Friends of Lulu

Not to be confused with Lulu (company).
Friends of Lulu
Founded1994; 30 years ago (1994)
FoundersHeidi MacDonald, Trina Robbins, Deni Loubert, Anina Bennett, Liz Schiller, Jackie Estrada
Dissolved2011; 13 years ago (2011)
TypeNonprofit
PurposeTo promote readership of comic books by women and the participation of women in the comic book industry.
Area served
United States
ProductPublications, Lulu Awards
President
Valerie D'Orazio (2007–2010)
Key people
Lee Marrs, Kim Yale[1] Mary Wilshire
Revenue
Membership dues; sales of publications
Websitefriendsoflulu.wordpress.com
Friends of Lulu President Valerie D'Orazio at the Friends of Lulu table at the Big Apple Con, November 15, 2008

Friends of Lulu (FoL) was a non-profit,[2] national charitable organization located in the United States, designed to promote readership of comic books by women and the participation of women in the comic book industry. FoL operated from 1994[3][4] to 2011.

Membership was open to all persons.[5][6] Friends of Lulu additionally sponsored the Lulu Awards and administered the Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame.[2][7][8]

The organization took its name from Little Lulu, the comic strip character created by Marjorie Henderson Buell in 1935. In the comics, Lulu often tries to break into the boys' clubhouse, where girls aren't allowed.[9]

History

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Formation

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In the early 1990s, comic book professionals Trina Robbins, Heidi MacDonald, Deni Loubert, Anina Bennett, Liz Schiller, and Jackie Estrada banded together to share frustrations, information and aspirations for women in the male-dominated comics industry — at that point, there were roughly "20 women writing and drawing [professionally] amid hundreds of male counterparts...;" furthermore, "90% to 95% of comics readers [were] male."[10]

The first informal Friends of Lulu meeting[11] — a brunch at the 1993 edition of WonderCon, in Oakland, California — was attended by Robbins, MacDonald, Loubert, Bennett, Schiller, and Estrada.[5] Friends of Lulu was officially formed in 1994;[12] co-founder Trina Robbins recalls that a Cherry Poptart lookalike contest sponsored by Comic-Con International was the "last straw" that inspired the creation of the organization.[5][13] FoL began as an amateur press association which lasted three issues.[14] The Friends of Lulu logo was created by MacDonald.[11]

Activities

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As an organization, Friends of Lulu decided to address three main areas of concern: proving the case that girls and women did indeed read comics (and always had), the reluctance by the comics industry — publishers and retailers — to market comics to females, and the lack of work available to female comics creators.[11][10][5]

FoL began tabling at San Diego Comic-Con and continued for many years at other comic book conventions. Activities included meeting with publishers, retailers, and creators, and conducting readership surveys. The organization also raised money through the sales of T-shirts, buttons, stickers, and, later on, their own publications.[11] Artist Lee Marrs was a regular presence at the Friends of Lulu table at these events.[5]

FoL elected its first board of directors in the summer of 1995 at San Diego Comic-Con.[15] (The organization continued the tradition of electing board members during Comic-Con for many subsequent years.) The organization published a newsletter called Lulu's Clubhouse, which it distributed to members. Various FoL regional chapters were formed, some of which produced minicomics to promote Friends of Lulu.[11]

In 1997 the first annual Friends of Lulu conference, titled "Here to Save Comics," was held in San Jose, California[16] (in conjunction with the Alternative Press Expo); the Lulu Awards were presented at that year's San Diego Comic-Con.

1997 also saw the publication of How to Get Girls (Into Your Store), a guide for comics shop retailers on how to make their stores more female-friendly. The guide was edited by Deni Loubert.[5] Diamond Comics Distribution helped get the guide into stores, also providing free full-page ads for the guide in Diamond's retailer catalog.[11]

The organization held two more "LuluCon" conferences, in 1998 in Newark, New Jersey, and in 1999 in Los Angeles.[11]

In 2000, Friends of Lulu was awarded a grant from the Xeric Foundation to self-publish Friends of Lulu: Storytime.[17][18]

In 2003, the organization published an anthology entitled Broad Appeal.[19]

