The Blue Birds Go West

The hidden history of a trailblazing Chicago women’s group who traveled to the Colorado Rockies for leisure, community, and a connection to nature—paving the way for generations to come.

Raised in Colorado, Kayann Short was surprised to learn about the Chicago women who’d once owned an old mountain lodge near her home. Her research uncovered a mysterious photo album depicting women hiking the Rocky Mountains together—in the early 1900s. The photos showed women gathering at trailheads, riding horses, and drinking tea with the Colorado Rockies in the background. One question rang through Short’s mind as she flipped through these archives: What brought these urban women to the wilds of Colorado?

In this era, unmarried women generally faced severe social and legal discrimination, yet here was evidence that thousands had gathered to relax in the mountains on property they bought and built with their own hard-earned money.

Pulling from a rich archive, The Blue Birds Go West is the first collective history of the Chicago women’s organization whose members worked to support themselves and vacationed together in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. These women were some of the first to key into the beauty of the mountains as a tourist attraction, and staunch advocates for women’s education and the suffrage movement, crossing paths with New Women like Jane Addams and Georgia O’Keeffe.

In the club’s 50 years of touring, hiking, and horseback riding, the Blue Birds split from social expectations as they developed a community. To this day, we have the fearless, fun-loving Blue Birds to thank for their dedication to making the world more open to women’s adventures.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs