Based on the 2017 Cartoon Museum exhibition of the same name, The Inking Woman takes a look at some unsung heroes of the comic world.
There are many overlooked creators in the comic industry whether it be modern comic artists, cartoonists, web comic artists, postcards and much more. These roles have been typically seen as male dominated which has allowed a lot of talented female creators to go unnoticed to varying degrees. But this collection seeks to remedy that by gathering the work of talented female creators from the past 250 years whilst providing a commentary on the creator and how they are relevant to specific changes and movements.
Starting as far back as the 1770s, women from all walks of life and working in all genres/mediums are examined in depth and will open your eyes to some serious talent that you otherwise would not have been aware of. Early political caricatures from Mary Darly and the emergence of the suffrage movement in the world of cartooning from the likes of Dora Meeson Coates and Emily Harding Andrews set it off to a good start with a level of style and wit equal to any male material at the time. This is swiftly followed by a great piece on The “Golden Age of the Postcard” from the book’s co-editor/greetings card legend Cath Tate which greatly demonstrates the impact several female artists had on the card industry. Several aspects of the industry are discussed including the emergence of small press/zines, counter culture, social change and the current state of comic conventions/festivals – all the while showcasing different generations of great talent including Mary Tourtel (Rupert Bear), Posy Simmonds (Tamara Drewe), Melinda Gebbie (Lost Girls) and Amber Hsu (One Pound Poems) just to name a few.
Even if you haven’t seen the original exhibition, editors Nicola Streeten and Cath Tate have put together an ideal guide to the UK’s rich history of female comic creators. Plus, it is the perfect method to discover a wealth of top talent that deserves to have more eyes on their work.
The Inking Woman is out 29 March 2018 from Myriad Editions
9780995590083 – H/B – £19.99
Post by Leo
