For Your Consideration: 10 Women for Comic Power 100

Bleeding Cool published today a list of their Comics Power 100. As I wrote yesterday, the list includes just 7 women including Diane Nelson, Karen Berger and Bobbie Chase of DC Comics. Also included were Fae Desmond of SDCC, Mimi Cruz of Night Flight Comic Stores and Cindy Fournier of Diamond Distribution. There was only one female creator on the list, Kate Beaton.

All the women included a great choices. But the idea that there are only seven women in the top 100? Come on, there are definitely some more women who could have been on the list. And as I promised yesterday, I’m back with some suggestions.  And here the are:

Heidi MacDonald, editor, Comics Beat - Once industry people find out the latest gossip from Bleeding Cool, they go to MacDonald’s site to discuss it. Her annual survey provides a touch point for where the industry has been over the year. A co-founder of Friends of Lulu, she is a important voice around gender in comics. Oh, the Beat was named one of the best websites by Time Magazine this year.

Gail Simone, creator DC Comics - Beyond being a strong creator, Simone has a passionate fan base that will follow her from book to book. As the creator of Women in Refrigerators she’s considered a thought leader on gender in comics. Do you really think that DC would have gotten rid of Oracle as easily if Simone hadn’t been attached to Batgirl? Most recently Simone showed her clout by raising over $117K on Kickstarter for a creator owned comic, Leaving Megalapolis. 

Alison Bechdel - Not only a two time New York Times best selling writer, not only the creator of Dykes to Watch out for, but a woman whose name is the benchmark by which comics, television, movies and other multimedia are measured on their equality for women.

Renae DeLiz, artist. Last year the topic of female creators in comics, or the lack of them, raged throughout the comic world. Within the maelstrom DeLiz drove the creation of an all woman anthology that became overnight Kickstarter sensation. The book Womanthology has turned into additional comics series at IDW as result of DeLiz’s efforts. DeLiz changed the game in how women go about getting their work published. That’s power.

Lauren Faust - 90,000 pre-order copies of the My Little Pony comic, based on her cult television show, says she should be considered.

When it comes to superhero comics there are few artists who can draw an audience on their name alone. And there is really only one woman and that is Amanda Conner. 

Raina Tegelmeier - Dear Marvel and DC, when middle school girls think of comics, Smile and Drama are what they think of not you.

Laura Siegel Larson - Daughter of Jerry and Joanne Siegel. Until the fat lady sings, she has Warner Bros. spending money. 

Kelly Sue DeConnick - creating the most comics when a ratio of height to volume published is considered, DeConnick is right now set to become of the few women in superhero comics to be able to sell a comic on her name alone. 

Fed up and pissed off female comics readers. Who made DC blink at SDCC in 2011? Who made Tony Harris want to climb under a rock? Who put a memorial case for Stephanie Brown in the Batcave? Beware the power.

That’s mine, who would you add? Who am I way off on?