By Izola 
nnIt’s 7pm on Thursday night and we are walking down a busy hallway on the second floor of the convention center, looking for room 4. I have set low expectations for myself as to how this will all turn out. Disappointment is a bitch… As we turn the corner, we notice a rather long line and my partner looks at me. I shrug as we continue to walk, taking another corner to get to the room where the panel will be held. I stand across the way waiting patiently for Victoria to meet me, holding our two cups of scalding hot coffee. It’s freezing in the convention center, as it should be seeing as how the weather was the complete opposite. I’m grateful for the coffee and how it quickly warms me up. My partner walks up to the line and starts conversing with some of the people. I look up from my coffee and our eyes meet. His eyes widen and i am sure i am giving him a perplexed look. He walks over, shooting that gorgeous smile I love so much.nn”I just asked them what panel they were waiting for,” he said.nnA moment passed, which felt like an eternity and I responded, “and?”nn”The woman said Not Just a Pretty Face: Women in Comics.”nnMy eyes grow wide and I am sure they would burst from the sockets if it were possible. My heart starts to race and very tiny knots form in the pit of my stomach. I practically throw Victoria’s coffee at him and start frantically trying to unlock my phone. Stupid fracking Touch ID recognize my finger print! I call Victoria and fill her in. I may have squeaked… I DON’T squeak… I didn’t think it were possible for my voice to get that high. I turn to look at the escalator and see her slowly moving to the second floor. Victoria finally arrives and we smile at each other. She takes her coffee and we walk to the room. The previous panel has finished and we wait until they allow us to enter. When I have time to think it tends to a bad place fast. What if I don’t have the answer to a question? What if I sound like an idiot? What if we get some troll that just rips into us? Well, I had the answer to that one. Don’t mess with a Jersey girl. I may not have lived there for a while, but as they say, you can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can’t take the Jersey out of the girl.nnWe sit on the stage and wait as the crowd enters. Chatting with everyone on the panel makes me quickly forget how idiotic my thoughts were and I slowly lean back into my chair, waiting for what was about to happen.nnAmy, Trade Show Manager for Zenescope and out moderator starts the panel and we prepare ourselves for the questions to come. The panel is running smoothly and our answers are brilliant. We wrap up our part and then Amy opens it up for attendee questions. I love the people who came. Their questions are thoughtful and brilliant. I can’t stop smiling. I am happy and honored to answer these questions.nnAmy wraps up the panel and there is applause, which makes me smile even bigger. People come up to thank us for the panel and I shake their hands. I am so happy I said yes to this. We are now being kicked out of the room, so I hug my fellow panelists and rush out of the room. My day, or night at this point is not done. My partner calls a Lyft and we go home to drop everything we acquired during the day and prepare for the parties we are covering. It’s been one hell of a busy day, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.n
Seventy-seven years after Wonder Woman was blacklisted for being “[in]sufficiently dressed” women in comics, whether on the page or holding the pen, continues to be a hot topic for creators and fans alike. Comics are moving away from the dichotomy of the damsel-in-distress and warrior princess to depict complicated and compelling female characters who are not defined by their body-type alone Writers LaToya Morgan (Turn, Into the Badlands) and Victoria Rau (Peek-A-Boo), artist Sam Sawyer (Lady Death), comic store owner Jen King (Eisner finalist), owner/creator of Zenescope Entertainment Ralph Tedesco, and cosplayer Fatal Siren will take a look at female representation, going beyond the cover art to explore the history of popular female characters, the current climate of the industry, the balance of gender on and off the page, as well as fan concerns about the future of women in comics.
nTo my brilliant friend, Victoria- Thank you for suggesting this to me. I miss you and cannot wait until I see your gorgeous face! Amy- THANK YOU so much for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this. I truly enjoyed myself and will remember this moment always. To my other ladies on the panel. It was so nice to meet you. You are all amazing and inspiring and I wish you all the success and happiness that this crazy world can offer.nnXOXOnnRavennn