Trina Robbins: Pioneering Cartoonist and Her Artistic Journey

The Journey of Trina Robbins: A Pioneering Cartoonist

A Glimpse into Early Life

Born as Trina Perlson in Brooklyn, New York, Trina Robbins has made her mark as a trailblazing cartoonist. From a young age, Robbins showed an affinity for art and storytelling, which would blossom into a lifelong career in comics. Her early life in the vibrant culture of Brooklyn played a crucial role in shaping her creative endeavors.

Breaking Barriers in the Comic Industry

Entering the comic book industry during the 1960s, a predominantly male-dominated field, Robbins faced numerous challenges. Nevertheless, she became a steadfast advocate for women’s representation in comics. Her work often highlighted female characters with depth and agency, defying the clichés prevalent in mainstream comics.

She was an early and influential participant in the underground comix movement, and one of the first few female artists in that movement. Both as a cartoonist and historian, Robbins has long been involved in creating outlets for and promoting female comics artists.
In the 1980s, Robbins became the first woman to draw Wonder Woman comics.

Key Contributions

• Created Wonder Woman as a female icon, empowering generations.
• Co-founded the Women’s Comics anthology, offering a platform for female voices.
• Published notable works such as “The Great Women Cartoonists”, celebrating female artists in the medium.

Influence and Legacy

Robbins’ influence extends beyond her artistic contributions; she has mentored countless young artists and writers, encouraging them to break free from societal constraints. Her persona and work advocate for social change, especially in promoting gender equality within the arts. Today, her legacy is celebrated at various comic conventions and through academic discussions on the evolution of comics.

Awards and Recognition

1. Received the Eisner Award for her significant contributions to the comic genre.
2. Inducted into the Harvey Award Hall of Fame, solidifying her impact on the industry.

In consideration of her contributions to the comic art form and her work as a historian, Comics Alliance listed Robbins as one of twelve women cartoonists deserving of lifetime achievement recognition Awards
1977 Inkpot Award
2002 Special John Buscema Haxtur Award
2013 Will Eisner Hall of Fame Award

Conclusion

She is the first of the three “Ladies of the Canyon” in Joni Mitchell’s classic song from the album of the same name. In the late 1960s she ran an East Village clothing boutique called “Broccoli” and made clothes for Mama Cass, Donovan, David Crosby and others.  She wrote a memoir entitled Last Girl Standing, released in 2017 from Fantagraphics

Trina Robbins’ journey from a young artist in Brooklyn to a revered figure in the world of comics exemplifies the power of creativity and resilience. Her work not only shapes narratives in comics but also empowers new generations of artists. As we reflect on her storied career, it’s clear that Robbins’ contributions will continue to resonate for years to come, inspiring others to pursue their passions in the world of art and storytelling.

