Tumbling Like Alice

11 Female-Friendly Comics you can Read for Free.

tyrelpinnegar

In the world of comics, it’s not uncommon to wander across sexism, stereotypes, and objectification. In fact, these subjects seem to come up so often that it’s sometimes easy forget the hard work of the lovely men and women who are striving to make the medium a safer, more inclusive place.

I’d like to take a moment to highlight a few of my favorites:

Cucumber Quest by gigidigi

Cucumber Quest is a very cute, very funny tale of two siblings out to save the world. Its premise may seem familiar at first, but don’t be fooled. Cucumber Quest has a wicked subversive streak that reveals itself as the story progresses.

Serenity Rose by aaronalexovich

Serenity Rose is the story of a shy, introverted witch living in what amounts to a supernatural tourist destination. Ten years in the making, it’s a little known gem of comics storytelling.

Zoophobia by vivzie-pop

Zoophobia is colorful and stylishly drawn, with a cast of characters so diverse and expansive that it’s nearly impossible not to be swept up in the story. It’s an extremely fun and charming tale.

Dresden Codak by dresdencodak

There aren’t nearly enough women of science depicted in fiction, but Dresden Kodak certainly has that covered. In my opinion, the currently in-progress “Dark Science” arc is where Dresden Kodak shines its brightest, making it a good place to start.

Blindsprings by blindsprings

Blindsprings is a relatively young comic, but its quick rise to popularity speaks to it’s quality. It’s beautifully illustrated and already taking some unexpected turns.

Lackadaisy by lackadaisycats

Lackadaisy is a long time favorite of mine, and for good reason. It’s the impeccably written story of a rag-tag team of 1920’s bootleggers that you can’t help but root for. The fact that’s everyone is a cat is just icing on the cake.

Awful Hospital by bogleech

Awful Hospital tells the story of a woman trying to locate her extremely ill infant son in a surreal and often gruesome medical facility. It’s author has handed over control of Awful Hospital’s protagonist to its readers, so If you want to make your mark on the story, now’s the time.

The Bug Pond by hamigakimomo

Cute and (mostly) lighthearted, The Bug Pond follows the antics of a miniature community of insect and arachnid characters. The cast includes jumping spiders, katydids, silverfish, and earwigs, but personally I have a soft spot for the carpenter ant girls.

Apothecia by shelbycragg and tazmuir

Apothecia follows a young girl named Jessie, who’s secretly harboring a fungus-like monster in the woods. Peppered with quirky dialogue and a dark edge, this story goes some very unexpected places.

The Last Halloween by abby-howard

The Last Halloween skillfully straddles the line between humorous and horrifying. A loving tribute to all things spooky, it’s definitely worth your time.

Imago by tyrelpinnegar

Imago is the story of a girl from a nearly extinct, mask-wearing desert tribe, who stumbles across a mechanical giant in the woods. In the interest of full disclosure, Imago is my own work, but I hope you’ll check it out. Imago was intended as a story that could be enjoyed regardless of gender, but I’ve always hoped it might find a place in the hearts of girls and young women in particular.

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I know for a fact that every author featured here cares deeply about the portrayal of women in media, and have created stories that reflect that. I sincerely hope you’ll take a moment to share their work with others.

Thanks. ^_^