Trina Robbins, the cartoonist and artist known for her decades-long career in the underground comix movement, has passed away at the age of 85. The news was broken on Wednesday night, with comic writer Gail Simone paying tribute to Robbins in a Facebook post. Beginning in the 1970s, Robbins became one of the most instrumental female voices in underground comix, contributing to or editing a number of anthologies or papers. She was also a prolific advocate for chronicling the history of women in comics and cartooning, publishing over half a dozen books on the subject.
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“My hero, friend and mentor, Trina Robbins, has passed, Simone’s post reads in part. “Not only was she a legendary creator of comics, she was also one of comics’ greatest historians and researchers, and a guiding light to countless girls and women who had a hard time believing there was space for them in this art form. She proved there was and fought endlessly to remind people of the legacies of the incredible female creators that were often overlooked and undervalued over the decades. She was one of the first creators to speak to me about comics before I ever even considered writing a script and she treated my goofy questions with far more kindness and scholarship than they likely deserved.”
Born Trina Perlson on August 17, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York, Robbins’ comics career began in the underground papers East Village Other and Gothic Blimp Works. In 1970, she and Barbara “Willy” Mendes produced the first-ever comic book created entirely by women, the one-shot It Ain’t Me, Babe Comix. For two decades, she was subsequently involved with the anthology Wimmen’s Comix.
She also worked as contributor and editor on Choices: A Pro-Choice Benefit Comic Anthology for the National Organization for Women, and created the series GoGirl!, which was published at both Image comics and Dark Horse Comics.
In addition to her unground work, Robbins designed the original costume for Warren Publishing’s heroine Vampirella, and was the first-ever woman artist to draw DC’s Wonder Woman. Robbins illustrated the character on the 1986 four-issue miniseries The Legend of Wonder Woman, and wrote the 1998 one-shot Wonder Woman: The Once and Future Story. She even cameoed in 1989’s Wonder Woman Annual #2. She also created the Millie the Model spinoff Misty for Marvel’s Star Comics.
Robbins’ advocacy work included co-founding Friends of Lulu, a non-profit designed to educate and encourage women in the comic book industry. She also worked on multiple non-fiction books chronicling the history of women cartoonists or comic creators — Women and the Comics, A Century of Women Cartoonists, The Great Women Superheroes, From Girls to Grrrlz; A History of Women’s Comics from Teens to Zines, The Great Women Cartoonists, and Pretty in Ink. Her most recent book was 2023’s Gladys Parker: A Life in Comics, A Passion for Fashion.
Outside of her work in comics, Robbins operated a clothing store in the 1960s. She developed a close friendship with various members of the 1960s music scene, even being referenced in Joni Mitchell’s iconic song “Ladies of the Canyon.”
Our thoughts are with Robbins’ family, friends, and fans at this time.