Her work includes: A Long list as Writer: Penciller: Inker: Letterer: Editor:
Writer:
9-11 (2002)
After Shock (1981)
Against the Grain: MAD Artist Wallace Wood (2003)
All Girl Thrills (1971)
Alter Ego (1999)
The Art of Vampirella (2010)
Barbarian Comics (1972)
Barbarian Women Comics (1975)
Barbie Halloween Special Edition (1992)
The Beats: A Graphic History (2009)
The Beats: Die Geschichte der Beat-Literatur (2010)
Bessie Coleman: Daring Stunt Pilot (2007)
The Best of Wimmen’s Comix (1979)
Bizarre Sex (1972)
Blab! (1986)
Bop (1982)
Born to be Wild (1991)
California Girls (1987)
Cartoon America: Comic Art in the Library of Congress (2006)
A Century of Women Cartoonists (1993)
Chicagoland Detective Agency (2010)
Choices (1990)
Comic Art (2002)
Comic Book Artist (2003)
Comix Book (1974)
Comix: A History of Comic Books in America (1971)
The Complete Wimmen’s Comix (2016)
Corporate Crime (1977)
Corporate Crime Comics (1979)
David Copperfield (1999)
Demeter And Persephone (1999)
Disney Comic Hits (1995)
Disney Princess Comics Treasury (2015)
Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1994)
Eclipse (1981)
Eclipse Monthly (1983)
Elizabeth Blackwell: America’s First Woman Doctor (2007)
Epic (1983)
Epic Illustrated (1980)
Fire Sale (1989)
First On The Moon (2001)
Florence Nightingale: Lady with the Lamp (2007)
From Girls to Grrlz : A History of Women’s Comics from Teens to Zines (1999)
Gates of Eden (1982)
Gay Comix (Gay Comics) (1980)
Girl Comics (2010)
Girl Fight Comics (1972)
Go Girl (2004)
Go Girl! (2000)
Graphic Classics (2001)
The Great Women Superheroes (1996)
Hands Off! (1994)
Heavy Metal (1977)
Honey West (2010)
Honey West & T.H.E. Cat (2013)
Honey West The Anne Francis Commemorative (2011)
Images of Omaha (1992)
Imagine (1978)
It Ain’t Me Babe (1970)
Jane Eyre (1999)
Kitchen Sink Press: The First 25 Years (1994)
The Legend of Wonder Woman (1986)
The Life and Times of R. Crumb: Comments From Contemporaries (1998)
Lily Renée, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer (2011)
Macbeth (2002)
Mister X: Razed (2015)
Misty (1985)
Mythography (1996)
Near Myths (1978)
Near Myths (1990)
Panel One: Comic Book Scripts by Top Writers (2002)
The Phantom Chronicles (2007)
The Powerpuff Girls (2000)
Pro Junior (1971)
Promethean Enterprises (1969)
Real Girl (1990)
Renegade Romance (1987)
San Francisco Comic Book (1970)
Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman [I] (2014)
Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman [II] (2014)
Sexy Chix (2006)
Snarf (1972)
The Someday Funnies (2011)
Spirit Jam (1998)
Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988)
Swift Comics (1971)
Teen-Age Horizons of Shangrila (1970)
The Tick’s 20th Anniversary Special Edition (2007)
Tits & Clits (1973)
Trina’s Women (1976)
U-Comix Sonderband (1973)
The Underground Railroad (2001)
Vortex (1982)
Voyages (1983)
The Warren Companion (2001)
Wet Satin (1976)
Wimmen’s Comix (1972)
Womanthology: Heroic (2011)
Womanthology: Space (2012)
Wonder Woman ’77 [I] (2015)
Wonder Woman ’77 [II] (2015)
Wonder Woman: Once and Future Story (1998)
World War 3 Illustrated (1980)
Xena: Warrior Princess – The Wrath Of Hera (1998)
Yellow Dog (1968)

Penciller:
After Shock (1981)
Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman (2003)
All Girl Thrills (1971)
Amazing Heroes (1981)
Amazing Heroes Swimsuit Special (1990)
Anything Goes! (1986)
Barbarian Comics (1972)
Barbarian Women Comics (1975)
The Best of Wimmen’s Comix (1979)
The Big Book of… (1994)
Bizarre Sex (1972)
Bop (1982)
Born to be Wild (1991)
California Girls (1987)
A Century of Women Cartoonists (1993)
Choices (1990)
Comic Art Convention (1978)
Comic Book Artist (2003)
Comix Book (1974)
Comix: A History of Comic Books in America (1971)
Corporate Crime (1977)
Corporate Crime Comics (1979)
The DC Comics Encyclopedia (2004)
Eclipse (1981)
Eclipse Monthly (1983)
Epic (1983)
Epic Illustrated (1980)
Essential Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe – Deluxe Edition (2006)
FantaCo’s Chronicles Series (1981)
Fire Sale (1989)
Gates of Eden (1982)
Gay Comix (Gay Comics) (1980)
Girl Fight Comics (1972)
Go Girl! (2000)
Graphic Classics (2001)
Hands Off! (1994)
Heartbreakers (1996)
Heavy Metal (1977)
Images of A Distant Soil (1997)
Images of Omaha (1992)
Imagine (1978)
It Ain’t Me Babe (1970)
The Legend of Wonder Woman (1986)
Manhunt (1973)
Misty (1985)
Mythography (1996)
Naked Cartoonists (2012)
Near Myths (1978)
Near Myths (1990)
Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess’ A Fall of Stardust (1999)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z (2008)
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition (1985)
Pro Junior (1971)
Promethean Enterprises (1969)
Real Girl (1990)
Renegade Romance (1987)
San Francisco Comic Book (1970)
Snarf (1972)
The Someday Funnies (2011)
Spirit Jam (1998)
Star*Reach Companion (2013)
Strange Attractors (1993)
Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988)
Swift Comics (1971)
Teen-Age Horizons of Shangrila (1970)
Tits & Clits (1973)
Total Eclipse (1988)
Trina’s Women (1976)
U-Comix Sonderband (1973)
Unknown Quantities (1999)
Vampirella Masters Series (2010)
Vampirella Morning In America (1991)
Video Jack (1987)
Vortex (1982)
The Warren Companion (2001)
Wet Satin (1976)
Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe (1985)
Wimmen’s Comix (1972)
Witzend (1966)
Wonder Woman (1987)
Wonder Woman Gallery (1996)
Yellow Dog (1968)

