forum" that no-one would go to.I could care less whether it stays or goes. I never saw the point of it in the first place.

[HMG]

Its goal is to promote women’s contribution and inclusion into the comic industry. But to do so it is seemingly separate from the rest of a forum that is already inclusive.

Also women like men will post in the forum with the greatest possible chance of exposure and response, even if it is a female orientated post. Women in Comics just isn't that forum.

[GroundHog]

Despite what People think, or what I act like, I've always liked Women taking charge and doing their own thing, despite the old fashioned ideas that they were supposed to be homebodies(whatever that is. . . ) I like women most doing anything, especially if one would actually bother doing anything with me :D
Go Ahead on Girl.

Anyway, the idea is cool, and I don't see why there isn't much activity there.
My guess is because women are too busy posting on the drawing table or arena. As in the same place us pimply faced male kids are.
As in, no noticeable seperation of the sexes, when it comes to product. This is the way it should be.

There isn't a "Black People" doing comics forum, or a "short people doing comics forum" even though it would make a good community, we are all blind here to race color sex and creed right?

Not me. I won't comment on any females' art until I know they have a nice rear end. But thats just me. . . . .(I'm being sarcastic)

Well, except for Pep, Bory, Aridante, Artgyrl(and any other female who would bother to show me their artwork)

[ArtGyrl]

Originally posted by GroundHog
Anyway, the idea is cool, and I don't see why there isn't much activity there.
My guess is because women are too busy posting on the drawing table or arena. As in the same place us pimply faced male kids are.
As in, no noticeable seperation of the sexes, when it comes to product.

There isn't a "Black People" doing comics forum, or a "short people doing comics forum" even though it would make a good community, we are all blind here to race color sex and creed right?


I agree. I don't see the reason to separate into a women's section. I've been to the "Women in Comics" board a couple of times, but I think that the topics discussed there could very well be put in the general discussion or news &announcements forums.

[TheFightingFoetus]

There isn't a "Black People" doing comics forum, or a "short people doing comics forum" even though it would make a good community, we are all blind here to race color sex and creed right?

The thing about that is, if there were a "Black People" forum, I may on occasion have an opinion, but I don't think most black people would want a white guy preaching at them, about what actions or whatever they need to do to improve their comics, raise their sales, etc..

I hope that more women read comics, and I think that in 10 or 20 years, they may. But right now, I think there's still too much of a stigma attached to our adolocent power fantasies, for most women to really get beyond um, those stigmas.

Maybe when I do my romance issue, things will change! ;)

[bushiboy]

This just goes to prove that women have no place in comics. Ever since we gave them the right to vote (wink wink, like we even count thiers), women have been straying further and further from thier proper places (ie kitchen, bedroom, birthin' babies) and into places they do not belong (ie comics, proffesional wrestling, business, anything NOT having to do with flowers or knitting).

[Bory]

Originally posted by TheFightingFoetus
Maybe when I do my romance issue, things will change! ;)




I WAITING FOR THOSE TO COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention I do read those trashy novels for fun?:D :o

[FIG]

Hey, I brought a woman to these forums :D, Sara Croft.-Hows that for butt kissing? I think the reason Women in Comics is rarely visited is because a) girls have kooties, and b) because most of the people at penciljack are male and we feel excluded so what reason do we have for going there unless we can contribute something worthwhile? I don't go there often because truthfully it feels like a "Girls Only" club and I usually get misunderstood by some penciljackers so that last thing I want to do is put my foot in my mouth and get boooed by the women of penciljack again. On one hand, like other people have said, maybe there shouldn't be such a section?-On the other hand, maybe this section does need to stay as a reminder for all of us to be more responsible with our images. What I'm saying is that I and every other artist in here should take responsibility for his/her images and think of the message we are sending out with our work.-Personally, I do care what people think and I don't want to contribute to the whole 'sex sells' reasoning. I still remember the day I posted sequential work for my own comic in the "Women section" only to have my @$$ handed to me due to the demeaning depiction of women and poor research on my part. I'll be the first to say that although it was painful to hear what I heard because I became so attached to my work and I was on a role, it was also a learning experience and the crit made me rethink my course. Now I am redesigning some of the characters and I'm actually talking to a woman to write my book so that the main characters perspective sounds credible. That plus looking back on that sequential work now it really does suck. In summation, if we want more women in comics and want to level the playing field, we need to create work that isn't demeaning to anyone and has more thought than mere cheesecake. This would be one contributing factor in helping to elevate the opinion of comics by outsiders. Whatever happens with this section is ultimatley up to Mr Penciljack because its his site and his decision but I vote that we keep it.

[Zackie Chan]

I don't think makeing things "seperate but equal" is the way to go. Take down the women in comics thread, make the mods of that section mods for some other threads, and let's get to know each other.
I have to admit, I've only ever even looked at that forum once, and I got a girls only kind of feel, and I also feel that unless I had something important to say I'd rather just keep away from there.

[Bruce Lee]

I agree with the notion that women in the biz need their own voice. Sadly, I don't think the women's forum is working out very well. And part of this is due to the intimidation factor. Though it isn't meant to be, it is perceived to be a forum just for women alone. One can draw from the title of the forum conclusions that men are not welcomed. I know better, but many do not and won't know.

So why are men intimidated so much by the notion of a forum dedicated to women? Well, men expect to be screened under a microscope when posting on such a forum. We're afraid that we'll say something that will be perceived as sexist or "macho B.S." Therefore, it's not a comfortable place for many male posters to visit. Many feel like they're walking on eggshells there. That feeling has little to do with what has transpired on the actual forum itself. I've only felt a sense of welcome from the women on the board, for which I am grateful, and I hope that I have likewise returned this gratitude.

I've gone back and forth regarding the issue since I first read this post by Elayne, and in the end I can't help feeling that perhaps the best way to break down barriers is to not build them. It seems evident that by having a forum specifically targetted for women that it's become something of a barrier. :( I know good and well that this forum was never intended to be a barrier, but I think to many uninformed posters it seems to have become one.

Loston
http://www.lostonwallace.com

[Chris Piers]

I'm not intimidated but nothing is really discussed there. There just don't seem to be any issues to discuss aside from the occassional, "hey, there should be more women in comics". What's there to say?

[Carter]

The idea that we're intimidated is pretty silly. For the most part, we're posting under pseudonyms and no one here really knows each other. I'm not very scared about pissing off a girl that lives in another time zone that doesn't even know my name, and I'm pretty sure most of the guys here feel the same way. It's more like we all see it as a pretty pointless and somewhat redundant forum. The topic rarely comes up in ANY comic related discussion around here, but it merits its own board? Probably not.

Not that more chicks SHOULDN'T be doing comics. Hell, I want to see EVERYONE doing comics, but putting them in they're own little segregated corner isn't going to help.

--Carter--

[Devilman]

I don't like women......... or comics.

[Carter]

Originally posted by Devilman
I don't like women......... or comics.

Go home, Flanders.

--Carter--

[bushiboy]

I think the problem is that the room seems too exclusive, like you have to show your boobs to the big gal at the door to get in, and besides that all they do is talk about recipes and tampons anyway.
I think it should be the White People who Read "Jet" Magazine Forum.

[Spidey]

Lol Bushi.
I think I been in there 2 times the whole time Ive been here.
It seems like its only for gals even thought both times I went in there most posts were by males. Iunno, putted it bluntly as Elaine stated I dont really have much interest in that forum, unless ofcourse I was a girl and had something worthwhile to say.