SPX Spotlight 2012: MariNaomi

Welcome to another entry in my SPX Spotlight 2012!  You can find all of my SPX Spotlight posts, including those from past years, by clicking here.

I first encountered MariNaomi's work in an anthology about breakups called "This Isn't  Working: Comics About Ex-Boyfriends" which was one of my favorite mini-comics from 2011.  She is an extremely prolific creator who works within the autobiographical genre and is known for her brutal honesty about her life.

I find that makes for the best kind of personal comic, and MariNaomi is no exception.  In the shorts I've read by her, she's always quite frank about her subject.  This is a sketch diary, so be aware the art is raw, but the content I think gives you an idea of her work.  Another example, from her newspaper work, is this interview with someone I hope to meet someday, Alison Bechdel, but that's cheating a bit because it ends up going into prose.  Here's one more, about smoking and quitting that's rather close to my own experience.

For SPX, MariNaomi will be bringing along the following, none of which I am personally familiar but touch on some themes that definitely interest me.  These are pretty much all mature-audiences only, if that matters to you.


  • Kiss & Tell: A Romantic Resume, Ages 0 to 22 This is her book about growing up that shows just how unflinching her work can be, if the description of "sex, drugs, friendship, and juvenile delinquency in the '80s" is even remotely close to accurate.
  • Sister Spit Tour Diary If the diary entry intrigued you, this might be the comic to get.  A travel diary about being on tour for Kiss & Tell, as part of a group of writers and artists.
  • Five True Fans presents... Them's the Breaks, Kid!  A new anthology featuring five creators (Cassie J. Sneider, MariNaomi, Ric Carrasquillo, Tessa Brunton), each telling their own stories.
  • Not-So-Butch features hand-painted covers and talks about girls MariNaomi liked who "didn't like me back."
  • Sleep Deprived is true story that already creeps me out by mentioning bedbugs.

MariNaomi will also have copies of Little Heart, A Comic Anthology for Marriage Equality, which makes me a bit envious, because I'm still waiting for my digital copy from the kickstarter.  If you thought the idea was cool but didn't contribute, SPX will be a chance to get your copy.

My taste in mini-comics definitely has a large section for autobiographical works.  If yours does, too, then definitely stop by MariNaomi's table.  Can't make SPX?  You can visit her website here, where you can purchase comics directly from the creator.