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[GreyHorace]

Found this on KotakuInAction. Made me laugh.

Now I feel like an ignorant tool finding out only now that the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist was a woman.

 

[haxan7]

Found this on KotakuInAction. Made me laugh.

Now I feel like an ignorant tool finding out only now that the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist was a woman.

Someone needs to teach some of them that you don’t need to live in a fantasy world to create compelling fantasy worlds.

 

[lachesis]

Arakawa (FMA author) changed her name as Hiromu (from Hiromi) - so that readers can't guess her gender by her name. Quite camera shy person, so there are not much of her pics, so I hear.

She's a tall, skinny farm girl from Hokkaido - (hence depicts herself as a literal cow-person in the comics)... that she has black belt in Karate, and also very strong (famous episode is she was trying to cut the tip off the cutter knife, ended up breaking entire cutter knife itself in half), along with quite a appetite - albeit she's quite thin, all her assistants claim they gain quite a bit of weight while working for her for being fed too much at her place.

... as my daughter is really into FMA, the information trickled down to me as well lol.

 

[Papa]

Is that a white muslim?

Heather Antos would probably get it btw

 

[Dacon]

Gail Simone had some pretty good works before all this woke shit started.

 

[Shouta]

It's kinda hard to compare the Western comic industry with the Japanese manga one since it's so different. Last time I checked the numbers, manga was making more than double the total sales of comics in the US and Canada.

Also, I've heard Rumiko Takahashi can get you blacklisted in the industry if you get on her bad side, lol.

 

[Paracelsus]

The truly major difference is that Japanese female mangaka have a huge male following (FMA is the favorite manga of a lot of people, many guys love Ranma, there's the Sailor Moon otakudom etc.).
Female western comic writers? Lol.

 

[EviLore]

Gail Simone is pretty successful and her Deadpool and Agent X runs were well-liked back in the day. Haven't heard of the other Americans.

 

[GreyHorace]

It's kinda hard to compare the Western comic industry with the Japanese manga one since it's so different. Last time I checked the numbers, manga was making more than double the total sales of comics in the US and Canada.

A sad state of affairs all around, but hardly surprising given the history of bad business decisions that have hobbled the US comic industry for decades. The SJW woke trends plus the Covid-19 pandemic are just the nails in the coffin.

Also, I've heard Rumiko Takahashi can get you blacklisted in the industry if you get on her bad side, lol.

Really? I've only read a bit about Takahashi herself back when I used to follow Ranma 1/2 but I never imagined her being some sort of scary gatekeeper in the manga industry. She seems like such a humble and unassuming woman.

The truly major difference is that Japanese female mangaka have a huge male following (FMA is the favorite manga of a lot of people, many guys love Ranma, there's the Sailor Moon otakudom etc.).
Female western comic writers? Lol.

And as far as I know, none of these female mangaka insult their male audience. In fact, they're flattered when guys take a liking to their work.

I could be wrong though. In these days of social media creators are more engaged than they have been in years past. I don't know if any of these mangaka have thrown tantrums on Twitter.

 

[Stilton Disco]

Gail Simone used to be awesome, it's sad to see how crazy religious she got with the woke cult nonsense.

But the main difference I see is the same that's creeping into most western media.

Writers and artists no longer want to create enjoyable works, inspired by the world around them just to entertain, they simply want to use their platform to try and make changes to the world.

 

[yet_another_alt]

Manga industry is bigger so no surprise. And it's not like there's a ton more males that also have their works not go anywhere. Also I think it's a bit unfair to only include writers. My vote for most influential woman in Western comics goes to Karen Berger.

 

[triplestation]

 

[slade]

Didn't Gail Simone put clothes on Red Sonja?

That is a stark betrayal of her character, Ms. Simone!!!

 

[Teslerum]

And as far as I know, none of these female mangaka insult their male audience. In fact, they're flattered when guys take a liking to their work.

Of course
There are lots of women I know or have seen in person I really respect and am constantly surprised by.
None of them subscribe to nu kind of feminism.

In fact and I may get hate for this, but I'm 100% sure the current climate prevents really talented female artists/writers/whatever to make their mark, because you got 100 mediocre ones that have to be put on a pedestal for having the right politics.

 

[GreyHorace]

Gail Simone had some pretty good works before all this woke shit started.

Gail Simone is pretty successful and her Deadpool and Agent X runs were well-liked back in the day. Haven't heard of the other Americans.