Inker:
‘Mazing Man (1986)
After Shock (1981)
All Girl Thrills (1971)
Anything Goes! (1986)
Barbarian Comics (1972)
Barbarian Women Comics (1975)
Barbie (1991)
The Big Book of… (1994)
Bizarre Sex (1972)
Bop (1982)
Born to be Wild (1991)
California Girls (1987)
Choices (1990)
Comix Book (1974)
Comix: A History of Comic Books in America (1971)
Corporate Crime (1977)
Corporate Crime Comics (1979)
Eclipse (1981)
Eclipse Monthly (1983)
Epic (1983)
Epic Illustrated (1980)
FantaCo’s Chronicles Series (1981)
Gates of Eden (1982)
Gay Comix (Gay Comics) (1980)
Girl Fight Comics (1972)
Hands Off! (1994)
Heartbreakers (1996)
Heavy Metal (1977)
Images of Omaha (1992)
It Ain’t Me Babe (1970)
The Legend of Wonder Woman (1986)
Manhunt (1973)
Misty (1985)
Mythography (1996)
Near Myths (1990)
Pro Junior (1971)
Real Girl (1990)
Renegade Romance (1987)
San Francisco Comic Book (1970)
The Sensational She-Hulk (1989)
Snarf (1972)
The Someday Funnies (2011)
Spirit Jam (1998)
Strange Attractors (1993)
Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988)
Swift Comics (1971)
Teen-Age Horizons of Shangrila (1970)
Tits & Clits (1973)
Trina’s Women (1976)
U-Comix Sonderband (1973)
Vampirella Masters Series (2010)
Vampirella Morning In America (1991)
Video Jack (1987)
Vortex (1982)
Voyages (1983)
Wet Satin (1976)
Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe (1985)
Wimmen’s Comix (1972)
Wonder Woman (1987)
Wonder Woman Gallery (1996)
Yellow Dog (1968)
Colorist:
Eclipse Monthly (1983)
Epic Illustrated (1980)
Heavy Metal (1977)
The Someday Funnies (2011)

Letterer:
After Shock (1981)
All Girl Thrills (1971)
Barbarian Comics (1972)
Barbarian Women Comics (1975)
Bizarre Sex (1972)
Born to be Wild (1991)
Comix Book (1974)
Comix: A History of Comic Books in America (1971)
Corporate Crime (1977)
Corporate Crime Comics (1979)
Eclipse (1981)
Eclipse Monthly (1983)
Gates of Eden (1982)
Girl Fight Comics (1972)
Go Girl (2004)
Go Girl! (2000)
Hands Off! (1994)
Images of Omaha (1992)
It Ain’t Me Babe (1970)
Mythography (1996)
Pro Junior (1971)
Real Girl (1990)
Renegade Romance (1987)
San Francisco Comic Book (1970)
Sexy Chix (2006)
Snarf (1972)
The Someday Funnies (2011)
Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988)
Swift Comics (1971)
Teen-Age Horizons of Shangrila (1970)
Tits & Clits (1973)
Trina’s Women (1976)
Voyages (1983)
Wet Satin (1976)
Wimmen’s Comix (1972)
Yellow Dog (1968)

Editor:
All Girl Thrills (1971)
The Best of Wimmen’s Comix (1979)
The Brinkley Girls (2009)
Choices (1990)
Comic Book Artist (1998)
Go Girl! (2000)
Mama! Dramas (1978)
Miss Fury (2011)
Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988)
Wet Satin (1976)
Wimmen’s Comix (1972)
Cover Artist:
All Girl Thrills (1971)
The Best of Wimmen’s Comix (1979)
California Girls (1987)
A Century of Women Cartoonists (1993)
Eclipse Monthly (1983)
Girl Fight Comics (1972)
The Great Women Superheroes (1996)
Herbie (1991)
It Ain’t Me Babe (1970)
The Legend of Wonder Woman (1986)
Mama! Dramas (1978)
Misty (1985)
Near Myths (1990)
Trina’s Women (1976)
U-Comix Sonderband (1973)
Wet Satin (1976)
Wimmen’s Comix (1972)
Yellow Dog (1968)