Why did I end up rating this volume so highly? It’s not because the essays in themselves are particularly well-written or interesting, though a few are certainly excellent. It’s more that the collection as a whole describes wonderfully a subculture seen (mostly) through the eyes of women who were and still are a minority in that field. When I was a kid, I was the only girl I knew who read Flash and Green Lantern comics faithfully, so I could relate to the stories of women who had the same interests in their youth and I felt quite nostalgic reading their essays. After many years of not reading comics, I am just starting to rediscover them.

This collection of essays has made me want to reread my favourites from my youth, fill the gaps in my comics knowledge by reading the significant ones I’d missed, and seek out the exciting new crop of comics being produced these days. After finishing Chicks Dig Comics, I went to my local library and spent an hour browsing the graphic novels shelves with much pleasure. I’m also excited about going to my first sci-fi convention in August and checking out the comics displays and merchandise. I guess that’s why I gave this volume such a high rating. A book that makes you want to immediately go out and seek out more books is something special! ( )

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2087652.html

Mad Norwegian Press must be pretty pleased to have two books in the running for Best Related Work in this year's Hugos (the other being Chicks Unravel Time). It is less my cup of tea, to be honest; my knowledge of comics is rather inferior to my knowledge of Doctor Who, and this book is clearly for enthusiasts. (I was also a bit puzzled to find that the foreword is by a man, and there are two interviews with male creators, which seems to me to contaminate the "Chicks..." brand.)
However, there were some interesting pieces. Jennifer Margret Smith's very political chapter (see quote above) spoke to me, though, and I found the two chapters on cosplay.(by Erica McGillivray and Anika Milik) very informative (perhaps because the authors did not assume much familiarity with the subject from the readership). Other chapters recounting the authors' love for this or that character or author I generally skipped. There are also some interesting stories about being female in a social environment that is male and not free of misogyny - though perhaps fewer than I had expected. This is generally a feelgood book by and for those who have stayed the course.

I'm afraid this won't be at the top of my Hugo ballot, but it may not be at the bottom either. ( )

Chicks Dig Comics and I am one of them. I only recently discovered the beauty and awesomeness that is the graphic novel, but now that I have I glory in it; as do the contributors to this wonderful anthology.

Part of a recent series of books dedicated to geek culture and the women who love it, Chicks Dig Comics is a collection of essays by female fans, writers, editors and authors. (There's a couple of interviews with male creators as well.) Like any essay anthology, some entries spoke to me more than others. Mutants by Marjorie M. Liu and The Captain in the Capitol: Invoking the Superhero in Daily Life by Jennifer Margaret combined to come closest to matching my own reasons for loving comics and superheros while Kelly Thompson's I Am Sisyphus, and I Am Happy highlighted some of the reasons that may have kept me from comics for so much of my life. But it wasn't only essays with which I personal experience with that spoke to me. Captain America's Next Top Model was a fun look at how a geeky fashionista (one of the last adjectives I would use to describe myself) combines her two loves. Perhaps the essay that stuck with me the most was co-editor Sigrid Ellis' Kitty Queer, describing how Chris Claremont and the X-Men helped her discover and accept her sexuality.

And it's not just superheros. "Sandman", "FELL", "Vampirella", and manga all get their due as do many other comics. In the end, what this collection really does is show that there are as many reasons to love comics as there are comic fans. The fact that these fans all happen to be women makes it a must-read for geek girls everywhere! ( )

Originally posted at Girls Read Comics Too.

First off, a huge congratulations to Lynne M. Thomas and Sigrid Ellis, who managed to not just get together an impressive list of names, but also put each piece where it seemed to belong. There’s an amazing range of talent here, and there’s no denying that this book is what someone like me has needed for so long. I don’t even enjoy non-fiction that much, and I read this in one sitting.

There’s a great range of interests and pieces here. From interviews with Amanda Conner and Greg Rucka (yes, there are male contributors, and they are awesome) to wonderful pieces on creating comics, a journey into cosplay and everything in between, it feels like there’s something for every comic book lover here. These women not only create and work with comics, but they love them, and you can see it with every word they write.

My favorite piece is Tammy Garrison’s I’m Batman, where she doesn’t apologize for how much of a dick Bruce Wayne is, but explains how he can be inspiring in other ways. Anika Dane Milik’s Captain America’s Next Top Model, which talks about the art of stealth cosplay, is a favorite of mine. So is Jill Pantozzi’s dissection of the Green Lantern corps and how it relates to comic fans, Sara Ryan’s poignant comic panel vignettes, and Marjorie Liu’s love for stories.

Every single piece is worth the read, and I’m so glad Chicks Dig Comics exists. ( )