We've lost another one of our great cartoonists, this time one of the most influential in the industry. Trina Robbins passed away at the age of 85 on 10 April 2024 in San Francisco from complications following a stroke according to her long-time partner and distinguished comic book inker, Steve Leialoha.
Robbins' first work was published in 1966 in the underground newspaper, THE EAST VILLAGE OTHER. Shortly thereafter, she came to prominence in the underground comics network, publishing the first all-women created underground comic, IT AIN'T ME BABE, in 1970.
She was an outspoken voice against the male-dominated comics industry, both underground and mainstream. But, along with a small group of other women who found it difficult getting their work in print, her first hurdle was breaking into the "closed shop" of the undergrounds. She specifically called out Robert Crumb, whose blatantly misogynistic and bigoted comics were nevertheless the most popular and best-selling titles at the time. In Roger Sabin's book, Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels: A History Of Comic Art (Phaidon Press, 1996), she commented: "It's weird to me how willing people are to overlook the hideous darkness in Crumb's work . . . What the hell is funny about rape and murder?" Ironically, these were among the same transgressive themes that were wide spread throughout the underground comics scene, as well as the same topics which made them both famous and infamous.
Robbins would later migrate to the "establishment" where she drew Wonder Woman for DC and an adaptation of the HONEY WEST TV series (starring Anne Francis, who played a strong but seductive female lead) for Moonstone. She is also noted for designing the original costume for James Warren's Vampirella, seen on the character's first magazine cover as painted by Frank Frazetta.
Over the years, she published numerous non-fiction books on female characters in the comics, among them are: A Century of Women Cartoonists (Kitchen Sink, 1993), The Great Women Superheroes (Kitchen Sink, 1997) and The Great Women Cartoonists (Watson-Guptill, 2001). I don't mind saying that I'm the proud owner of The Great Women Super Heroes that I bought from the one-of-a-kind Bud Plant Comic Art Catalog when it was published by Kitchen Sink. It includes a tipped in postcard-sized plate (see original source art below) that is signed and numbered by by Trina.
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| Trina Robbins' homage to Tarpe Mills, the female cartoonist who created the Golden Age character Miss Fury. |
She was formally recognized numerous times during her long career. Among her many achievements, she received the Inkpot Award in 1977 and was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2013.
Born Trina Perlson on 17 August 1938 in New York City, she is survived by Leialoha and a daughter by comics publisher, Kim Deitch.
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| Original cover art for "Girl Fight Comics" (Print Mint, 1972). |
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| A fantasy "Weird Tales" cover in tribute to Margaret Brundage (No date). |
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| A full-page Wonder Woman pin-up from "Turned On Cuties" (1972). |
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| A hand-colored and signed print for the San Diego ComicCon (1970's). |
IT AIN'T ME BABE COMIX (LAST GASP ECOFUNNIES, April 1970, "Conceived by the Women's Liberation Basement Press").
Wonderful tribute to one of comics most important and most talented creators.
ReplyDeleteShe was one of my personal favorites, especially in the undergrounds where she could cut loose. It's also amazing where her art pops up -- she even illustrated a fairy tale in an issue of the now-defunct Oz-story fanzine.
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