Feature Chance for Women’s History Month

Logline:
Midori wakes up lost amidst the hi-tech metropolis of Centralia. Without memories, her only connection to this place is a mysterious girl from her dreams. As Midori searches for this girl, she finds the city is not what it seems…

Quote:
"And if things get bad... we're still a team, right?"

With the mainstream comic industry so traditionally geared towards a male audience, I believe webcomics are a key space for marginalized voices to shine. As a female creator working with the cyberpunk genre, I find this to be especially true. Cyberpunk has long been dominated by male, typically white and cisgendered voices. For a genre meant to explore and critique societal flaws, it doesn't make sense to repeatedly see stories from the least-marginalized groups. Centralia 2050 is a comic with a female lead who isn't a sexy badass action hero or brimming with "girl power", but is down-to-earth and more than capable in her own right. The comic features women who are powerful in different ways, showing that there's not a single "true" way to portray a strong female character.

Logline:
Violet, seeking a new, independent life, flees her hometown for the flashy lights of Las Vegas. Hoping to find herself, she instead finds a part time job full of quirky co-workers, cranky customers and... romance?

Quote:
"You are a strong, independent woman! You are awesome! You stopped yourself from eating a whole carton of ice cream last night!"

OR

"I'm not a damsel in distress okay?! I don't need you to save me or fix me or ANYTHING!"

My co-writer/sister and I are stay-at-home moms. Not only does the webcomic industry grant us the creative outlet to keep our sanity intact at home, but it also gives us the opportunity to pursue our dreams and have it all! (something I thought impossible until I discovered Tapas!) We've never met a more welcoming community that embraces and supports it's female creators- no matter what their background may be.

Logline: Gunhild Gretadottir, a young woman who is an agent of asgard, goes on an adventure to save the worlds from a hostile takeover, and to over come her fears.

Quote: "I refuse to live in fear anymore, thrym." (from a future episode)
This quote was by Gunhild's younger half sister. She had been forced into an abusive marriage, and she refuses to be mistreated, and holds her abuser accountable for his actions.

As a woman in the webcomic industry, creating a series means a lot to me. Most stories about norse mythology are aimed at a male demographic, and most are just the author's power fantasy. I wanted to create something that everyone could enjoy, and to include a variety of characters, so everyone could see themselves in it. I wanted to write an empowering story about overcoming fear and adversity, and how individuality should not be feared. I included a range of female protagonists, all of which are individual. My main character is a lesbian (as a hetero ally to the LGBTQ+ community, always like to see representation.) To summarize, I want to be the change that I want to see in norse mythology based fiction, and write a story for all.

2) After hearing the Midnight Melody - a summoning song for young witches - our bubbly heroine Karta Kloss gets tossed into a completely new and magical world where she immediately gets into trouble on Day 1. Thank the Mother that pretty girl was there to help her at least...

3) Episode 28.2 "It might seem silly to be so invested in a newfound crush, but I've had enough of letting things just happen around me. I finally feel like I'm the one in the driver's seat."

4) I'm a little worried I might not be able to accurately articulate how much creating my comic means to me as a woman - one that loves other women at that. While I was writing and drawing the first drafts for Diamond Dive, I constantly felt like it's not gonna be successful, because it's "too feminine" "too soft" "too female-centered" "too emotional" "too me". Add into the mix that back then I was still in the closet and extremely over-analyzing every decision I made about my comic. "Is this too girly? Is there enough action? Should I add more male characters? Should I add a male main? I don't want to, but I feel like I should." Little did I know that I was in fact a lesbian, and compulsory heterosexuality exists, and it stems from the same societal expectations and limitations that we women experience in every single aspect of our lives. Creating my comic helped me overcome that and I slowly allowed myself to enjoy my life and my comic the way I wanted it to be. It's really true that your art is an extension of yourself, and every single time I look at my characters, I'm so thankful I didn't end up changing them to fit into a mainly male-dominated landscape. Women are great and I intend to create content that celebrates them for the rest of my days.

Logline: Two students working on telepathy system while dealing with trust issues.

