abbycomix

If you don’t know Drawing Words & Writing Pictures, it’s an amazing book and website by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden about comics craft which is also a great textbook. I found it indispensable for teaching college classes on comics writing, that’s for sure! I was invited to write a post for their site about my experiences with manga and it’s impact on my work. If you’ve ever wondered about the details of my involvement with manga and Japan, and exhibiting at a comics show there, here’s your chance to read all about it. Please check it out!

March is CBR’s Month of LGBT Comics, and Dolltopia got a fantastic write-up! Also, Book of Boy Trouble 2 got a nice review as well. Loads of great books are being covered, so check them out!

I’m looking forward to going to France for Angoulême at the end of this month, so I made a special bilingual mini-comic for the occasion with the translation assistance of Xavier Lancel! It includes my adventures in French cheese and a comic about Angoulême’s sweets! I’ll be at the Scarce / LGBT BD booth again this year, so stop by if you’ll be there.

Here’s something really exciting that just happened! Japanese Professor Fusami Ogi of Chikushi Jogakuen University had been in contact with me as she has been researching women in comics worldwide. She had invited me for a conference Dec. 19th which would include shoujo manga legend Moto Hagio. Schedule-wise, it didn’t work out for me to attend, but I was asked to write an essay about my favorite work from Hagio’s collection, A Drunken Dream as part of the presentation. I submitted my essay which was translated and read by Fusami at the presentation to a very positive response and Moto Hagio was presented with a copy of Dolltopia too! So I did get to participate, if from a distance. This was far and beyond my expectations, I never thought I’d get to participate in an event with this manga trailblazer, and am truly beside myself! Thank you Fusami and Moto Hagio for this amazing opportunity! I only hope I can be there in person to visit with you next time. Fusami sent me this photo of herself, Moto Hagio (with Dolltopia!), and her mother, sister, and father which I am posting with their permission. Truly, I am honored!

Big News! It was announced this week that Dolltopia won a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award! Dolltopia scored a silver medal in the category of Mind-Body-Spirit/Self-Esteem! I want to thank everybody who has supported me in my efforts with Dolltopia, I couldn’t have done it without you! More info to come…

Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet No. 25 is out now and has Dolltopia comic in it! Click here to buy it!

I am very much looking forward to the Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn Botanic Garden! I even designed these special pins to sell at the event so people can have cherry blossoms all year round! I’ll also have postcards, my graphic novels and bonus manga from Japan by my friend Yuuko Koyama! I’ll be at the Manga and Anime Alley both days! See you there!

I came across this great Dolltopia review (4.5 stars!) at Cherrie, an Australian site for lesbians and queer women. Here’s a snippet-

“I love everything about this book, especially the title. Have you ever wondered what would happen if the dolls fought back?”

Click here for the rest!

Marvel’s solicitation for my issue of Girl Comics (#3) has gone out! The artist on my story is Emma Vieceli, colors by Emily Warren. The story was fun to write, the art looks great, and it will hopefully deliver a chuckle or two. Fabulous cover is by Jo Chen!

Wow, Angoulême! It’s almost impossible to describe and sum up the wonderful experience I had. I only know I want to go back every year if I can!

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