Gail Simone used to be awesome, it's sad to see how crazy religious she got with the woke cult nonsense.

I know who Gail Simone is but I've never really read her work. I know she's the one who put Birds of Prey on the map as far as comics go and that she coined the phrase "women in refrigirators.

It really doesn't surprise me that she's become liberal SJW sperg on social media. She's just one of many of the comic pros who've gone full loco with Trump Derangement Syndrome like Mark Waid and Dan Slott.

Of course
There are lots of women I know or have seen in person I really respect and am constantly surprised by.
None of them subscribe to nu kind of feminism.

In fact and I may get hate for this, but I'm 100% sure the current climate prevents really talented female artists/writers/whatever to make their mark, because you got 100 mediocre ones that have to be put on a pedestal for having the right politics.

And that's a damn shame. There could be a number of female comic creators out there who haven't had the chance to show off their work because they're so afraid of being ostracized by the insular comicbook industry.

 

[cryptoadam]

Asians ladies do it better once again.

 

[infinitys_7th]

Mangaka (especially high profile ones with popular serials) also have much more demanding jobs than US comic artists, like working 20+ hours a day for weeks straight. Most of the US comic artists spend more time on Twitter than on their projects.

 

[GreyHorace]

Mangaka (especially high profile ones with popular serials) also have much more demanding jobs than US comic artists, like working 20+ hours a day for weeks straight. Most of the US comic artists spend more time on Twitter than on their projects.

That is both sadly pathetic and hilarious at the same time. What's the point of getting into Twitter slapfights? Other than alienating the comic buying audience who support you?

With each day, Alan Moore proves himself more and more justified in his stance to not join the madhouse of the Internet.

 

[lock2k]

Why is it hand written? It hurts trying to read this lol. GIve them a keyboard.

Still, great comparison.

 

[Harlock]

Has been watching a lot of the original Sailor Moon. As with DBZ, who was made most for boys, if a manga is really good will atract a lot of people from the two genders. Different from american comic, who try to atract everyone and nobody cares.

 

[lock2k]

I love Rumiko Takahashi.

Ranma is still as fun as it was in the 90's.

 

[Yoboman]

Japan just seems like a more viable market to actually be a success

Everything there starts in Jump or an equivalent weekly compilation right? And everyone still buys that shit

There's nothing like that for comic book creators. I'm not sure why Marvel or DC haven't tried that business model

 

[Teslerum]

I love Rumiko Takahashi.

Ranma is still as fun as it was in the 90's.

I agree, but to be fair she seems to be kind of phoning it in recently. Mao is literary Inuyasha 2.0, which is still entertaining of course, but...

 

[DESTROYA]

And those are mostly the reason why I stopped reading DC and Marvel and continue to read Manga.
Huge comic book fan growing up and the highlight of my week were my weekly trips to my local comic book shop for mostly DC and Marvel stuff but also read some DarkHorse,Image and other smaller publishers but seen them change to be more political statements and SJW agenda than actual story telling and entertainment.The whole culture changed and so did I deciding not to support them anymore.

 

[Saber]

I appretiate the work of Rumiko. Inuyasha was one of my favorite animes when younger. It was great stuff, later made feel interested for her other works.

Either way I find Fullmetal Alchemist a terrible anime, although I didn't know the writer of it.

 

[Vengrim]

I thought the article was going to be a comparison of content not more identity politics hategasms. Manga/anime have their own problems. They just happen to be different than American ones and since even the female authors are perpetuating those problems, they are equally guilty as men. Less so based on the series listed but still there.

Here's an idea: If someone doesn't have any notable works then they're just another layman. Their opinion doesn't mean anything. Just like some schmo that worked on a few issues of X-Men doesn't get to be an authoritative voice on comics. If anything, the real takeaway is why aren't there more mega successful American female comic book authors? One should have accidentally happened by now, if nothing else. Almost three times as many people in the US but no real female talent?

The market dynamics is so different between Japan and America. Most American comics are works for hire. They are more about branding and hunting for the breakout hit. They're corporate monstrosities. I'm not an expert here but isn't manga meant to be disposable. Low quality paper, black and white printing, not a lot detail per page? That allows for more of an auteur approach to the story with one vision which can create opportunities for long running series. American comics rarely have a long running creative team, male or female, though it was more prevalent in the past.

 

[infinitys_7th]

Manga/anime have their own problems. They just happen to be different than American ones and since even the female authors are perpetuating those problems, they are equally guilty as men.

