A revised, updated and rewritten history of women cartoonists, with more color illustrations than ever before, and with some startling new discoveries (such as a Native American woman cartoonist from the 1940s who was also a Corporal in the women's army, and the revelation that a cartoonist included in all of Robbins's previous histories was a man!). In the pages of Pretty in Ink you'll find new photos and correspondence from cartoonists Ethel Hays and Edwina Dumm, and the true story of Golden Age comic book star Lily Renee, as intriguing as the comics she drew. Although the comics profession was dominated by men, there were far more women working in the profession throughout the 20th century than other histories indicate, and they have flourished in the 21st. Robbins not only documents the increasing relevance of women throughout the 20th century, with mainstream creators such as Ramona Fradon and Dale Messick and alternative cartoonists such as Lynda Barry, Carol Tyler, and Phoebe Gloeckner, but the latest generation of women cartoonists--Megan Kelso, Cathy Malkasian, Linda Medley, and Lilli Carre, among many others

Robbins uses reproductions of their comics in this documentation of women cartoonists from about 1900 to the present, giving sexism as the deterrant to women's success.

Boys aren't the only ones who read comics—girls do too! From Betty and Veronica to Slutburger and Art Babe, Girls to Grrrlz explores the amazing but true history of girl comics. Pop culture fans will delight in author Trina Robbinss chronological commentary (with attitude) on the authors, artists, trends, and sassy, brassy characters featured in comic books for the last half-century. Meet the bubble-headed bombshells of the '40s, the lovelorn ladies of the '50s, the wimmin libbers of the '70s, and the grrrowling grrrlz of today. Her commentary is paired with a ton of rare comic book art pulled from the best girl comics published since World War II. Bridging the gap between Ms. and Sassy , between Miss America and Naomi Wolf, From Girls to Grrrlz reminds us how comic book characters humorously—and critically—reflect our changing culture.

"The Great Women Superheroes is the first book for its kind-a unique and lively look at the larger than life comic book women who have fascinated generations of American readers. Tina Robbins, the foremost authority on women and comics and the author of the widely hailed A Century of Women Cartoonists, traces the full story of all the strong and heroic women who've battled evildoers and righted wrongs in the pages of America's Sunday funnies and comic books from the 1940s to today. From the famous to the forgotten, all the powerful women of the comics are here, from Wonder Woman to Elktra, from the cat-suited Miss Fury and poineer avitrix Flying Jenny of the 1940's to the leather-corseted action heroines like Ghost of the 1990's, Robbins covers all the good girls and all the bad girls in one fascinating volume." -- back cover.