Quote: (I think, the biggest strength of a main character Aster is her intelligence, but it is really hard to find a quote to show this, because it's just shown throughout the story, and has a meaning mostly in context of a story, idk) "Fine, we are both nerds."

It's pretty common to hear something like "women don't belong in science/engineering" or "wow, it's so cool to see a woman in STEM", and I don't like both of this phrases, because I think, it should be seen as normal. When creating my stories, I show characters never questioning each other's qualities based on their sex/gender, because I think it should be that way. I want more people to see this possibility not to belittle or praise, but to see things as they are. Everyone can like or dislike something, to be good and bad at certain things. Women can like science and be good at engineering, and it's normal, and I would like to see more of this perspective in media.

My series is about love/romance with drama, comedy. But I put a lot of effort into my female lead. Because I was used to in her situation.
She is just a normal girl, no strength, no power. For me, a strong girl doesn't necessarily have physical strength. Asha has a very strong spirit, despite being wrapped up in chains, she keeps shining.
Contrary to her innocent appearance, I have built her up with very high stamina and smart.

Logline:
Asha is the youngest princess, she lives in the harem. She is always bullied by the queen and the princess. Her bigest wish is seeking for a chance to get out of here. She wanna live in freedom.

Quote:

Logline: Her gifts set her apart, but are they enough to survive the Invisible War?

Quote: Nothing about this job was going to be easy. It was scary. It was awesome. Rose couldn't wait to get started.

Growing up, I loved to read. Books with dragons and spaceships were the best! But there were so few women on the page that I could look up to or emulate. It was so hard to find any characters like me. Professional success is one thing, but when my niece reads my book and loves it, I feel like I've done something incredible and given her something that I never got to have.

Logline: At 28 years old, Neera starts falling again for her high school sweetheart. Their love has a price, she soon finds out, but magical powers and a prophecy are not what stands in the way of their love.

Quote: “THEO!”
Everyone in the room held their breath and looked at Neera, who was trembling with fury.
Theo, though his eyes were aflame, tried to maintain a straight face. “What?”
“This is my choice.”

What drives me: I'm an Italian migrant and an English Literature graduate, among other things. During my degree I learned to dissect written media as well as other communication means; it's as if since I mastered literary analysis I can't take off this metaphoric pair of analytic glasses! And so I have started looking at things and reflect on them in a multilayer-way, leaving behind (or, better: revisiting and filing away in the 'learn from the past' drawer) prejudices and other conditioning ways to see the world that I have inherited from my parents, school, friends, etc.
I'll get to the point. One of the main takeaways from all this personal growth has been to say what I think without being afraid of being judged because whatever I believe should not get in the way of what you believe and viceversa. I'm still working on it of course, but I'm starting to shed all this fear of being judged I've always had. Breaking free from mummy-like bandages, it's what it feels like.
Writing helps me with that, because, although it can be frustrating and challenging, it's what makes me feel free the most: free to say what I want, the way I want, in the language I want.
It also makes me feel incredibly proud, because it doesn't matter I'm part of a minority (immigrant, woman): writing webnovels means I'm part of a larger community of passionate authors and readers from all ethnicities, backgrounds, believes, styles, etc. Each and every one of us reads/writes webnovels/webcomics to share, enjoy, laugh, feel, and we all deserve to be here.

1. Series link
   Frankie and Hayley

2. Series logline
   When a struggling coffee shop owner receives aid from a shy artistic customer to host a creative event, their relationship becomes more than just friendly.

3. An inspiring/powerful quote that showcases the characters’ strengths (max 100 characters)
   “The only thing I’m seeing that no one wants is your fucking homophobia.”

4. Tell us what creating series means to you as a woman in the webcomic/webnovel industry.

Creating allows me to bring stories that are needed into the world. Not only am I a woman, where mainstream representation is only marginally beginning to improve (and continues to centre white women), but I’m also queer. Stories about queer women are few and far between, and when they do exist, they’re either traumatic, sexualised by male creators, or tell only the most palatable story to engage straight and cisgender audiences. I want to tell uplifting stories about queer women falling in love. I needed to see queer women falling in love when I was younger to help me realise my feelings were valid. I want my story to help people feel validated in their own identity. Creating means I can craft the story I’ve always wished to see, and it brings me the greatest comfort.

