Stupid reviewer! KAT SMASH!!!
So I had an idea all planned out for what I'd write about in my second installment of The "F" Word, and then, just like an annoying cross-over event, another issue pops up I need to grab. Okay guys, for the record, I AM THE CO-ARTIST ON TITANIUM RAIN. Co-artist! You know, as in TEAM EFFORT. I'm the penciler. My husband Josh is the digital guy. It even says so in the book's bi-line, on the official website, in all the promotional material. Heck, it's even in our bios our publisher sends around!
Now, I know a lot of you are probably wondering why I'd even bring this up...especially here of all places...but I'm getting really sick and tired of people in the comics media completely failing at their job. All month Josh and I have been reading reviews of our book, Titanium Rain, and nearly half of them credited me as sole artist behind the project. Please, tell me, what the hell is the deal? Do these people have agendas? Do these reviewers think I need some sort of special attention because I wear a bra and pee sitting down?! Or is this just a case of piss poor journalism?!
I chose to write this column because today we got a review of Titanium Rain that really took the cake. Not only did the nitwit reviewer credit me as the sole artist on the book, he also credited me for work Josh has done outside of comics -- namely some 3D work he did connected to Star Trek: Enterprise.
ARGGG! Look people, I'm a penciler. A damn good one, if I say so myself. I draw, I sketch, and make marks on a page. I don't know the first thing when it comes to 3d modeling or animation. And I'm okay with that. Crediting me for my husband's work isn't doing me any favors. It's embarrassing. It does NOT make me feel good. And in the end, it makes everyone feel like an idiot when one of us has to inevitably tell the hack journalist that they were asleep at the wheel. Maybe I'm coming off a bit harsh, but seriously, I am getting really sick of sending out emails that say things like, "Thank you so much for the review. We really appreciate it, but I had nothing to do with that cover art. My husband Josh does all the painting." Or, "I'm glad you found the vehicle designs really cool, but I had nothing to do with that. Josh does all the 3D stuff." It's embarrassing for me, it's disrespectful to my husband, and like I said, it's not doing me any favors. I'm honestly dreading the day I'm at a con and some big wig approaches me for work and says, "We want something like your Star Trek work." And then I'll have to smile politely and say, "Uhhhh...I don't do that kind of stuff, but my husband is over there." Yeah, thank you very much, hack internet reporter. Like I really needed that.
I've noticed there's no shortage of journalists falling over themselves to give me credit as a "good female artist." And for sure, they ALWAYS mention that I'm a woman. As if the name "Kat" wasn't enough of a hint. And while the reviews are upsetting, the interviews are even worse. But for the sake of my own sanity, I'm not going to get into that now.
Okay...well, one thing. I'll share one thing. Boobs. Damn it, why the hell does every sissy emo-boy interviewer want to know if I'm uncomfortable with Power Girl's boobs?! As if there weren't a gazillion better questions to ask me. I happen to like Power Girl, damn it! She's hot and she kicks ass. You want me to go on an angry tirade about something, ask me about Arachne...or Invisible Woman. But enough of that...
So yeah, I'm not too thrilled with all the dumb-bunnies out there who pass themselves off as comics journalists. Constantly getting credit for my husband's art, well...it gets real old, real fast. And the problem is, I can't win. Because the artwork that I do create solo, all the sketches and pin-ups that I sell at conventions, everyone assumes Josh must have drawn them. Huh? Seriously? How could this be? Rather than explain, I think sharing a few choice comments I've gotten should say it all...
"It must be so hard for you here, you being a girl. All these sexist images..."
"Ohmygod! No WOMAN would EVER want to hang THAT on her wall!"
"Does it bother you that you he draws this kind of stuff?"
"Look at the size of those boobs! Just the kind of thing a guy would draw!"
Variations of the last two are the ones I hear the most. So great, Josh paints an awesome scene of fighter jets dueling and everyone wants me to have done it. I spend days slaving over a scene of two cyborgs getting kinky, and everyone assumes Josh must have drawn it because they can't believe a woman would ever portray anything so blatantly erotic. What the hell?! Can't a woman draw hot android sex? Or how about voluptuous curvy bombshells? Is it so impossible to believe I actually LIKE this stuff? I like drawing nudes. I like drawing women. So why is that so hard to understand that I'd actually draw nude women? And yes, it's much more fun to draw them in leather corsets and boots!
Sigh. Look, I realize the 1990's gifted us with a big stinking pile of myths about what a "strong" woman is. I also realize most of these myths were created and popularized by us women, but...ugh! Can we PLEASE kill the myth that says a strong, independent woman also has to be a frelling puritan?! And for that matter, can we please start insisting journalist in this industry do their homework...or at least read the damn press-release???
Okay. I'm spent. I know somewhere in all this brain-vomit I've spewed there's something to be learned about stereo-types, sexism, and stupidity...but I'll leave finding it to you. Okay. I know this one was a bit of a rant, but it needed to be said.
Next Week on The "F" Word we'll tackle Women in Refrigerators.
Kat Rocha is a comic book artist currently collaborating artistically with writer/artist Josh Finney on the acclaimed sci-fi series Titanium Rain from Archaia Studio Press. She lives with her husband in San Diego, collects knives and enjoys drawing pin ups of strong, buxom women in her free time. Titanium Rain #1 will be available in the June 09 Preview.
For more information, visit www.titaniumrain.net and www.aspcomics.com
To read more of Kat's rantings, visit, http://kat-a-pult.blogspot.com
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