What problems are those? What problems are there with older American/western comics?

 

[oagboghi2]

Now I feel like an ignorant tool finding out only now that the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist was a woman.

Think about that for a second. You didn't know the gender of the creator of one of the most popular manga franchises to ever hit America. 2 very successful shows, millions of copies sold worldwide solely on the basis that the story is fucking awesome and the characters.

Compare that to any female created comic or even television show/movie in America. Over here the gender of the creator is the only thing the media cares to talk about.

It's just night and day

 

[lock2k]

I agree, but to be fair she seems to be kind of phoning it in recently. Mao is literary Inuyasha 2.0, which is still entertaining of course, but...

I'll check it out. I love InuYasha but I understand sometimes it can be hard to come up with new concepts.

 

[Durask]

Never liked US comics to begin with - even before they got infested with social justice.

 

[MrA]

Find it funny how Gail Simone is credited with birds of prey, but it was created by Jordan Gorfinkel and Chuck (Literally Atomic Powered Hitler) Dixon.

 

[GreyHorace]

Think about that for a second. You didn't know the gender of the creator of one of the most popular manga franchises to ever hit America. 2 very successful shows, millions of copies sold worldwide solely on the basis that the story is fucking awesome and the characters.

Compare that to any female created comic or even television show/movie in America. Over here the gender of the creator is the only thing the media cares to talk about.

It's just night and day

I think when all is said and done, the value of your work matters more than your gender. You know who the Guinness Book of World Records lists as the best selling fiction writer of all time?

How the hell can feminists claim the patriarchy is holding them back in the fields of literature when fucking Agatha Christie has sold over 2 billion copies of her work?

 

[teacupcopter]

Think about that for a second. You didn't know the gender of the creator of one of the most popular manga franchises to ever hit America. 2 very successful shows, millions of copies sold worldwide solely on the basis that the story is fucking awesome and the characters.

Compare that to any female created comic or even television show/movie in America. Over here the gender of the creator is the only thing the media cares to talk about.

It's just night and day

Counterpoint- nowadays it would be announced, and many people wouldn't give it a chance because they would automatically call it "woke" to be made by a woman.

The Hurt Locker was an amazing film, and when Bigelow won best director for it it was lauded as a great feat for women, which is right.

Even just 12 years later I reckon the posts about that film and her achievements would be very different.

I agree many put gender before the actual work itself, but it definitely runs both ways.

 

[MrA]

I think when all is said and done, the value of your work matters more than your gender. You know who the Guinness Book of World Records lists as the best selling fiction writer of all time?

How the hell can feminists claim the patriarchy is holding them back in the fields of literature when fucking Agatha Christie has sold over 2 billion copies of her work?

'cause she's privileged, plus have you seen And Then There Were None's original title? Don't give me any of that non-sense about merit.

 

[oagboghi2]

Counterpoint- nowadays it would be announced, and many people wouldn't give it a chance because they would automatically call it "woke" to be made by a woman.

The Hurt Locker was an amazing film, and when Bigelow won best director for it it was lauded as a great feat for women, which is right.

Even just 12 years later I reckon the posts about that film and her achievements would be very different.

I agree many put gender before the actual work itself, but it definitely runs both ways.

If people didn't know what the gender of the creator was, why would anyone call it woke?

You can't have it both ways. You can't market your content as this "woke", "progressive", "female-oriented", insert whatever buzzwords you want here, focus all of your advertising around said concepts, and then be upset when people respond to that.

Look at the recent star wars series announced by LucasFilm. Literally the only thing they announced about it is a female showrunner. That's it. No synopsis or characters. Just the gender. What are people supposed to respond to?

It's just a different set of values. One side actually speaks to the actual work being produced. The other doesn't care at all.

 

[teacupcopter]

If people didn't know what the gender of the creator was, why would anyone call it woke?

You can't have it both ways. You can't market your content as this "woke", "progressive", "female-oriented", insert whatever buzzwords you want here, focus all of your advertising around said concepts, and then be upset when people respond to that.

Look at the recent star wars series announced by LucasFilm. Literally the only thing they announced about it is a female showrunner. That's it. No synopsis or characters. Just the gender. What are people supposed to respond to?