Megan x

Logline:
Gwynn is a happy-go-lucky young lady off on adventure with her grumpy elf companion, ready to befriend whomever or whatever crosses her path with her unyielding optimism.

Quote:
"Why are you all alone here in the dark?? It's ok, you're not alone anymore."

Artist:
Growing up I think it was hard to find female characters in media that I could relate to, or really look up to. Nowadays, it's wonderful to see the amount and diversity of strong, unique and realistic female characters, and I'm happy to be able to add to that. I think a larger diversity in anything is really a good thing, and with webcomics/webnovels it's great that anyone can put their own uncompromised work out there.

Logline: Sam, short for Samantha, was one of the many worker drones. Working to the end of her days that were rapidly approaching, however, in one moment Sam found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lucky her!

Quote: "So, what is your intention now? Do you wish do you return to Sulla?"
Sam felt her eyes strain as she held back the flood of emotion of her next statement. "No, I know that I'll never be able to return. Or at least never alive. I knew that the moment I stepped out of the tower. Please believe me when I say that I never intended to be a disruption in your home. I just wanted to help Marco, but I have nowhere else to go at this point. I have lost everything."

Reasons: I have always enjoyed writing stories but never felt that I was good enough. So after years and years of having these stories in my head, I decided to try and get one out... This is one that hit me as being different but shows who I am. As a female, I wanted to write a strong story that didn't centralize around romance but did have heavy topic in it like corruption and propaganda. Females can write these stories too and be amazing at it! So here is my leap with my story.

I am throwing my hat in the ring perhaps for a little exposure, even I don't get featured :3

Series link

Series logline
Two girls dragged into a battle for the future…

As modern civilization crumbles under the yoke of a genetic supremacist organization, fae folk and daemons begin to reemerge: some wish to aid in man’s struggle, others desire to bring mankind to its knees. From the ashes of man’s plight rise seven reluctant heroes imbued with the power to save, or destroy, all that exists.

(This series is for an adult audience)

An inspiring/powerful quote that showcases the characters’ strengths (max 100 characters)
I dunno if it's healthy, because we all need time to mourn, but thus far, Kanna's main "inspiring speech" is

"But we don't get to mourn! We soldier on. You need purpose? We'll give you purpose."
The context is that she's the person leading the country to rebuild following a...oh god, don't be mad, pandemic (I started writing this in the early 2000s, surprising relevant today). She is holding it together as an adult, in spite of being 18 at the time of this speech.

Tell us what creating series means to you as a woman in the webcomic/webnovel industry.
This is why it's important to me to be a woman and write and draw in the industry:

I want to, and it makes me feel good. It is the same, I assume, for any other person. I enjoy writing, and I have something to say. And that's enough for me.

But beyond this, I want others to enjoy it. I have chosen to tell this story with a primarily female cast, mostly because this is what I want to see, and because there had been a void of this before mangka authors like CLAMP entered my scope of existence. They, as well as Takeuchi, provided me with inspiration to create female lead stories told from our perspective, and including magic and action (something that growing up, outside of Heavy Metal and Wizards, and She-Ra, I found hard to find. Bless Patricia C. Wrede for her Enchanted Forest Chronicles. This author is SOOOOO over looked).

Being a women is a matter of happy coincidence, however, if my being a woman writing and succeeding, even in just a small way, inspires other women who are held down, or held back: then I've done my job as a person. I've made someone's life a little better, and given them the strength and inspiration to DO. To CREATE, regardless of gender. It's enough that you are human, and you want to create, and you want to share in the success and love of creation. You deserve to be heard, too.

If that inspires other women to take on their passions, then I'm glad, because we gotta pull together, inspire, and support each other.

Logline
A tween with a 'tude and her ghost ancestor team up to solve a historic murder. Maybe they'll teach each other a little bit about life along the way?

