Every year San Diego Comic Con, or SDCC, drops news faster than any one person can keep up with.What made this year particularly special as I frantically scrolled through Twitter and news sites was just how much I saw stories by, for and about ladies. Visibility for nerd women is in a place its never been before. Here are some, but certainly only a few, of the ways that women kicked ass at this year’s SDCC.

1. Girl Ghostbusters

#whoyougonnacall pic.twitter.com/hnrSjhCqSl

— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) July 10, 2015

Initially I was a bit skeptical of the reboot, even as a Ghostbusters fan and a woman. Isn’t it self-defeating to make such a big deal out of the fact that they’re women? What matters is busting ghosts. Although after seeing the team suited up with their own Ecto car, it’s hard not to get warm fuzzies. And by “warm fuzzies” I mean “cosplay plans”. Speaking of cosplayers…

2. Cosplay is Not Consent

Image source: http://www.geeksforconsent.org/cosplay-consent/

For some reason, seeing babes in slick costumes makes people think they’re above the rules of basic self-control and human decency. From this disparity we’ve seen a wave of costumed fans fighting the ongoing sexual/verbal harassment at cons. And the news, bless them, have tagged in too. Mainstream media does have some blood on its hands by giving preferential treatment to ‘sexy’ looking costumers in the past, but now we’re seeing a change in the tide. The BBC even posted a detailed story during this year’s SDCC, challenging the mistreatment of fangirls (and fanboys). We’ve seen grassroots groups like Geeks for CONsent pop up in North America to bring awareness to the issue. Not to mention a petition making the rounds in order to bring the fight to the con floor and prevent creeps from carrying on their behaviour. This is significant because it means that geek women are no longer in hiding, either from other women or from other nerds.

3. Mockingjay Pt. 2

What makes the Hunger Games franchise unintentionally hilarious as well as socially relevant is just how female-driven the whole thing is. Superhero films are dragging their feet on female stars and just now, rather grudgingly, catching up with the promises of Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman films. Meanwhile over at Lionsgate we’ve been following the adventures of Katniss Everdeen, the teenage girl equivalent of John Rambo.

4. Agent Carter

Marvel’s SDCC exclusive poster.

“I know my value.” If you weren’t already loving the badass, sharp-dressed, crack shot spy known as Peggy Carter, those four words became the battle cry for legions of fangirls. This year’s Comic Con panel gave fans an idea of what to expect for the show’s 2nd season. Peggy will be landing in Golden-Age Hollywood and working alongside old man Jarvis to crack some capers that have the LAPD baffled.

5. Geek Beauty

2015 HU Fashion Show Audience Winner – @LeetalPlatt -Usagi's Transformation #SailorMoon #SDCCgeekcouture pic.twitter.com/apFfHjwaaR

— Ashley Eckstein (@HerUniverse) July 11, 2015

Who says nerds can’t be stylish? For the second year running, fangirl fashionista Her Universe hosted the Geek Couture show. Designers from both profesional and amateur backgrounds come to flaunt their fandom through snazzy, original dress designs.

6. SpiderGwen Action Figure

Image Source: MarvelToyNews.com

When Marvel debuted the Spidey AU in which the formerly refrigerated Gwen Stacy was alive, well and acting as the Spider-hero, it blew up in a way nobody could have expected. Wisely, Marvel announced a spin-off series with her, and at this year’s SDCC revealed her action figure to match. This is a bigger deal than you might realize. Only a few months prior we saw Disney replacing Black Widow with Captain America in a toy based on a scene from Age of Ultron. And then when Hasbro released the raptor toys for Jurassic World the marketing buzzphrases erroneously called the dinos “he”. Not to mention the Where’s Gamora debacle from last summer. Or the awkwardly glammed up Princess Merida doll. You get the picture. But seeing the awesome of Spider-Gwen in action figure form is certainly a step in the right direction.

7. Ladies Winning Lots of Eisners

Women got 44 of the 232 Eisner nominations this year, or 19%. Women won 19 of the 48 Eisners awarded tonight, or 39.6%. So yeah, wow!

— Tim Hanley (@timhanley01) July 11, 2015

In what many see as the Oscars of Comics, we saw huge victories for female artists this year. (Which is ironic when you consider how much the Academy looks down on comic book films despite the comics industry actually trying and succeeding at being less sexist.)

The full list of nominees and winners is detailed here in an article from ComicsAlliance. And congrats on your win for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism, CA! Special shout-out to Noelle Stevenson AKA Tumblr champion Gingerhaze for winning two big ones for Lumberjanes.

8. Women Who Kick Ass Panel

Image Source: EW

No biggie, this panel just had Wonder Woman, Brienne of Tarth, Peggy Carter, Clara Oswald and Kathy Bates hanging out together. The LA Times reports that Gal Godot gushed about becoming Wonder Woman and Hayley Atwell might be on board with Peggy/Angie shipping. Gwendoline Christie described her performance as Brienne to be like a medieval Ellen Ripley, while also bragging about punching Rory McCann (The Hound from Game of Thrones) in the nards during their fight scene. Normally I’m happy to be at home whenever SDCC happens, relishing in being thousands of miles from the massive crowds. But this panel is something I’d had given my left foot to see.

9. Vixen

Just in case you needed a reminder of how awesome the DC Animated content always is. And even if you didn’t need a reminder this preview comes as a treat. If you ask me, let the Flash and Green Arrow squabble while this girl steals the show.

10. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

While the film has spent the past few years in production hell, it’s finally been moving forward and patient fans got a look at a trailer at SDCC and a chat with the film’s stars, including Cinderella‘s Lily James.. The author of the original P&P&Z novel, Seth Graeme Smith promises a flick for girls and boys alike. The story takes a fun turn on the Zombie Apocalypse genre by setting the story in the past – particularly during Jane Austen’s classic romantic drama/comedy. The Bennett sisters are given the challenge of navigating not only Regency-era English society, but also an infestation of the undead. Although it’s sort of a bummer that this film couldn’t have re-hired the cast from the 2005 adaptation. Yes, even Judi Dench. Hell, especially Judi Dench.

With SDCC 2015 a wrap, we’ll be waiting to see how all this dazzling female content plays out!