WATCH ECCC: Grrls Who Make Comics We Love roundtable chats about the industry

Comics have been a constant in genre for as long as we can remember, and every convention offers an opportunity for fans to connect with the creators, writers, and artists who are responsible for bringing some of their favorite characters to the page. And when it comes to comics, women have been holding it down for a long time, too, carving out their own spaces in the nerd 'verse with their own unique contributions to comics over the years.

At this year's Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, we had the chance to talk to some of the women who have had a hand in making the comics we love. Joining us for a roundtable chat were artist and illustrator Agnes Garbowska (My Little Pony, Jem and the Holograms), author and publisher Hope Nicholson (The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen, Angel Catbird), illustrator Chryssy Cheung, and writer Mags Visaggio (Eternity Girl, Kim & Kim).

Over the course of the discussion, the four shared what they love most about getting to travel to cons and stressed the importance of female-fronted stories, especially for young and fledgling comic fans.

"My mission is always ... I want to do the books I needed, but didn't have, so now those books are out there and people have them," Visaggio said. "It's really a unique experience, just getting people who are connecting with such a deep part of me. They're relating to something that I'm putting out into the world that's really at the core of who and what I am, and they're sharing that experience with me."

The group also shared their tips and tricks for anyone who might be interested in breaking into various parts of the comic industry — according to Nicholson, "First, you need to actually start making things" — as well as the amazingly collaborative nature of getting to bounce off of other super talented creators and the women who were instrumental in helping them build their own careers.

Check out the full interview with Garbowska, Nicholson, Cheung, and Visaggio below.