|
Passing the Pencil: A Female Comics Writer Roundtable
TDmonthly Magazine interviewed three young women who are making their marks in comics: TDmonthly: When did you first think about writing and drawing comics? Tania Del Rio, writer and illustrator of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” by Archie Comics: I used to spend a lot of time drawing comics based on my own characters and characters I liked from video games or cartoons. I would then attempt to sell these creations to other members of my family.
Debbie Huey, author and illustrator of “Bumperboy Loses His Marbles” by Adhouse Books: After reading many interesting comics, I suddenly thought, "Hey, I can do this too!" TDmonthly: How did you find your style?
Cibos: Of the hundreds of comics available, I only found myself attracted to maybe two or three titles, like “Ranma ˝” (Viz Media) and “Oh My Goddess” (Dark Horse Comics). They had a feminine charm that male-oriented American superhero comics didn´t. Huey: My style grew out of watching a lot of cartoons and reading comics. TDmonthly: Which artists inspire you today?
Cibos: Animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon, as well as character designers such as Shinya Hasegawa (“Utena”), Atsuko Ishida (“Magic Knight Rayearth”), Atsuko Nakajima (“Ranma ˝”), and Ikoku Itoh (“Sailor Moon”). Huey: I’m a big fan of many comics artists, including Chris Ware, Craig Thompson, Kazu Kibuishi and Bryan Lee O´Malley.
Del Rio: Sabrina is a character that girls can relate to. She has magic powers, but this is a metaphor for the strength that all girls have within themselves. Cibos: Peach Fuzz focuses on character interaction, feelings, growth and understanding. The ferret, Peach, brings a fun, magical sense of otherness to the book. Huey: I´d hope that Bumperboy is appealing to both boys and girls, but girls may be drawn to Bumperboy comics for their friendly stories and interesting characters. TDmonthly: Do you have any upcoming projects? Del Rio: I’m writing stories for manga "Josie and the Pussycats" (Archie Comics) and drawing the occasional “Sonic the Hedgehog” story. I´m also working on a couple personal projects. Cibos: I’m busy working on the second volume of “Peach Fuzz.” Huey: I am working on a new graphic novel-length story for Bumperboy, as well as a few short stories relating to some of his friends. ![]() |
|