do you love female characters and an ENDLESS stream of thoughts about them? do you find yourself delving deep into their minds or the themes of their stories or their character development, only for it to go unnoticed? you are not alone, and you no longer have to shout into the void alone.
I STARTED THIS COMMUNITY to help curate a productive and focused space for appreciating female characters without unwanted derailment. it's still young and new, so, i was hoping to inspire a wider variety of meta and discussions because i want to engage with the way you engage with your favourite heroines.
if that sounds like your deal, PLEASE READ FURTHER AND BOOST THIS POST BY REBLOGGING IT!
EVENT: you can participate by sharing a meta discussion or post about any female character(s) of your choice, using any of the prompts below, curated by yours truly. this is meant to lean towards analysis of canon material rather than writing fanfiction.
PROMPTS:
I. “CHARACTER STUDY.” choose any character(s) of your choice and give your take on their characterisation. think of them as layers: the outer surface — their demeanour and first impression, then their motivations — intrinsic and extrinsic, their strengths and weaknesses, their personality, their behaviours in social interactions, their quirks, their fears, their psychology, their development and arcs, and so on. you can opt for a generalised overview or dive into a specific aspect of their characterisation. you can analyse them from any type of angle.
II. “VERSUS.” pick two women who have been pitted against each other for any type of conflict, and think about it. was that rivalry organic and inevitable or editorially forced and unexpected? was it beneficial or meaning for their character development? could it have been handled differently? was it interesting or tired? do you consider it reflective of our society? do you think this type of stories have any impact on the way we discuss relationships between women? does the bechdel test come to mind?
III. “MISCHARACTERISATION.” take any story, plot, comic, etc. of your choice and make your case for why this specific portrayal of the character does a disservice to them and is out of character. then tell me the implications and impact; did this mischaracterisation stem from ignorance or stereotypes? how much did this instance damage the public perception and understanding of the character?
IV. “A RETCON YOU ACTUALLY LIKED.” not all dramatic changes are bad all the time, and reboots aren't always terrible beyond belief. sometimes, they can work! i'd love to hear if there's an example you're fond of that was beneficial to your favourite character.
V. “BY DESIGN.” aesthetics aren't always surface-level, sometimes they can be reflective of who we are on the inside or carry significance that is cultural, psychological, or sentimental at times. for this prompt, i'd like for you to analyse the sartorial choices made in the design of your female character: why do they look the way they do? why these costume choices? why this colour scheme? why that hair length? why those gloves and masks? are these retcons helpful? additionally, you can also use this prompt to defend a specific character design you like.
VI. “DREAM TEAM-UP.” if you're anything like me, you have multiple favourites and you love playing dolls with them. so, use this prompt to propose a team-up, crossover, or collaboration of your choice! no limits on the number (minimum: two female characters), as long the focus is on the women of marvel and dc comics. you can analyse why these characters would work or wouldn't, draw parallels between them, think about what their dynamic would be like, propose a story idea, and so on. also, if these two did meet but you want them to meet again? i'll allow it.
VII. “PHOENIX.” pick any character who's been killed off, retconned out of existence, or simply collecting dust in limbo — and make your case for why they should be brought back to the current times. when was the last time they were mentioned? do you know what plans the editorial did have for them? do you think they can fit in now? how would you reconcile their years of absence? what would you retcon from the past story, and what new changes would you make for their new ones? what would their new debut be like?
GUIDELINES.
do you need to be a member of the community to participate? it's appreciated, but it's not mandatory! this event is open to everybody.
is there a fixed time or deadline? honestly? no. i understand people can be busy and whatnot, and frankly, co-ordinating a timed event can be a hassle. these prompts are forever and always available for use.
word count? as much or as little as you'd like. a minimum of one paragraph would be appreciated.
the questions in the prompts' description are not meant to be taken literally. they're only elaborate, the words in the quotation marks are the prompts. you can use my questions as a framework or just ignore them outright and interpret the prompt however you'd like it to be.
the focus should be on female characters. marvel and dc only. comics only.
i won't say you can't write your meta without sources, but it's strongly recommend to the cite the comics you're discussing; your citations should include comic name, year, and writer. a wiki link would be appreciated so that people don't get confused which comic you're dissecting. you can also cite other secondary sources.
these prompts aren't for storytelling, but moreso for articles or essays, as well as think-pieces and ideas for potential stories. these do not have to be unbiased or professional or following some fancy formatting or whatever, images and aesthetics not needed as long as your stuff is comprehensible. again, you can structure your meta that way.
you can be biased and whatnot, but the main thing i'm looking for is passion and enthusiasm for what you like. critiques are welcome, but in that case, i'd also recommend adding in solutions or constructive feedback too.
no ai. no plagiarism. no unpleasant arguments or disrespect or insulting.
tag appropriately and correctly!
no deliberate misinformation. no bigotry, propaganda, harmful rhetoric, and so on.
you can submit as many times as you'd like for as many of the prompts for as many female characters.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINE: tag your posts with #throughyourlens, @ me, and message/inbox me a link to your post, and i'll reblog your meta to the women of comics community. additionally, you are welcome to reblog your post directly to the community.
