Regular and previous readers -- skip to the new info.  Those of you new to Action Girl, or who have been away a while, please continue from here!
WELCOME!! You have discovered the wide world of Action Girl Online, focusing on Action Girl Comics, a new anthology showcasing female cartoonists. AGC has an all-ages sensibility, with more than a slight punk/DIY influence. Girl-positive and female-friendly -- never anti-boy. As far as content -- well, the best way to explain it would probably be to say that it is not exactly an anthology. It is more like a zine -- it is wholly my comic, not some publisher's collection of stuff. The material contained in this book is hand-picked by me and will always reflect my sensibilities (which include: printing stories on subjects that are more universal in theme; and providing a place for a new generation of cartoonists to be discovered -- personally, I'm thrilled to have stories from my own punk/post-punk generation to read, even if I had to print them myself.) This is no way means that you have to be into any of the things I've named, or even understand them -- the most important facet of Action Girl is accessibility. Inclusion, not exclusion, that's my goal. So please enjoy, no matter who or what you are. This site will not be an online version, but an expansion, of Action Girl Comics. You'll find stuff here that won't be anywhere else, from additional articles that there just isn't room for in AGC to internet-specific stuff like AG-approved web pages and resources. Action Girl Online will be updated as each new issue of AGC comes out, and hopefully there'll be lots of fun and cool stuff here to make your visit worthwhile!!

(NOT SO) SECRET ORIGIN: Action Girl Comics is one of my long-running series of Action Girl projects, which all started with a newsletter I began publishing in 1992 (a guide to projects produced by girls, grrrls and women -- boy-friendly but very pro-girl). After listing a ton of great mini-comics by women that no-one knew about, I decided I wanted to start collecting their work in comics form, as well as start an outlet for the Action Girl stories I'd been working on. (Interestingly enough, I originally named the newsletter after the character, never thinking that I'd actually do comics with her someday!)

SAVE OUR COMICS: Action is important in comics -- especially right now. If you like comics (and I'm assuming you do) you need to be an active consumer. Patronize shops that treat you well and order the books you ask for. Give them the benefit of the doubt -- make them aware of what you want them to carry -- but if they refuse to get the books you want, then take your money elsewhere. There is absolutely no book that a retailer cannot get for you. If they claim they cannot, they are either lazy or lying. Retailers are supposed to carry what their customers want -- only in comics do they carry what they want instead. (And making them aware of what you want is important for everyone -- not only does it ensure that you get your books, but it hopefully ensures that the books stay in business. Be aware of what is coming out and make sure that it is being ordered for you.)

PEP TALK: Remember -- ACTION IS EVERYTHING! Our society, even when it's trying to be "alternative" usually just promotes a consumerist mentality. Buying things isn't evil, but if that's all you do, your life is pretty pointless. And remember that action of a more domestic nature is just as important (maybe even more so) than political action -- taking control of your own life is the first thing you should do if you want to fight consumerism and passivity. Learning to do thing for yourself is totally crucial -- making things, cooking, sewing, you name it. It's fine to pay for things by choice, but you shouldn't have to buy things because you can't make them yourself. Be an ACTION GIRL (or boy)! It's great to read/listen to/watch other people's creative output, but it's even cooler to do it yourself. Don't think you can do comics? Try anyway, even if they're just for yourself! Or maybe think about writing for a zine, or working at shows or benefits. Volunteer! Learn to sew! Not everyone is suited to doing projects on their own, but everyone has something to contribute. So go out and do something with all that positive energy!

GET ACTIVE: I really mean it! I totally believe in this semi-philosophy I'm throwing at you, and live by it every day. Well, almost every day...(even I have those days where live is just couch, nintendo, and junk food). For more details, Action Girl's Guide to Living is an actual codification of my philosophies (originally written in 94 for a social handbook for a 7" by the band My Favorite). For some practical advice if you're interested in doing your own mini-comic or zine, see the Do-Your-Own Zine guide over in Action Girl's Zine-O-Rama. And finally, I'm always telling people to start cooking and sewing for themselves, and now I can tell you in detail exactly how. To learn how to make easy swanky meals to impress your friends and relatives, check out the Action Girl Cooking Class.

COOL STUFF: Here's the last batches of  Action Girl Recommends. I've also started a gallery of some of the coolest fan art I've gotten -- for some neat interpretations of Action Girl, check out Action Girl's Gallery.

ME GO, ACTION GIRL! Well, we're heading straight for a 5th birthday now, and the way things are going it looks like AG will make it to the 21st century just fine. Crazy, huh?

WHAT THE HECK I'VE BEEN UP TO: The big news for me this year was the Supergirl Adventures book from DC. For more on that and all other news, check here.

WANT TO GO HOME? Get back to Action Girl HQ  here.

See you in October! Til then, take care and live in Action!!  -- xoxo, Sarah

All contents of these pages are © and/or TM Sarah Dyer. All Rights Reserved.
No part of the contents may be reproduced without written permission.
The character "Action Girl" and her likeness are TM Sarah Dyer.