One of the things I love about comics is that they encourage collaborative creativity. While some comics are created by one lonely soul, many are the result of what those in the industry call a “creative team.” Doesn’t that sound like a fun team to be on? Most mainstream comics have a writer and an artist (as well as an inker, a colourer, and a letterer). I think it’s really cool to see how two creators (creative teammates? I don’t think they say that in the industry) come together to make a comic. Both the writing and the art are essential, and they play off of and inform one another to give you the story.

Ellen Forney is a much-loved feminist cartoonist, whose work has appeared in all sorts of places including Bust magazine. She does amazing collaborative work with a diverse range of people, including writers, activists, chefs, potheads and even her grandma. Many of these collaborations appear as “How To” guides.

This is collaboration with with everyone’s favourite comedian, Margaret Cho:

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The internet is a-buzzing with the news that Stan Lee is developing a new TV show about a gay superhero. Stan “the man” Lee is, of course, the godfather of Marvel comics and co-creator of basically every Marvel character you know, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil.

The Telegraph reported last week that Stan Lee was “to create world’s first gay superhero.”

Um, no. Not even close.

There are tons of gay superheros, and have been for years. And not like, five. Hundreds. Gayleague.com offers a pretty comprehensive list.

There’s Midnighter and Apollo—Batman and Superman-esque characters, who first appeared in The Authority comics, and then in Midnighter.

They are totes in love, and have an adopted daughter.

Both teams of Marvel teen superheros boast queer couples: Karolina Dean & Xavin of Runaways and Wiccan & Hulkling of Young Avengers.

Renee Montoya from Gotham Central, who became the new Question, is a lesbian. And she used to date Batwoman.

Northstar, of the Canadian Superhero team, Alpha Flight, is probably the most well known gay superhero. He had what so many queer characters in all sorts of fiction have—a controversial outing and an unfortunate death.

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I recently discovered Templar, Arizona through the Comics Worth Reading blog. Their must-read Stupid Publisher Tricks feature inspired me to set aside all my DC and Marvel books for a while, and check out some more web comics.

The world of web comics can be a very diverse place, since anyone can publish their comic online. That is, anyone with lots of time, energy, talent, dedication and the right tools…

Templar, Arizona is a web comic created by a woman named Spike, whose bio made me actually LOL. It’s posted three times a week, a page at time, but rather than being a newspaper style comic, Templar is a graphic novel style, on-going series.

The story follows Ben, who moves from Washington to the imaginary town of Templar, to write for their alt weekly. But more importantly, Ben is escaping from his life in Washington, for a host of reasons—some of which become clear and some of which remain cryptic.

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Do you think about alternate universes a lot? Yeah, me too. I especially love post-apocalyptic sci-fi Western worlds. I like space and robots, and I also like cowboys and livin’ off the land. Put them together and you’ve got a perfect world.

So I was delighted to read Kazu Kibuishi’s, Daisy Kutter: The Last Train, a Young Adult graphic novel about a tough as heck cowboy lady in the robot-filled old West.

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Okay, I’m not saying I support hierarchies, or that all art needs to be graded and ranked, but I LOVE top ten lists. So here’s my totally biased and completely personal list of the best comics of 2008.

10. Omega the Unknown
9. The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For
8. Runaways: Dead End Kids
7. Janes in Love
6. The War At Ellsmere
5. RASL
4. Skim
3. All Star Superman
2. Swallow Me Whole
1. Emiko Superstar

Details after the jump.

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For a gal with all the powers of Superman, Supergirl has had a pretty rough go of it. In the sixties Superman sent her to live in a crappy orphanage and only got her out when he needed a pawn in some plan (usually to make Lois jealous). Her origin story is confusing: She’s Superman’s cousin? She was sent to earth to kill him? She was built by Lex Luthor? In the past few years, she’s often been drawn less as a teenage girl, and more as a creepy male fantasy. Oh yeah, and she totally died.

But things are looking up for Supergirl lately, in the main DC universe and otherwise. She has her own new, all ages-friendly series, Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in 8th Grade.

Issue one was adorable, fun, and surprisingly, a little complex.

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It’s cold as heck out, and the dreaded holiday season is here, so I’ve been dealing with it by curling up with some old favourites. I just reread Demo, a collection of twelve monthly comics written by Brian Wood and drawn by Becky Cloonan. It’s an awesome collection of angsty teenage stories, with Buffy or X-men-style metaphors where fantastic elements represent intense emotion.

Brian Wood is generally loved by the ladies for his focus on female characters (Local, The New York Four) and his cool blend of politics and realistic characters in an alternate future, sci-fi-ish setting (DMZ). Becky Cloonan perfectly renders young folks in styles ranging manga-y to stark black and white. Her punk-pirate book, East Coast Rising, is fun as heck.

Each of the twelve issues collected in Demo are individual stories, linked together loosely with the theme of angry youth, and hidden power.

(Beware, there are some swears after the jump.)

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Rutu Modan is a magnificent Isreali graphic novelist whose book, Exit Wounds, was one of my favourites last year. Modan’s new book, Jamilti, is a collection of her older short stories, published by Drawn and Quarterly.

Jamilti has a gothic feel, with Alice Munro-style haunting and grotesque stories about human relationships. Modan’s comics remind me of folk tales, or urban legends—stories that you’d read in a tabloid, or would be told to you by a co-worker who swears it’s true. Modan’s art style of deceptively simple line drawings with warm colours, evokes folk art. And the images are like words—off-putting, but darkly funny.

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Hey Shameless folks!

I’m back from tour with my band, and bringing you lots more female-focused comic-y goodness.

Faith Erin Hicks, the Halifax-based graphic novelist who made Zombies Calling, has a new book out this week.

The War At Ellsmere is the story of a brainy girl, Jun, who ends up at a prestigious private school on scholarship. She is immediately singled out by the snottiest girls in school, and what ensues is the kind of epic battle that can only take place in a high school. It’s everything I’ve come to expect from Hicks; snappy dialogue, realistic and relate-able female characters, and a healthy dose of fantasy.

Hicks will be at the Halifax book launch for The War At Ellsmere, this Saturday, December 6th from 6 to 8pm, at Strange Adventures.

For you Toronto folks, she’ll be at The Beguiling on December 17th from 5 to 7pm.

Drop by and chat with Faith. Get your book signed, ask for advice on how to make graphic novels, or just come bask in her awesomeness.

For more on The War At Ellsmere, check out this great interview Hicks did for the Living Between Wednesdays blog. You can read about her influences, why boarding schools make great settings, and why it’s nice to see girls fighting over something besides a boy.