Quote
"If you had tried to talk to me last night I would've told you to get lost... but I've had some time to cool down. And look, maybe your advice was bad, maybe not. It doesn't matter. I know you meant well. So, I forgive you"
-Iris to Amelia in Chapter 4

About Me
I've done a lot of struggling in my life to accept who I am, and overcome my challenges. For me, this has included my gender, can I like this traditionally girly things? Will people still take me seriously? It has also been a struggle with mental illness. In my art, I'm learning to express myself, as a strong, intelligent, and sometimes very feminine woman. I also want to bring light to the struggles of life, and speak candidly about issues like mental health without stigma. That's what I'm trying to do with TROL. We are not perfect, we are not alone, we are not defined by our worst thing.

Link:

https://tapas.io/series/Magefront1

Logline: Amarantha Steppenhaus has big dreams of following in her famous battlemage mother's footsteps, and when she's accepted into the prestigious College of Magic and chosen to become a Bonded soldier, she sees those dreams becoming reality.
Quote: "For a wraith to answer a call from someone so young, you obviously have a hidden strength!"

I've been in the webcomic world a long time, over fifteen years now, with my first webcomic going live back in 2006. I've seen a lot of changes in opinion and "rules" when it comes to webcomics, but one thing that always remained a constant was how much more available and open webcomics were to women. Mainstream industries are hesitant to break up their old boy's clubs and tell stories that aren't the same rehashed plot, but webcomics allow female creatives to create whatever they want with no one to tell them no. It's exciting to see what stories can come out of people not tied to the very strict rules men in the industry have to follow.

Logline:
Aspen Ralvath is the young daughter, and most controversial creation, of the infamous late wizard Calpurnius Ralvath. Without her father to protect her, Aspen must brave the world outside of her charming seaside hometown if she hopes to resurrect him, potentially facing many of his powerful detractors in the process.
Along the way, she'll join forces with four other misfits; an amnesiac, a pint-sized knight astride his Rottweiler steed, a ravenous princess, and an overworked, vibrantly clad servant.

Quote:
"Sure, I'm gonna bring my dad back, and obviously, I'm going to be one of the world's foremost mages one day, just like him! However, it's all going to be on account of my own dedication and study! As if I'd ever let some dusty old piece of parchment take all the credit!" -Aspen Ralvath

About being a woman comic creator:
For me, making comics has always been very self-indulgent. There's something very empowering, and liberating about making the type of content that appeals to me personally, rather than hoping and waiting for someone else to give me the characters I like, and being disappointed if they don't get a very prominent role or much agency in the stories they're found in.
For New Stars, I wrote Aspen to be the type of character I would have liked to see when I was younger. She's a smart, resourceful young girl who isn't ashamed of her femininity, nor is she restricted by it. She's also ambitious, willful, and strong in her convictions. She isn't without her flaws, however, and has a lot of room to grow and learn. It's okay for her to not be perfect, and it's okay for her to be wrong sometimes. I feel like I really needed that, you know? An unabashedly frilly "girly" girl, who isn't the butt of a joke, who is intelligent and capable. A girl with sometimes very ugly emotional hurdles to overcome, who isn't wholly vilified for them even if she fails, and is still allowed to be loved.
I feel too often, the women I see in media can be these sort of easy to digest two-dimensional archetypes that don't challenge our perception of how complicated and dimensional we can be, and at worst, almost feel like they're trying to tell us what the "acceptable" way to be women is if we want to be treated with kindness and respect. "Be feminine, but not too feminine." It feels like there are a lot of unrealistic balancing acts like that that we have to do to be deemed worthy. Fuck that, sincerely.

Logline:
Elena, a woman who believes that a person have three lives; the planting, the watering, and the harvesting. Although she believes in that saying, she knew a person can never keep his or her past memories. So why can she?

Quote:
"People tend to regret things after they experienced the consequences." - Elena Salacia Benedict.

