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Snotgirl is a series of comics created as a collaboration between writer Bryan Lee O'Malley and artist Leslie Hung. They concern Lottie Person — also known as "Snotgirl" — a fashionable social media star with severe allergies. The first issue was published in 2016 by Image Comics, and three collected editions have been published between 2017 and 2020. The series has been praised for its creativity, visuals, and compelling story. In 2017, O'Malley was nominated for a Joe Shuster Award in the Writer category for his work on the first five issues of the comic.

Background

Snotgirl is O'Malley's first collaboration with Leslie Hung, and his first time releasing monthly comics instead of graphic novels. Both Hung and O'Malley suffer with pollen allergies, which acted as an inspiration for Lottie's own allergies. O'Malley felt inspired to make a more racially diverse story - especially one featuring mixed race characters - after noticing the lack of it in his other stories, and has spoken on how he felt he didn't see himself represented in his own work. Fashion is a long-term interest of Hung's, and she has stated that she takes fashion inspiration for a lot of the characters from magazines, blogs and Pinterest. Despite O'Malley normally working with graphic novels, the pair decided to release Snotgirl episodically to mirror the rapid social media trend cycle, and make each story seem more like a moment in time.

Premise

Lottie Person is a fashion blogger struggling to juggle her influencer status with her chronic allergies and poor social life. Things quickly change for her when she meets Caroline, a beautiful girl with the same coffee order as her. The two decide to go for drinks, and this kickstarts a rapid chain of events that are beyond anything Lottie would've expected from a simple first date.

Reception

Snotgirl has had a generally positive reception. CBR praised its frequent blending of fantasy and reality, and its honest depiction of the realities of adulthood; citing Hung's expressive, bubblegum-pop art style as high points. WWAC's review of the first volume also cited the art as a stand-out feature of the comic, but also commented on the way the none of the characters 'feel insignificant or interchangeable'. Snotgirl has also been commended for its range of LGBTQ+ characters, with AIPT Comics placing it number four on their list of the best queer comics of 2018. In 2019, the American Library Association included it in a list of graphic novels and comics that could be used to start discussions on social justice surrounding body image.

References

1. "Snotgirl". Image Comics.
2. Schedeen, Jesse (July 20, 2016). "Snotgirl #1 Review". IGN.
3. Boyd, Kevin A. (2017-07-10). "The 2017 Joe Shuster Award Nominations / Les nominés pour le prix Joe Shuster 2017". The Joe Shuster Awards. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
4. "Bryan Lee O'Malley & Leslie Hung Open Up About Snotgirl [Interview]". Image Comics.
5. "Why 'Scott Pilgrim' Creator Bryan Lee O'Malley's Future Protagonists Will Be Mixed Race". NBC News. 2016-07-14. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
6. "Snotgirl Co-Creator Leslie Hung on Drawing Women and Embracing Our 'Disgusting' Humanity".
7. McMillan, Graeme (May 24, 2018). "'Snotgirl' Co-Creator Leslie Hung on Fashion Bloggers, Comics and Murder Mysteries". The Hollywood Reporter.
8. O'Malley, Bryan Lee (w), Hung, Leslie (a). "No New Friends" Snotgirl, no. 1 (August 2017). Image Comics.
9. Chappell, Caitlin (2020-03-23). "Snotgirl: Why Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim Follow-Up Is Worth Reading". CBR. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
10. Hearn, Kayleigh (2016-08-15). "Beauty Behind The Madness: Snotgirl #1 [Review]". WWAC. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
11. Cline, Eric Alex (2019-01-04). "The Year in Queer: The top 10 LGBTQ+ comics of 2018 • AIPT". aiptcomics.com. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
12. Table, C.R (2019). Body Image Reading List.

• American comics titles
• Lesbian-related comics