Being a female geek means that most of your hobbies tend to be dominated by males who are typically vocal about their dominance, whether it be at conventions or over Xbox Live. That’s why the real superheroes of the comic book industry are the women who create them. Whether it be weaving fantastic stories or drawing exceptional images, female comic book creators are a force to be reckoned with.

Cheryl Lynn Eaton is an editor and writer from New Jersey. She’s also the founder of The Ormes Society, an organization that is dedicated to supporting and promoting black female comic creators. The organization is named after Jackie Ormes, who is the first known African-American female cartoonist. The Ormes Society started in 2011, and has continued to provide a voice to this part of the comics industry. Eaton has also contributed to several pop culture websites as a writer.

Currently writing sword-slashing heroine Red Sonja, Gail Simone is an amazing comic book writer. She’s been very vocal on many issues within the comic book industry and a very big supporter of cosplayers of all types. Other notable works by her are Birds of Prey, Secret Six, and Batgirl. Simone populates her books with strong characters, often female, who take very good care of themselves. Her work continues to be impressive and is a great source of girl power in every sense of the phrase.

One of the best artists in the industry (male or female) has got to be Fiona Staples. She’s currently the artist of the incredible comic book series Saga, which is written by Brian K. Vaughn and published by Image Comics. Her work on Saga alone proves that comic books are as much about the art as they are about the story. The harmonious marriage between BKV’s story and Staples’s brightly colored and highly detailed art is what drives the comic to be successful enough to have fans hanging on for every issue. Staples has also won several awards for her work in Saga, including several Eisner Awards, Hugo Awards, and Harvey Awards. She’s also won awards for her cover art on titles such as Superman/Batman, DV8: Gods and Monsters, and more.

Manga shouldn’t be left out of this, because it’s a growing force in America as more people start to read these Japanese comics. Clamp is an all-female manga group that started in the 80s. Over the years, they’ve produced a substantial amount of manga, including Magic Knights Rayearth, Angelic Layer, Chobits, and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles. They’re one of the most successful manga creators in both Japan and the United States, with many of their works selling millions of copies. This is probably thanks to their distinctive style; Clamp work is very recognizable with elaborate art.