Ladies Nights – Tea, Sympathy, & Comic Books

Ladies Nights! The one time every year/quarter/month (depending on the host) when we can gather together and discuss comics with new and old friends without worrying too much about the seemingly inevitable Geek Girl shaming that happens at least once in a mixed group gathering.

Last week I was at the 4th anniversary of Nerd Nite Toronto, an amazing monthly event for all nerds interested in learning about obscure topics, hosted by the wonderful Virve Aljas. It’s always a great event, and I highly recommend you attend, but there was an incident that happens all too often at large nerd-focused events. An older gentleman approaches the table I’m at (which there is hardly enough room for the amount we even had) and pushes himself in, complaining the conversation wasn’t stimulating enough at the other table (other table: all dudes, our table: all women). Then he remarks “When I was a kid, no girls were nerds, and now look a whole table full of them!”

Which of course, most of us know is categorically untrue, female comic, sci-fi, and science geeks being around in large numbers since the beginning of fandom. The difference is? When the boys were hanging out in their treehouses, we were reading the comics alone in our rooms, until we grew bored of the isolation and switched to more social hobbies. Now at last, there are groups popping up around the world to support women interested in geekery and we no longer have to worry about choosing between a social life and our interests!

Though the origins of women-exclusive events in the fandom field are currently unclear, comic book historian Trina Robbins suggests that one of the earlier events that most closely resembles the modern Ladies Nights was organized by Carol Bennet, A UK publisher of comic books in the late 1980s. Bennet would have regular teas for women in the comic book industry. Robbins herself was part of the Wimmen’s Comix collective in the 1970s, where they would get together regularly to print and publish their own underground comic book collections.

Screenshot from Chasing Amy (1997)

In the early 1990s, frustrated by the lack of respect they were receiving in the field, several members of the Wimmen’s Comix collective including Robbins formed “Friends of Lulu” an organization dedicated to advancing the readership of comic books to women, that lasted until 2009.

Ladeez do Comix is another regular event that has a significant history, originating from England in 2009 and now spreading to Dublin, Chicago, and San Francisco. A cross between a traditional TED Talk/Nerd Nite format, Ladeez do Comix focuses exclusively on comic books.

And of course there are Ladies Nights, events hosted by comic book shops across the country where female patrons are encouraged to come shop, socialize, and discuss comics in a fun, safe environment. Some events are open to all genders, but are female-organized and encouraged, others are exclusive to female-identified patrons. These events have been popping up in increasing number over the last few years, even leading to the organization of cartoonist Kate Leth’s Valkyries, a collection of female comic book retailers who meet online to share information and plan group outings at conventions.

The following list of comic book stores and organizations that currently host regular ladies comic events was put together by comic writer Kelly Sue DeConnick & the Valkyries, Women Read Comics, and myself. Know any participating stores/ongoing groups & events that have been missed? Leave a note in the comments or Facebook and I’ll update it!

Canada

Alberta – Edmonton – Ladies Night @ Happy Harbor

New Brunswick – Fredericton – Ladies Night @ Strange Adventures

Nova Scotia – Halifax – Ladies Night @ Strange Adventures

Ontario – Toronto – Ladies Night @ Comic Book Lounge

Ontario – Toronto – High Tea at the Comic Book Embassy

Ontario – Ottawa – Ladies Night @ The Comic Book Shoppe 2

USA

California – Berkeley – Fantastic Ladies Comics Club

California – San Francisco – Ladeez do Comics

DC – Washington – Ladies Night @ Fantom Comics

Delaware – Wilmington – Ladies Night @ The Comic Book Shop

Delaware – Newart – Ladies Night @ Captain Blue Hen

Illinois – Chicago – Ladeez do Comics

Illinois – Chicago – Graham Cracker’s Ladies Club

Illinois – Skokie – Aw Yeah Ladies Night

Maryland – Baltimore – Girls Only Comics Club @ Collectors Corner

Massachusetts – Northampton – Ladies Night @ Modern Myths Comics

Michigan – Dearborn – Girl Party @ Green Brain!

Missouri – St. Louis – Ladies Night @ Star Clipper

New Hampshire – Manchester – League of Extraordinary Gentlewomen

Ohio – Lima – Ladies Night @ Alter Ego

Oregon – Portland – Ladies Night @ Things From Another World

Texas – Austin Austin Comics Ladies

Texas – Bedford Girl’s Night @ Gen X

Texas – Dallas Ladies Night @ Keith’s Comics

Texas – Houston Ladies Night @ 8th Dimension

Texas – Hurst Ladies Night @ Collected

Wisconsin – Milwaukee – Ladies Night @ Collector’s Edge

UK

Dublin/Glasgow/Leeds/London

Ladeez do Comics
Header image from Kate Leth’s advertisement for Strange Adventures’s Ladies Night (2014) & Trina Robbin’s cover for It Ain’t Me Babe (1970).