As the medium of comic books has gained more respect as an art form, it's also made more room for diverse creators and representations: This weekend was the second Queers and Comics Conference at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco, where writers, artists and fans of LGBT comics, zines, manga and more gathered to examine their place in the industry.

A host of issues—trans representation, racism, eroticism, writing queer comics for children—were discussed. Panels included “Redefining Masculinity Through Queer Comics” and "Working at the Intersections of Queer Theory and Comics Studies."

Some came to get tips on breaking into the business but many were there to interact with their favorite creators, including gay-manga superstar Gengoroh Tagame and queer Canadian comics writer Mariko Tamaki, who is writing a new Hulk series for Marvel and a Supergirl mini-series for DC.

The conference is the work of Justin Hall, an assistant professor of comics and author of True Travel Tales and "Glamazonia," and dyke cartoonist Jennifer Camper (Rude Girls and Dangerous Women, subGURLZ.)

"I compare this to a writer's conference, except it is for queer cartoonists to get together to discuss the craft and document our history," Camper told the Bay Area Reporter. The first Queers and Comics conference took place in New York, and the plan is to alternate between the two coasts every other year.

Bryan Andersen promotes his gay Mormon superhero comic, Stripling Warrior.

French cartoonist CLX.

A collection of awesome books by artists coming to the @QueersComics conference April 14-15th! pic.twitter.com/ihMaEeqAMY

— Justin Hall (@justincomics) April 9, 2017