So I’ve been playing with stencils lately – mostly of film images and icons. Putting images together, and playing with the shapes that shadows and light makes. It’s pretty weird when I start thinking about how much the brain makes up itself when given a few clues; blobs in certain places, and in certain shapes on a page (or a screen) are interpreted by the brain as faces.
It reminds me of something that Scott McCloud writes about, about comics; how little we actually need to make a face, like those yellow smiley faces – two well placed dots and a curve in a circle = face.
So, stencils are interesting in and of themselves, and I’m thinking about them in comparison to my comics – images of human form reduced to more simple representations, still getting across a lot of information.
These images below, are a series that I’ve been thinking about for a while. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the shower scene in Psycho and Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro) in Taxi Driver (ohhh, my film geek is showing). I was thinking about how often women are victims and men are perpetrators of violence – and these two images popped into my head. But I reckon they’re most interesting because they’re kind of complicated, within the context of the films themselves, and the careers of the films’ directors (Alfred Hitchcock and Martin Scorcese ,respectively).
Oh dear, I could probably type an essay about this stuff. I think I’ve been spending too much time by myself. But the images look cool:
I felt kinda wonky about going to DDLL West as I’m not really identifying as either female or male recently. I’m becoming this sort of nebulous whatsit that fencesits between all different genders. But then I thought to myself, “I should go anyway. Firstly, because it’s in Portland which is a scant two hour drive away. And secondly, I *have* identified as female in the past, and I think the good folks at DDLL would be *totally* amenable to someone who bucks the gender binary, especially if that someone draws comics.” It was a good decision, because I met some totally awesome folks there, and I got to visit an old venue I hadn’t been to in at least five years. (The Secret Society Lounge is quite a lovely place.)
So I say, start up your own local DDLGQ, and meet some cool fellow comic artists!
Carpe Diem,
el jo
Yay, I’m glad you had such a lovely experience, and I totally loved your reasoning – it certainly seemed like a place where gender-binary-buckers would be welcome. I like the idea of a DDLGQ too, though I think I’m prepared to meet anyone around these parts who draws comics, there’s so few that I know.
The comics world is under-represented by transguys.
I kept all my female heroes when I transitioned.
Don’t sweat it!
Cheers Ryan, I’m glad other guys keep there female heroes. I’d feel pretty sad if I had to trade ‘em in.
Remember when Erika Moen married to a British fella? And she started identifying as “queer” instead of “lesbian?” S’all good! You’ll always be a queer comic artist, and we need more of ‘em.
If it’s good enough for Moen … it’s good enough for me (and you).
‘Tis true, ’tis true. Queer is such a good word. It is official.
Aw hey, even though you’re feeling that loss as you progress in your transition, don’t think for a second that you’re losing your *connection to* lady cartoonists just because you’re not one
Making comics is not about the gender of the cartoonists, it’s about making good, compelling comics. Which is what you’re already doing, and noticeably improving every time you update! Just keep it up and keep being a Good Person and you’ll always be welcome around cartoonists in the “comics community”, be they female, male or neither.
(Also, heehee! Thanks for the cameo!)
Hey thanks, yes I agree, it’s not the gender but the stories people tell. I guess I’m just noticing some difference of where my viewpoint is seen from as I transition.
It’s been really nice to try and get some of these ideas on paper and stick (mostly) to a schedule, it seems like people read it so I’ll keep going.
And I got your book in the mail yesterday! It’s so awesome that you included your early stuff alongside the most recent DAR – it whoooshed me back to my younger self in all her angst. Seriously that angst-bucket image is one that allllways pops in my mind.
Hey!
I wanted to share a story that happened about a year ago when I first launched my webcomic – http://www.sketchfervor.com – around the 2nd or 3rd week I saw my stats go from like 20 people to like 3000 people one day. I wondered ‘what in the world is going on?’ Well that day I got an email from a trans reader who thought that ‘trap’
in this strip (http://www.sketchfervor.com/awesomesauce/archived/amelia035.html) was referring to a slang term used in the trans community. The reader was SO excited that a trans cartoonist was making comics that identified with them. Unfortunately I had to explain that it was a misunderstanding (I’m a gal), but there is a community of people out there that could definitely embrace you if you make comics that speak to them (: Either way no matter what gender you identify with – your work stands on its own!!
Anyway that’s my 2-cents, keep up the cartooning (:
~Amelia
Oh wow, that’s pretty awesome, if a little bit awkward. You’re two-cents was very much excellent, and very much appreciated.
Loved your strip today, btw – I wish I’d got to go to an x-files class
I feel sort of the opposite about being a girl who does comics, I’m also Asian looking so I was afraid if I did a comic it would get lumped into “oh it’s another women autobio!” or “here’s an asian american artist!” or what have you. So I ended up doing the furthest thing from celebrating being a girl in comics by making my autobio comic appear as not-me-looking at all. Haha. But I do think DDLL are just about celebrating being in the industry and the NY ones have been a lot of fun for me, even though it was something I had previously not thought I would mesh well with.
Yeh I can understand that perspective – being lumped in with a category (such as woman, asian, straight, gay… and all the rest) can sometimes work to dismiss your individuality. I’m really glad that things like DDLL have been fun for you – I think they could be a really great idea. I also kinda like the idea of turning yourself into something else for your comics, but how did you end up choosing a hedgehog for yourself?
I think of it this way. Men might be overrepresented in comics, but I defy you to try and name five trans men in comics. I can think of… less than five. (Tab Kimpton, who does Khaos Komix http://www.khaoskomix.com/ and a couple others who do transguy comics.)
I’m sorta on the opposite side as you; pretty much all the comics in my shelf right now are written by men. Which is kinda D:, now that I think of it…
thanks man, yeh transmen in comics is pretty underrepresented. I think I know of two…. Khaos is pretty amazing, feel free to put links up to the other guys!
Why would anyone want or need to abandon or change their heroes/heroines just because they are changing their gender expression? You’re still the same person you always have been inside, so surely you still admire the same qualities in others and the work they produce right?
And what’s the deal with gender categories anyway? Surely it’s your work itself which really defines the way you are categorised as an artist?
And being a different gender doesn’t prevent you from being in the class as your heroes/heroines does it?
Anyway, as the T kicks in you’ll most likely have a whole lot of subject material which very few comic artists of any gender have ever covered… so at least for awhile there you will be virtually uncategorical