Rose City Roll Call: Kel McDonald, Werewolf Expert

Kel McDonald (left), with Jen Vaughn (right) at SDCC 2018
It's really hard to believe that I've been reading comics from Kel for so long now. I believe my first post about Kel was in 2013 as an interview for one of her Kickstarters, but I am pretty sure I was reading her work before then as well. Now it's 2018, and not only are her independent works still going strong, the Cautionary Fables and Fairytales series has a new edition coming soon, and she's also done work with Dark Horse comics and has an upcoming series with Tyler Crook for Comixology. She's really busy as a creator, but what I really appreciate about Kel is that her work never suffers for it. Anytime you pick up work from Kel, you know it will be good.

Last year, I interviewed Kel before Rose City, if you haven't read it yet. This was around the time of Can I Pet Your Werewolf and the third volume of Misfits, showing her range as both an editor and an artist. While her work tends to be strongly themed within magic and the supernatural, Kel's style can be everything from working within an old legend (her entries in the Fairytales series), or going for acidly sarcastic jerks (Misfits of Avalon).

It's hard to pick out a few favorites, but I'll recommend these as a good sampling:

Kel as Editor: Any of the Fairytales, but I'm especially fond of the first one I read, which was Europe, and also the Africa edition. I think those two have the best art-and-legend combos so far, but all of them are excellent.
Kel as Writer and Artist: Misfits of Avalon, which is probably my favorite because of the link to the old myths and stories my mom first read to me (and then I later read on my own), and I love seeing how creators grow and change the stories over time. I also dig Fame and Misfortune (about trying to protect a famous person who's kind of a dick) because I am pretty sure it was the first thing of Kel's that I read, if I'm remembering right.

A page from Misfits of Avalon
I'm sure when I see Kel, she'll tease me about those, but those are my picks. Really, no matter what you choose, you can't go wrong.

Kel will also be on two panels this year. Here's the schedule she provided:
September 7, 20183:00 pm - 3:50 pmMAGICAL GIRLS AND MYTHOLOGY
From Sailor Moon and Magic Knights to Thor and the Round Table history is filled with tales of magic and wonder. Join Chris Hansbrough, Andrea Rosales, Anne Mortensen-Agnew, (Nine Twilights) Kel McDonald, (Misfits of Avalon/Sorcery 101) and Adam P. Knave (Amelia Cole/Once and Future Queen) as they discuss bringing ancient myths of old to a more diverse modern era.September 8, 201810:30 am - 11:20 amCATS AND WOLVES AND BEARS! OH MY! – ANIMALS IN COMICS
Since the dawn of comics animals have played a role, either flying around in capes and tights like the Legion of Superpets or lending a helpful bark like Tintin’s dog Snowy. Heroes, villains, and everything in-between, you can’t have comics without animals.


You can find Kel at Booth A-01 this year. If you like mythology, the supernatural, and (especially) werewolves, make you sure see her at Rose City this weekend.

Can't make it to Rose City? Kel's website is here, and she has a storefront, too!