One of those working in the mainstream is Vancouver’s Sara “Samm” Barnes, the 2005 winner of the Joe Shuster Award for outstanding Canadian comic book creator and a nominee for the 2006 honour, to be handed out after the Comicon on Saturday night.

Barnes says more women creating comics is important, but more women and girls reading them is the real key.

“(Women) have a unique way of looking at things, we have a distinct voice and I think it only enriches the comic book industry,” says Barnes. “But I think we need to encourage more women to read (comic) books — no matter who wrote or drew or created those books.”