Troubles and dissolution

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In the spring of 2006, in the wake of revelations of a sexual assault that happened at a 2005 comic convention, FoL vice president Ronée Garcia Bourgeois announced the creation of a Friends of Lulu Women's Empowerment Fund. The fund was "intended to give victims of sexual assault or harassment in a comics-industry context the strength to fight back legally if not physically." However, the empowerment fund "was judged by its administrators to have been insufficiently thought through ... and it was soon abandoned,"[20] with FoL forced to return all donations.[21][22]

The public failure of the Empowerment Fund was difficult for Friends of Lulu, and by the fall of 2007, the presidency of the organization was vacant. In September 2007, Valerie D'Orazio volunteered to fill the empty president of the national board of directors of Friends of Lulu.[23][24]

By the summer of 2010, FoL's future was uncertain, with D'Orazio announcing she planned to step down as president at the end of the year.[25][26] In August 2010, an interim Board of Directors was reestablished.[27][28]

In June 2011, the IRS revoked the organization's tax-exempt status as a non-profit "for failing to file an annual information return or notice with the IRS for three consecutive years."[29] The group ceased operations shortly afterwards.[30][31]

Legacy

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With the dissolution of Friends of Lulu, observers weighed in on the organization's legacy:

...today’s younger female creators don’t see the problems FoL was created in response to (in part due to FoL’s actions) and thus don’t see much of a need for the group. These creators have more avenues available to them — webcomics, book publisher graphic novel contracts, online organization and support — and a formal group may seem old-fashioned.

— Johanna Draper Carlson[32]

Heidi MacDonald added:

...the world that FoL was created to confront doesn't exist anymore. Women are back in comics as creators, readers, retailers... you name it.... The ’90s were a period when women had been driven out of the medium, for the most part....[31]

In 2019, a commemorative panel on Friends of Lulu was held at the 50th San Diego Comic-Con, with Jackie Estrada, Heidi MacDonald, Lee Marrs, Liz Schiller, Trina Robbins, and Anina Bennett serving on the panel, which was moderated by Alexa Dickman of Ladies Making Comics.[5]

Presidents

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Lulu Awards

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Main article: List of Lulu Award winners

The Lulu Awards, presented annually at San Diego Comic-Con (1997 to 2007), MoCCA Festival in New York City (2008 to 2009), and the Long Beach Comic Con in Long Beach, New York (2010) bestowed the Lulu of the Year trophy for overall work; with additional awards, variously over the years, including the Kimberly Yale Award for Best New Talent; the Volunteer of the Year Award; the Women of Distinction Award; the Leah Adezio Award for Best Kid-Friendly Work; Best Female Character; and induction into the Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame.

Publications

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Friends of Lulu produced a number of publications, including:

  • How to Get Girls (Into Your Store) (1997)[5]
  • Friends of Lulu Presents: Storytime (2001), compiled and edited by Anne Chang-Blaeske and Phil Yeh
  • Broad Appeal: An Anthology of Comics for Everyone (2003) — anthology of comics by women artists, edited by Dave Roman
  • The Girls' Guide to Guys' Stuff (2007)[2] — anthology of over 50 women cartoonists including Roberta Gregory, Abby Denson, and Julia Wertz, edited by Robin Enrico and M. K. Reed.

