Denver ComicCon, one of the world’s biggest comic conventions held a panel about women in comic books without any women panelists.

This is happening at #DCC2015. Let’s see how this ALL MALE panel about women in comics goes #noneofthismakesanysense pic.twitter.com/hQZhfFc0CQ — Christy (@GeekChristy) May 23, 2015

Today’s “geek’ community seems to be all about focusing on and improving women’s experience and role in all SciFi, action, superhero spaces including comic books, so it’s surprising and confusing that Denver ComicCon didn’t include at least one woman up on stage during their “Women In Comics” panel discussion. When asked about the omission or disregard of having a woman on the panel, Denver ComicCon said this.

[I]t was a panel that took an historical view of women characters in comic books rather than the current role of women creators in the industry or diversity in comics — of which DCC has many with appropriately diverse panels. The Women in Comics panel was a submitted panel that featured respected academics on the subject.

The underlying statement seems to be that there were no experts well-versed with history of women in comic books, who were also female themselves, available for the panel. Which is strange considering the fact that Trina Robbins, a historian of women in comics, who has been writing comics/graphic novels for over forty years, was present at the festival this year.

(Image Courtesy: denvercomiccon.com)

A lot of the fans were borderline appalled and puzzled, at best. Here’s to hoping that Denver releases a more coherent and explanatory statement soon. Meanwhile, here are some opinions and good natured trash talk from Twitter.

Would love to hear from #DCC2015 about their #allmalepanel on women in comics. Please. Share with us how this happened. — Lyndsay Kirkham (@Lyndsay_Kirkham) May 25, 2015

Tip for next time #DCC2015: literally just walk into Artist Alley and shout “DO ANY WOMEN WANT TO BE ON A WOMEN IN COMICS PANEL??” Easy. — Maggatron (@SamMaggs) May 24, 2015

There’s not seriously an all-male panel on women in comics at #DCC2015, is there?! There is?! What?! Comics, what are you doing?! — Ready for Brennan (@Brennanator) May 23, 2015