Fiona Staples signing ‘Another Dimension’ comics. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
The second in a series of blogs on amazing female graphic artists, this blog explores the work of Fiona Staples, an award-winning graphic artist from Canada. For more comic book warrior women, check out our previous blog, Creating Warrior Women: Annie Wu (Link).
Over the last couple of years, Fiona Staples has won numerous awards for her work and was voted the number one female comic book artist of all-time by readers of Comic Book Resources. Growing up in Calgary, Canada, Fiona was an avid reader of comics and fiction, particularly fantasy books such as The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis and The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. This interest in science fiction and fantasy carried on into her career. Read more about her inspirations in this interview with Comic Alliances’ David Uzumeri.
Fiona started off as an illustrator, penciller, inker and colourer for various comic book companies, working with other graphic artists to create comic books. Her big break came when she was introduced to world-renown comic book writer Brian Vaughan, who described her work as ‘incredible’ and ‘unique’. Brian and Fiona now work together on Saga, an epic space opera/fantasy comic book series. Fiona’s particular style has developed through her sole use of digital methods and trademark vibrant colours. Want to see how she does it? Here’s a YouTube video of Fiona Staples sketching Marko from Saga.
Fuelled by her love for books and heroic tales, Fiona’s comic book characters and their worlds are inspired by ancient civilisations (such as Mesopotamia and Greece), in addition to the fantasy books of her childhood and the video games of her adulthood. The female lead of the Saga series, Alana, certainly demonstrates these classical influences, with large wings like Icarus, a character in Ancient Greek myth. In her inability to kill civilians, Alana shows a strength and humanity, two traits that help her rescue her future husband, Marko, from prison. In this work, Fiona has created a merciful woman warrior.
Warrior Princess will be launching soon, so keep an eye on the Girl Museum website. In my next blog in the ‘Creating Warrior Women’ series, I will be introducing a new and exciting graphic artist who brings her religious beliefs into her work – Nour Saleh.
-Sarah Raine
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.