Beautiful…talented…important…I don't know which quality of Trina I should start with. I'll start with important. Trina Robbins was one of those cartoonists who did things that mattered. No one did more to elevate the awareness of and the opportunities for females in the realm of cartooning and comic art. And along the way she did not neglect the males; did not neglect anyone or anything worthy of attention. One of the first times I met her, she touted me on a bevy of underground cartoonists of both genders whose work, she said, I might enjoy and she was right on all counts. Her Wikipedia page is a long, long list of books she worked on and causes for which she fought and usually won.
She loved talent and had plenty of it herself. Go over that list and pay attention to the books that she wrote and/or drew. Most of 'em were the kind of books that changed things for the better. I was especially fond of a short-run book she did for Marvel called Misty which showed uncommon insight into the dreams and motives of young women. Most comics of that genre you could tell were written by someone who was no longer young and had never been (or maybe even understood) a woman. Trina was young enough at heart…or maybe she just had a good memory…to make that comic what all comics for that market share should have been.
It was just a pleasure to know her…to talk with her…to dine with her. If this reads like I'm a little in shock, I am. We heard she was ill but she was one of those people who just seemed too full of life to ever run out of it. My condolences to all of us who knew and loved her and especially to Steve Leialoha.