April 01, 2015 | 6:00 a.m.

She Makes Comics logo (From Respect Films)

Long before Scarlet Witch, Batgirl or even Wonder Woman, women were shaping the comics business.

She Makes Comics, a feature-length documentary that had its premiere at last monthsLong Beach Comic Expo, traces the enduringimpact women have had on the industry.

Chances are its deeper than many remember. While increasingdiversity in pop culture, and comics in particular, is an of-the-moment issue no less than three panels at this weekends WonderCon will explore the subject women have been a guiding force in the modern comics industry since at least the early 20th century.She Makes Comics contains the footage to prove it.

The film goes behind the scenes and features interviews with dozens of influential industry figures, ranging from comics pioneer Joyce Farmer, Comic-Con Internationalorganizer Jackie Estrada, comic book editor Janelle Asselin and founding editor of DCs edgy imprint Vertigo Karen Berger. It also touches on popular characters in comics as well as the burgeoning cosplay movement.

Hero Complexspoke withthe films director, L.A.-based filmmaker Marisa Stotter. She was joined by producer Patrick Meaney, a documentarian whose other work has focused on comics creators Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis. The two are currently collaborating on a feature-length documentary about cosplay.

Hero Complex: What was something that you learned in making the film?

Marisa Stotter: I didnt quite know how far the rabbit hole goes, in terms of womens involvement in comics. I knew that it went back pretty far, but I didnt know about any of the women at the turn of the century whowere national superstars. I had no idea about them and theyve sort of been glossed over or all but forgotten at this point.

That was fascinating to me, that even as the medium was starting up, there were women right there. We say a lot that there is this assumption that women have just gotten into comics over this past decade, but clearly thats not true. I hope that this film, if nothing else, changes some peoples minds about the history that they know and educates them on the truth of the matter.

Read the original post:
'She Makes Comics' sheds light on how women shaped the medium

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