Conferences

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Friends of Lulu held three "LuluCons" in 1997–1999. The events featured panels, workshops, and networking opportunities.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bails, Jerry (n.d.). "Yale, Kim". Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999. Archived from the original on May 11, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Crabtree, S. (July 27, 2007). "Comic-Con Watch: Meet the Brain Janes". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 9 Feb 2008.
  3. ^ Leibrock, Rachel (March 14, 2003). "Drawing Power S.F. exhibit celebrates pioneering women cartoonists". Sacramento Bee: E1.
  4. ^ Szadkowski, Joseph (January 14, 2005). "Comics for girls may save biz". The Washington Times: D8.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Kaplan, Avery (July 23, 2019). "SDCC19: How the Friends of Lulu changed comics: The Friends of Lulu panel at SDCC19 discussed the history of the important organization". The Beat.
  6. ^ Houle, Zachary (October 16, 2000). "And Lulu is their guru: There's a move to promote comic books produced by and for women". The Gazette (Montreal): E5.
  7. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Mar 27, 2007). "Friends of Lulu nominations open". The Beat. Nominations for the Awards are made by and voted on by current members of Friends of Lulu.
  8. ^ "Lulu Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved Nov 8, 2023.
  9. ^ Cuda, Amanda (August 5, 2003). "Women's Wit: Holy comics, Batman, it's women cartoonists!". Connecticut Post.
  10. ^ a b Lacher, Irene (January 20, 1995). "Separated at Mirth: The comics biz is a man's world. But these women are joining forces for the last laugh". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Helioscope PDX (March 27, 2021). Women who made a huge impact in comics - Friends of Lulu. YouTube. Featuring Anina Bennett and Heidi MacDonald.
  12. ^ "Friends of Lulu Forms". Newswatch. The Comics Journal. No. 171. September 1994. p. 42.
  13. ^ Wilonsky, Robert (May 18, 2000). "Fatal femmes: Why do women in comics become Women in Refrigerators?". Dallas Observer.
  14. ^ "Periodicals About Comics (D-L titles)". Michigan State University Libraries: Special Collections Division: Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection. Friends of Lulu. -- Oakland, CA, etc.: Friends of Lulu, 1995?- . -- ill. ; 28 cm. -- An Amateur Press Association (APA) for women comics professionals. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1-3 (1995). -- Call no.: PN6725.F72
  15. ^ "Lulu Elects Best Friends". The Comics Journal. No. 180. September 1995. p. 29.
  16. ^ Cooper, Carol (January 9, 2001). "Pretty Persuasion". Village Voice: 59.
  17. ^ Povey, Matthew (July 12, 2002). "Friends of Lulu announces award nominees". CBR.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  18. ^ "Book awards: Xeric Award". Library Thing. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  19. ^ Friends of Lulu presents broad appeal: an anthology of comics for everyone. Pasadena, California: Friends of Lulu. 2003. OCLC 53303101.
  20. ^ Dean, Michael (May 2006). "Scandal Involving CBLDF's Charles Brownstein Leads to Women's Empowerment Fund". The Comics Journal.
  21. ^ a b Carlson, Johanna Draper (23 February 2007). "Friends of Lulu Responds". Comics Worth Reading.
  22. ^ Spurgeon, Tom (March 8, 2007). "FOL Empowerment Fund: Closure?". The Comics Reporter.
  23. ^ Friends of Lulu (2008). "Friends of Lulu's 2008 Board of Directors". Friends of Lulu. Archived from the original on 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  24. ^ Spurgeon, Tom (February 10, 2008). "CR Sunday Interview: Valerie D'Orazio". The Comics Reporter.
  25. ^ a b Carlson, Johanna Draper (Sep 16, 2010). "Friends of Lulu Future Uncertain as President Resigns Publicly". Comics Worth Reading.
  26. ^ Johnston, Rich (9 Aug 2010). "Lulu Awards For Long Beach Comic Con 2010. Bring Swimwear". Bleeding Cool.
  27. ^ D'Orazio, Valerie (August 8, 2010). "2010 Awards". Comics Are For Everyone. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  28. ^ Carlson, Johanna Draper (October 30, 2010). "Friends of Lulu Award Winners Announced, New Website, Organization Followup". Comics Worth Reading.
  29. ^ Draper Carlson, Johanna. "It's Official — Friends of Lulu No Longer a Non-Profit Organization". Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  30. ^ Draper Carlson, Johanna. "Friends of Lulu Done and Gone". Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  31. ^ a b MacDonald, Heidi (July 28, 2010). "Friends of Lulu to end in September". The Beat.
  32. ^ Carlson, Johanna Draper (July 28, 2010). "Do You Have a Vision for Women in Comics? Friends of Lulu Needs Help". Comics Worth Reading.
  33. ^ "A New Friend in a High Place". News Watch. The Comics Journal. No. 196. June 1997. p. 26.
  34. ^ "Meet Lulu's Leaders!". Friends of Lulu. Jan 1999. Archived from the original on 29 Jan 1999.
  35. ^ "Friends of Lulu's 2000-2001 Board of Directors". Friends of Lulu. Mar 2001. Archived from the original on 31 Mar 2001.
  36. ^ "Friends of Lulu's 2001-2002 Board of Directors". Friends of Lulu. Oct 2003. Archived from the original on Oct 23, 2003.
  37. ^ Carlson, Johanna Draper (July 8, 2011). "What Went Wrong With Friends of Lulu? A Postmortem Interview". Comics Worth Reading.
  38. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (July 15, 2006). "SDCC: Friends of Lulu; Hall blogathon". The Beat.
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