It's just a different set of values. One side actually speaks to the actual work being produced. The other doesn't care at all.

nah you’re wrong here. Now if they said the new series had a female show runner and female lead and would explore the inherent sexism in the Jedi order and how it pertains to a young Padawan who becomes a Jedi master after her trainer was #metoo’d in tattooines biggest sex scandal then yes, I would agree.

but again- YOU can’t have it both ways. They just announced a name, and she just did a popular show on Netflix that bagged some awards, that’s why the names important because people will go “I liked Russian doll-I’ll Watch this when it’s out”

just like they announced Taika waititi is directing a new movie but gave no info.

question for you- if what you want is not marketing your content as “woke”, then why did you have a problem with them announcing a woman show runner but you didn’t have a problem with them announcing a male director? In both cases they didn’t give any further information.

you’ve literally proved my point. Just being a woman in 2020 means some people will call you “woke”- congratulations, this behaviour justifies all the shit the woke brigades pull.

 

[SirTerry-T]

Q Hayashida would beat the shit out of all of them!

 

[kunonabi]

nah you’re wrong here. Now if they said the new series had a female show runner and female lead and would explore the inherent sexism in the Jedi order and how it pertains to a young Padawan who becomes a Jedi master after her trainer was #metoo’d in tattooines biggest sex scandal then yes, I would agree.

but again- YOU can’t have it both ways. They just announced a name, and she just did a popular show on Netflix that bagged some awards, that’s why the names important because people will go “I liked Russian doll-I’ll Watch this when it’s out”

just like they announced Taika waititi is directing a new movie but gave no info.

question for you- if what you want is not marketing your content as “woke”, then why did you have a problem with them announcing a woman show runner but you didn’t have a problem with them announcing a male director? In both cases they didn’t give any further information.

you’ve literally proved my point. Just being a woman in 2020 means some people will call you “woke”- congratulations, this behaviour justifies all the shit the woke brigades pull.

Tails has done SW content so people have an idea of what he might do plus his co-writer is pretty solid. Considering the content of Leslie's plays, her bitching about white women in positions of power, her wiping her tons of social media posts, and the fact that her appointment was most likely purposefully leaked instead of an official press release like Taika are all huge red flags.

 

[teacupcopter]

Tails has done SW content so people have an idea of what he might do plus his co-writer is pretty solid. Considering the content of Leslie's plays, her bitching about white women in positions of power, her wiping her tons of social media posts, and the fact that her appointment was most likely purposefully leaked instead of an official press release like Taika are all huge red flags.

again you’re just projecting. You don’t know this. It’s a name. You guys are asking for things to be judged fairly not based on wokeness yet you refuse to do the same. If gender doesn’t matter then who cares if you have a female lead or creator.

I mean was Wonder Woman a woke character when she was created, or did they just go “yeah we gotta bunch of dude superheroes now let’s have a girl one too coz we got this cool story about amazonians”

 

[kunonabi]

again you’re just projecting. You don’t know this. It’s a name. You guys are asking for things to be judged fairly not based on wokeness yet you refuse to do the same. If gender doesn’t matter then who cares if you have a female lead or creator.

I mean was Wonder Woman a woke character when she was created, or did they just go “yeah we gotta bunch of dude superheroes now let’s have a girl one too coz we got this cool story about amazonians”

She was an outlet for Marstons weird fetishes and desire for female domination so yeah sort of.

 

[Fbh]

I'm just here to say Q Hayashida is great and everyone should read Dorohedoro:

 

[Doom85]

I don't know much about what she's saying nowadays, but IIRC Gail Simone was the one back in the day who came up with the term "Stuffed in the Fridge" (or at least brought more attention to it), referring to female "characters" who exist primarily so the writer can have them killed (sometimes brutally, the term refers to Green Lantern Kyle Rayner's wife's corpse being found in the fridge. Geezus, GL comics can get dark, but that was so "edgy" it just came off as immature), raped, badly beaten, de-powered, brainwashed, etc. to motivate the male character. To be clear, this refers to characters who were active during the characters' run and then "stuffed", so this isn't referring to "characters" like Thomas and Martha Wayne, Ben Parker, Frank Castle's family, etc.

Beyond the obvious sexism of the trope (yes, the reverse can happen, but it's far less common in comparison) she wasn't exactly wrong, and just the fact that it's about as generic a cliche as you can get in terms of motivating the main character. Seriously, comics should strive to have better plots than Generic Action Film #59,257. I'm not saying it's impossible to do right, but the problem is that these female characters seem to be viewed as to only exist for this to happen in the hands of the writers who do this. As opposed to say someone like Gwen Stacy who was a significant character in the Spider-man comics for a good while before finally dying.