IDW Publishing Announces Ongoing ‘Womanthology’ Comic [Wondercon]
The graphic novel anthology Womanthology, a Kickstarter-funded project launched by artist Renae de Liz to spotlight the work of female comics creators, recently hit stands with its Womanthology: Heroic book collection, and IDW Publishing announced today at Wondercon that there is more to come this September with an ongoing Womanthology. The series will be produced entirely by women, and feature the contributions of over 140 creators, including Fiona Staples, Blair Butler, Jessica Hickman, Bonnie Burton, Ming Doyle, and Stacie Ponder.
The theme of the first five-issue miniseries Womanthology: Space will be -- you guessed it -- space! with different themes to follow in subsequent miniseries. The book will include comics, "pin-ups and ongoing mini-comics by different artists, as well as tips from professionals."De Liz discussed her thoughts on both the current collection and the upcoming title:
Womanthology: Heroic was such a big, wonderful experience, and not in my wildest dreams could I have hoped that it would go on to further adventures! I hope that Womanthology: Space is just the start of a long line of amazing books that further open doors for women in comics everywhere. I hope this will be a continued outlet to have their work showcased and appreciated, and help many take that next big step towards a career in comics. Again there will be all ages and experience levels accepted. This has always been so important to me, as I know first hand how even one show of support can offer so much confidence and motivation in your work. This not only helps aspiring creators gain valuable experiences and a platform to help further careers, but it also allows established professionals to reach out and lend their comics knowledge and know how. I am so glad that the positivity and fun of Womanthology is going further, this time into Space!
There were some questions over the financial breakdown for Womanthology: Heroic after the enormous Kickstarter success that earned it over $100,000 last year, a topic discussed at length by CA's Andy Khouri, and IDW has confirmed to ComicsAlliance that the Womanthology: Space contributors will receive compensation for their work.
While like any comic, Womanthology will ultimately be judged by the quality of its contents, its continuation as an ongoing series speaks to the willingness of both the audience and the publisher to explicitly support the work of female creators.
Editor Mariah Huehner added her thoughts as well in an IDW press release:
We're extremely excited about the ongoing and continuing to showcase the talented and inspiring work by women in the industry at all levels. Whether they're just starting out or seasoned veterans, these creators all have something to say with their stories and being able to offer them this opportunity just shows that a little idea can make a huge difference. Heroic was such an incredible experience and Renae is, without exaggerating, an incredible person and artist who deserves a huge round of applause for making a real difference. We knew Heroic wasn't the end, so join us in Space!