Follow the Women of Marvel panel live from San Diego Comic-Con 2023!
It's time for Popverse's favorite Marvel Comics panel, Women of Marvel!
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Probably our favorite recurring Marvel Comics panel at conventions returns Sunday at San Diego Comic-Con 2023: The Women of Marvel panel. Based on the popular podcast (and the decades-long legacy of heroines before it), this year's Women of Marvel panel has a killer crew of talent: writers Jody House and Charlie Jane Anders, editor Sarah Brunstad, VP of content & character development (and Ms. Marvel co-creator/executive producer) Sana Amanat, and VP of digital media marketing Jessica Malloy.
We expect some announcements during this panel, as well as some key insights from these comics pros about their work.
Can't make it to SDCC? Don't worry, Popverse will be live in the room for this panel to break the biggest news and the most interesting insights about the whole thing. You can follow along live with our play-by-play, or come back later for a beat-by-beat recap of the entire thing.
Follow along to the Women of Marvel panel from SDCC 2023, as it begins Sunday, July 23 and 10:30 AM PST and 1:30 PM EST.
Popverse saw it and did most of it, and you can find all about our guide to All the big news, magic, and moments from San Diego Comic-Con. And if you want to go to SDCC next year, we have the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 dates as well.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
How are you doing everyone? This is Joshua Lapin-Bertone, sitting in the front row of room 6A for the Women of Marvel panel. Can you believe it's the last day of San Diego Comic-Con? The room is PACKED! Sunday mornings are usually more lowkey, but people are here, and they're excited.
The panel starts in about 16 minutes, and Popverse will be here in the front row to bring you all the news as it's being announced.
By the way, if you're a Gwen Stacy fan, did you know that she recently became President of the United States?
The women of Marvel rule the universe, and I'm here for it. Can't wait to hear what kind of news the panel brings.
Marvel editor Sarah Brunstad has come out to begin the panel! She begins by noting how full the room is.
Brunstad reminds everyone to go to the official Women of Marvel webpage, and listen to the podcast.
"This is my first weekend at San Diego Comic-Con in my ten years at Marvel" - Brunstad.
Brunstad is introducing the rest of the panel now.
Charlie Jane Anders, Jessica Malloy, Sana Amanat and Melissa Flores.
Sana is EXCITED to be back in SDCC. "This is my homecoming."
Women of Marvel podcast returns for a new season this September.
This season will have some cool character spotlights. Jean Grey, Shuri, Gwen Stacy, Kate Bishop, Ms. Marvel, Echo, and many more!
Sana invites all women in the audience to stand up if they want to work in comics. Many women stand up, and the crowd applause. "These women will be your allies. Get to know one another, and make connections. You guys are the next generation."
A slide featuring all the women led Marvel titles has been displayed on the projector. It's huge (as it should be!)
Sana "Is that 20? That's the most I've ever seen!"
Charlie Jane is talking about Escapade, a trans mutant who has been featured in New Mutants.
"It's been such a thrill" Charlie Jane Anders said.
"I love New Mutants. Part of what I love about them is its about growing up, coming of age, and finding your place in the world. Having complicated feelings about the people around you. That fits in so well with Escapade."
"Mutants have always been a metaphor for people who feel rejected and stigmatized by society. Escapade and these other characters are mutants, but they are also other things which are also stigmatized. It was such a gift getting to write and explore that" - Charlie Jane Anders.
"This is the longest run of any Marvel title by a trans writer" Sarah points out, when talking about New Mutants.
Anders is talking about how much fun she had writing the Lethal Legion mini-series, and how it gave her an opportunity to introduce readers to Escapade all over again.
Jessica Malloy is talking about the Marvel Unlimited Infinity Comics now.
"Less than two years ago we launced the Infinity format. It was a new way to tell stories in a vertical format, which means it works great on phone. They're all in continuity. In less than two years since we launched this, we have over 800 comics on the platform."
Sana predicts an Eisner nomination for Alligator Loki, one of the Infinity Comics.
"We launched the service with It's Jeff. We did not realize how it was going to reasonate with everyone. We love how he's taken over. He has his own card on Marvel Snap" - Jessica
(If you don't know Jeff the Landshark...you should check him out)
Marvel Meow is coming! It follows the various animinals in the Marvel Universe. Nao Fuji writes and draws it. Next installment will hit Marvel Unlimited on JUly 28.
New arcs of Love Unlimited and Avengers Unlimited.
Gambit and Rogue by Preeti Chhibber and Carola Borelli.
Avengers Unlimited by Kalinda Vazquez, Alba Glez, and Walden Wong.
Looks like it will feature Shuri and Kate Bishop.
