Comics creators like Gail Simone, Jen Van Meter, Hope Larson, Greg Rucka, and Trina Robbins will be in Seattle on October 8-9 for GeekGirl Con, a new convention devoted to the interests and concerns of women in “geek culture.” Born out of a brainstorm after a 2010 Comic-Con International panel called “Geek Girls Exist,” the convention is an effort to “bring focus to not just women in the geek industry but also the fans of that industry,” according to public relations manager Kiri Callaghan.

“By bringing attention to the female fans, we present the industry with an opportunity to see part of its audience that it may not be aware of,” says Callaghan, “and by bringing attention to the women who work in that industry, we present the opportunity for those fans to see a possible career path.”

The idea is, Callaghan explains, is that encouraging female fans to become not just consumers but also producers of geek culture will help to make industries that cater to geek consumers more female-friendly.

“While there are some fantastic, well-rounded, strong and intelligent women in our fandoms, there is also a disturbingly overwhelming trend of women being depicted as over-sexualized,” says Callaghan. “There is nothing wrong with women being sexy or even sexually liberated—but a woman—like her male counterpart—is more than her libido and physical appearance.” If women work in the industries that currently produce these images, she says, noting the current controversy over the portrayals of Starfire and Catwoman in DC’s The New 52, it will help “to help contribute to a more realistic depiction of women.”

The convention’s special guests from the comics world were chosen are women (and one man) who produce positive depictions of women. This is notable in an industry that still focuses on a narrow demographic of straight, white men between the ages of 15 and 35 five, says GeekGirl Con’s marketing director and president Erica McGillivray.

“It's sadly unsurprising when women—and other minorities—feel pushed aside, ignored, and sometimes downright disrespected by comic books as an industry, which is a reflection of our culture-at-large,” McGillivray says. Comics creators like Simone, Robbins, and Van Meter can be role models for women who want a voice in the geek world, she adds. “We know our audience loves these writers, and we want to celebrate what they've created. By showing that there are women out there creating comic books, we hope to inspire and change the flow to make comic books more friendly for everyone, not just a narrow demographic.”

The panels the convention has lined up reflects the goal of increasing the visibility of female geeks. “Our programming is designed to reflect and represent the diverse desires, interests, professions, and career paths, of geeky women,” says convention programming director Jennifer K. Stiller. “Some of the specific issues that will be addressed at our annual convention include the representation of women in geekdom as characters, fans, and professionals. Attendees will hear panel discussions from professional bloggers, academics, filmmakers, writers, and scientists, and be able to ask about, and hopefully learn from, their experience.”

Panels include discussions featuring comics creators Hope Larson (Mercury), Joelle Jones (Spell Checkers, You Have Killed Me), and Mariah Huehner (True Blood, Womanthology), as well as special guests Simone, Robbins, Rucka, and Van Meter.

The convention also hopes to foster community with activities like crafting and sing-alongs, as well as to facilitate mentorships and networking. Building connections with other women of like interests is key, says Callaghan. “Before I was involved in this convention, I could probably count my geeky female friends on my hands,” she says. “Through working with staff to just meeting ladies at our many events, I have met so many wonderful women—and men too for that matter.”

GeekGirl Con has nearly 50 exhibitors signed up, including comics studios, small press publishers, and even clothing and cosmetics companies, and expects to draw a crowd of about one thousand attendees. The organization plans on hosting an annual convention.

The reception of a female-focused convention from the larger geek community has been “exceptionally positive,” says Callaghan. “We’ve been gaining more and more support from both genders which so incredibly heart-warming. Honestly, any negativity we’ve run into has been due to a misunderstanding of what the convention was about. GeekGirlCon isn’t about putting one gender over the other, it isn’t about discrimination—all are welcome regardless of age, gender, sexuality or bubble-gum flavor. “