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ETD Abstract Container

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Inking Over the Glass Ceiling: The Marginalization of Female Creators and Consumers in Comics

Campbell, Maria E
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1437938036

Abstract Details

2015, MA, Kent State University, College of the Arts / School of Art.
In the United States, comic books have often been construed as a male medium and social sphere. In fact, comics have been created and enjoyed by artists of any gender since their inception and it was only after the 1950s that current perceptions of comics were formulated. Comics' history begins in the 1890s when men and women were submitting comics to newspapers, including outspoken suffragettes like Rose O'Neill. As comics took off in the early twentieth century, the iconic hero, Superman, kicked off the United States' most popular genre: superhero comics. Superhero comics were read and enjoyed by readers of all genders and ages, leading to the creation of characters like Wonder Woman. After World War II, comics fell victim to government scrutiny and censorship, creating the regulatory Comics Code. In response, during the counter culture of the 1960s, underground comics or comix appeared including feminist anthologies during feminism's second wave. These comics, in turn, led to alternate and indie comics and literary efforts called graphic novels. Graphic novels then influenced the mainstream comics and predominant superhero genre, particularly in the 1980s and forward. In the current era of comic books, more and more readers include young women who wish to see superheroes like themselves. These comics include the works of feminist writers like Kelly Sue DeConnick, Marjorie Liu, and Gail Simone. Japanese comics have also played a huge part in influencing this change for comics in the United States. With multiple genres and a different approach to production, Japanese comics (manga) have become popular, especially where male-oriented comics in the United States may not cater to readers. This has also led to an individualistic movement inspired by both manga and alternative comics: webcomics. These self-published Internet-based comics are often solo efforts in which the artist is in full control of the production. This is also a study of fan culture (fandom), particularly regarding the creative and often female side of fan culture. Fan-made art and writing, predominantly made by women, can be seen as a way of critiquing or deconstructing material that they enjoy but does not cater to them. However, this creative side of fan culture is often placed at odds by the curatorial and typically male side of fandom. This has led to conflict, harassment, and criticism in both virtual and real life spheres, such as comic book conventions, where female attendees often feel unwelcome or unsafe. This is meant to be a more inclusive approach to both comic book history in the United States as well as a study of current comic book culture, with particular focus on how female-identified readers interact with the source material and fan-based spaces.
Scillia Diane, Ph. D. (Advisor)
Medicus Gustav, Ph. D. (Committee Member)
Smith Fred, Ph. D. (Committee Member)
Stasiowski Kristin, Ph. D. (Other)
167 p.
Art History
comics, comic books, feminism, fandom, fan culture, fanfiction, fanart, conventions, cosplay, costuming, webcomics, graphic novels, alternate comics, indie comics, comix, underground comics,

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Campbell, M. E. (2015). Inking Over the Glass Ceiling: The Marginalization of Female Creators and Consumers in Comics [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1437938036

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Campbell, Maria. Inking Over the Glass Ceiling: The Marginalization of Female Creators and Consumers in Comics. 2015. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1437938036.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Campbell, Maria. "Inking Over the Glass Ceiling: The Marginalization of Female Creators and Consumers in Comics." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1437938036

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1437938036
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© 2015, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Inking Over the Glass Ceiling: The Marginalization of Female Creators and Consumers in Comics by Maria E Campbell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.