Jody Houser just arrived! "I was double booked and I had to run across the convention center."
(Relatable)
X-Men Unlimited #100 will hit on August 14. It will focus on the Hellfire Gala. First Infinity Comic to hit 100 issues.
Marvel Voices #64 on Marvel's Infinity Comics platoform will begin an Echo arc by Melissa Flores with art by Kyle Charles.
"I can finally talka about this!" - Flores says with excitement.
"It was so much fun to write for the Infinity Comics format, because you're thinking of scrolls instead of page-turns" - Melissa says.
Nightshade will pick up where Marvel Voices: Pride left off. Marvel Voices #71 will kick off the arc, written by Stpehanie Williams with art from Hector Barros.
"Think of the character most ill-equipped to be in the situation, becuase they will have the most challenges" - Jody Houser giving advice on how to build an engagign story.
New limited series announced...Spider-Gwen On Tour
Written by Melissa Flores with art by Enid Balam.
Gwen will be in her home dimension, going on tour with the Mary Janes.
Flores notes that Gwen doesn't feel at home in her own dimension, which makes things interesting.
"I love the sensibilities of a drummer. That kind of zen feeling you get with your music. I'm having a blast and I'm so thankful for the opportunity." - Flores said.
Talking about Ms. Marvel now...
Sana is excited about Ms. Marvel re-airing on ABC.
"I'm really proud of the work that we put into the show," Sana says. In case you didn't know, Sana Amanat served as a producer for the series.
Trailer for the new Ms. Marvel ongoing is onscreen now. It looks fun. Kamala re-enacting classic X-Men covers.
"I texted this to Iman yesterday. She had no idea they were going a trailer."
"Iman use to show up on set with a crazy book of ideas. It was crazy and insane" Sana.
Sana said "Iman, why don't you just write a comic?"
She recalls Iman saying "Do you reall think they would let me?"
Sana reached out to C.B. Cebulski and the rest is history.
"She knows more than most people about Marvel Comics history. It's insane" - Sana on Iman.
"Our original intention was to make her a mutant, and now it's coming full circle."
Sana notes that Iman wanted to be at SDCC, but the SAG strike prevented it.
Jody Houser is now speaking about her experience writing for Marvel.
"The main thing with licensed stuff like Star Wars is knowing there will be more notes, so you have to give extra time for that. It's fun to jump into the sandbox, and play in the toys, but not mess them up for the next person."
After working on the title Renew Your Vows, Jody Houser and Gerry Conway became RPG buddies.
It's 50 years since The Night Gwen Stacy Died, one of Conway's most iconic stories, so she and Conway are teaming up to do What If - Dark Spider-Gwen.
Houser says she loves alternate universe stories because you can do almost anything and kill almost anyone.
Moving onto Obi-Wan Kenobi...Jody Houser's new Star Wars title.
"This is my first time working on anything that is on the TV side. It's a challenge because there is a lot you have to fit in. It's fun. You have to fit in the action without sacrificing the character moments. It's a lot of fun playing with the characters." - Jody
The series will adapt the Kenobi Disney+ series.
Question and answer time.
First question - can we get a Spider-Island version of Gwen?
No plans as of now, but the panel loves the idea.
Question - how do you deal with internet backlash?
Jody Houser says don't look at it or engage. The people who love the books are larger numbers. "Remember what the job is. The voices you hear don't represent the whole audience."
"You have to focus on your own voice, and avoid those negative opinions. Have fun and love what you're doing. If you love the franchise, the fans will love it with you." Melissa.
Will Spider-Boy get a girlfriend?
Sarah says that is a question for Dan Slott.
A fan thanked Marvel for introducing Kamala, saying it was about time a comic company had meaningfull Pakastani representation.
Sana says she's glad it's being normalized now and thinks it will only get better.
A little girl has come up to ask about their favorite parts of writing.
Jody Houser answers, "My favorite part is whene everybody adds in their parts (artists etc), and we build a beautiful thing together"
"The Jean Grey book coming from Louise Simonson is going to be really rich. It's going to deal with her found family and so much more" - Sarah, answering a question about what's coming up.
One person just asked if we would see more invisible disabilities (as opposed to physical disabilities) in comics.
"I'm actually someone who got diagnosed with ADHD during the pandaemic, because the systems we put in place collpased" - Jody Houser. She says she wants to deal with it more, and put it in sotry form to help others.
"People who are neurodivergent tell different stories because our brains are not like everyone else" - Sarah adding on to that. She says many Marvel writers and editors are neurodivergent. She says they add something special.
Wrapping up. Thanks for following along everyone! Enjoy the rest of San Diego Comic-Con!