About being a woman series(novel) creator:
I have experienced writing various stories from ine app to another, but I can't seem to find the best one for me so I kept on looking for apps and found this. As a novel creator, it makes me very happy when people like my newly updated series. I made each one of it with all my heart. My peers sometimes think I'm over reacting but they're also proud of me even if its just one view. That way, I know someone is reading my work, someone is interested with my novel. There's this one time that I really cried a little when I saw that people are reading my series. Also for me, it does not stop from my happiness. I want to inspire aspiring writers to write their own stories, just like how my favorite authors inspired me. I remebered, I started writing stories when I was in 5th grade. Even though English is not my native language, my classmates didn't mind. I used to write those stories on a notebook and my peers would ask me if they could read it. Then, when one of my friends started writing stories as well, I said to myself, 'Woah...it feels good when I made someone write their own stories.' I didn't really have that much problem being a writer as a woman but I've encountered some people who underestimated my, let's call it, talent, because if my gender. I actually didn't care but that made me thought, 'What's wrong being a writer as a woman? There are many famous authors out there that're women. Is it because I was an easy target?'. I write, not only to tell people around the world the story I wanted to show them, but also to make them unleash the creativity they might not know they have.

Series logline
Until today, horror stories about ghosts and the Grim Reaper only made Mina smile. Those things don't exist, so why be scared of them?
But now she finds herself in the middle of it all, ghosts waylay her in the streets and a Grim Reaper is trying to recruit her. She could help them, but is she really willing to open up to their world?

An inspiring/powerful quote that showcases the characters’ strengths
By now Mina had no real strong quote. Her actions shows her strength more. She faced ghosts and a dangerous looking smoke out of nothing and decided to protect the ghost and be nice to her, cheer her up.
A friend of mina says in chapter two: "No it wasn’t really important. Just a jerk who couldn’t see my advantages" by talking about a date. Not letting it get her down, is also a kind of strength.

Tell us what creating series means to you as a woman in the webcomic/webnovel industry
Creating comics has always been my safe haven. The world is cruel to girls interested in comics and drawing, but despite that it was always my salvation. When i draw or write, I can escape to any world imaginable and be any character. There was never a time that I hated drawing because of that. I hated only the stuck opinion of the people. So I started to draw strong girls (maybe to get strong myself), first as illustration and later as comics. I also started to be more open about my hobby. Many years I just don't speak about it, to prevent the discussion and their displeased looks. Now I'm not afraid anymore to tell who I am and what I like. Creating comics and the community gave me the strength to do so
through comics and illustrations i want to give other girls the strength to be themselves

Series logline
Do you know the story: Two people fall in love and live happily ever after? A story for everyone? As if! In school, it's not that easy to live happily with your love. Because you two are not the only ones who have a say in it. When they have put you in a drawer, they know way better than you, who and what suits you.
Can you overcome that?

An inspiring/powerful quote that showcases the characters’ strengths
"Besides, not everyone believes the lies. Those who do are just too loud, so I can't hear the others."
This Short Story is mainly about strong women

Tell us what creating series means to you as a woman in the webcomic/webnovel industry
Creating comics has always been my safe haven. The world is cruel to girls interested in comics and drawing, but despite that it was always my salvation. When i draw or write, I can escape to any world imaginable and be any character. There was never a time that I hated drawing because of that. I hated only the stuck opinion of the people. So I started to draw strong girls (maybe to get strong myself), first as illustration and later as comics. I also started to be more open about my hobby. Many years I just don't speak about it, to prevent the discussion and their displeased looks. Now I'm not afraid anymore to tell who I am and what I like. Creating comics and the community gave me the strength to do so
through comics and illustrations i want to give other girls the strength to be themselves

Logline: A daily comic about two female cousins growing up in an ever changing world. Sometimes it will make you laugh, sometimes you'll just wonder why the hell you are reading it.

Quote: "I love you for who you are, not for what you appear to be.” (Sparkle)

I try to create a comic that is positive and inspiring to women of all ages. The characters are loosely based on my two teenage nieces. Sometimes the characters, like my nieces, don't get along, but at the end of the day they love, and are there for, each other.
The comic is a comedy and a slice of life. The two main characters, Princess Sparkle and Jilly, are strong female role models. It is a clean, light-hearted comic with the simple goal of making people smile.