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Dearborn comic-con goes beyond “what’s it like to be a woman in comics?”

Our conversation with Chelsea Liddy, founder of ComiqueCon, and Kathleen Hiraga, founder and CEO of Pop-Post.

Kicking open the door to "the boy's club,” and bringing opportunities to women who want to make their mark on the comic book and gaming world: that's the mission of ComiqueCon.

It’s a comic book convention specifically for women who create comics. And it's happening Oct. 22 in Dearborn at the Arab American National Museum.

Stateside was joined by two women from Southeast Michigan who are certainly making their marks in the comic and gaming world.

Chelsea Liddy is the founder of ComiqueCon, and Kathleen Hiraga is the founder and CEO of Pop-Post, a multi-media platform designed to bring women in the comic and gaming industry together. Pop-Post is also a sponsor of this year’s ComiqueCon.  

“It’s a really special atmosphere that just happens naturally when you have a bunch of supportive women working for the same industry in a room,” said Liddy, on the differences between ComiqueCon and some of the larger comic cons.

ComiqueCon is putting "a jolt of feminism and fun in the comics industry."
Credit Courtesy of guest
ComiqueCon is putting "a jolt of feminism and fun in the comics industry."

She also noted that it’s a safe place for female comic creators to talk about their craft, which hasn’t always been the case — the most notorious example being the 2014 Gamergate controversy, when many women in the gaming world were attacked and harassed online.

“It’s still impacting me,” Hiraga said about Gamergate. “It really has become the political voice and POV that I feel very strongly about.”

And the solution? Bringing different women content creators together. “It’s about that community becoming a voice and together expanding into a force,” said Hiraga. 

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Kathleen Hiraga and Sapphire Sandalo at the Sega 25th anniversary Party at ComicCon San Diego
Courtesy of Kathleen Hiraga /
Kathleen Hiraga and Sapphire Sandalo at the Sega 25th anniversary Party at ComicCon San Diego
The cover of Natasha Alterici's comic, "Heathen."
Courtesy of Chelsea Liddy /
The cover of Natasha Alterici's comic, "Heathen."

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