Saturday March 7 from 2 to 4pm in person at the Fremont Public Library Fukaya Room A & B (2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont CA 94538). Join acclaimed graphic novelist Maia Kobabe (e, em, eir), in conversation with AC Library staff, for a reading and discussion about eir groundbreaking book, Gender Queer: A Memoir. Award-winning and one of the most frequently challenged books in the United States, Gender Queer is a transformative work in LGBTQ+ literature, spanning themes of self-discovery, identity, expression, and gender beyond the binary. Seats are limited, and a ticket is required to attend. Tickets will be handed out 15 minutes before the start of the program. Community members will receive a free copy of Gender Queer while supplies last. Information here.
Thursday March 19 from 12:30-2pm PT/ 3:30-5pm ET online You can register here. Book challenges and bans have surged across North America. Publications that address race, gender, sexuality, historical events and lived experiences are often targeted. Works by racialized people, LGBTQIA+ and women authors are under increased scrutiny. Often framed as protecting children, these efforts raise urgent questions about whose values shape access to knowledge and stories. Join professor Miranda Green-Barteet for a timely discussion on the history and impacts of book bans, featuring author Maia Kobabe and librarian Kristen Kaschera. They will explore censorship, intellectual freedom, and the vital role of libraries, educators and writers in defending the right to read. Hosted by the Western University of Canada Arts & Humanities department.
Saturday April 4 from 10am-4pm in person at the Peninsula Library Comic Arts Fest PLCAF, South San Francisco, CA. This event is free but they are asking people to RSVP through eventbrite- and doing so will give you access to exclusive merch! This will be the FIRST joint event Lucky @diamoric-comix and I do this year! We will table and also speak on a panel about the 6+ year process of creating OPTING OUT. (South San Francisco Library and Parks & Recreation Center 901 Civic Campus Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080)
Saturday and Sunday May 30 and 31 in person at the BAY AREA BOOK FESTIVAL, Berkeley, CA. This event has not yet released its program schedule but Lucky and I will be speaking on at least one panel sometime over the weekend. Most of the events (including probably ours) will be free to attend and hosted at the Berkeley Public Library, but some of the headline events are ticketed and held at venues walking distance from the library. I'll update you once I know more!
Saturday June 20 from 11am to 6pm in person at Q CON in West Hollywood, CA. (Fiesta Hall in Plummer Park 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90046) I'm a special guest at this con, I'll speak on at least one panel and Lucky @diamoric-comix and I will be tabling together. Q CON is a celebration of queer diversity, creativity, and representation in comic books, graphic novels and pop media- it's Southern California's only LGBTQ+ comic convention. Admission is free, it's family friendly, all ages welcome. Cosplay is encouraged. Walk-up guests can also get free tickets at the door but Eventbrite registration is recommended for faster entry. You can register for free tickets here and you can see announcements of more guests here on their insta.
Summer 2026 schedule of events! Here's where you can find me and @gipki in the coming hot months. We have some classic faves like Summer Story Fest and VanCAF, along with some new shows we've never done before like the waterfront Pride festival and ANYC! Capping it all off with our beloved hometown show, RCCC 🌹
Well, Myu, it's actually completely possible for you to stumble across something during this otherwise-peaceful outing: And we can use math to figure out what the chance of it is! Considering you're a Mew (very rare) and an Atticus (very rare), the amount of main character energy you radiate makes improbable events at least 91.8% more likely, in accordance with Cunningham's Law.
We are happy to announce the prompts for Fourth World week!
Fourth World week is an event centred around the Fourth World titles created by Jack Kirby: the New Gods, Mister Miracle, and the Forever People, as well as the related arc in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and the apperances of Fourth World characters in other comic runs (Justice League International, Birds of Prey, etc). Note that the prompts are not mandatory, and can be followed as loosely or as closely as you'd like. They are as follows:
Day 1: Freedom / Chains
Day 2: Life / Anti - Life
Day 3: Friends & Family / Enemies & Allies
Day 4: Truth / Masks
Day 5: Love / Hate
Day 6: Lore / Fifth World
Day 7: Free Day
Reminder: the week will run from April 6 to April 12, 2025. Make sure to check out the week rules here.
