Girlamatic

Girlamatic (sometimes stylized as GirlAMatic or Girl-A-Matic) was a

Girlamatic
webcomic subscription service established by Joey Manley and Lea Hernandez
in March 2003. It was the third online magazine Manley established as part of
his Modern Tales-family of websites. Girlamatic was created as a place where
both female artists and readers could feel comfortable and featured a diverse mix 2003 logo
of genres. The editorial role was held by Hernandez from 2003 until 2006, when Owner Joey Manley
it was taken over by Arcana Jayne-creator Lisa Jonté. Girlamatic was
Editor Lea Hernandez
relaunched as a free digital magazine in 2009, this time edited by Spades-creator
Diana McQueen. The archives of the webcomics that ran on Girlamatic Website Archived (April 2003)
remained freely available until the website was discontinued in 2013. Launched March 31, 2003
Current status Discontinued

Contents
Concept
History
Webcomics
Reception
References
External links

Concept
Lea Hernandez' vision when creating Girlamatic was to create a website that she herself would like to read and where both female
artists and readers could feel comfortable.[1] The website particularly avoided the male-dominated direct market of superhero comic
books. Talking with Publishers Weekly, Hernandez said that "an anthology of girl-friendly comics would sink like a stone in the
direct market."[2] Hernandez stated that she had gathered artists of "the new mainstream" and that she hoped that they would find a
wider audience for their work through Girlamatic.[3]

The name "GirlAMatic" was chosen to signify the difference between it and other comic platforms.[1] Hernandez initially wanted to
name the website "ModernGirls", but this name was already taken by a porn site.[3] Webcartoonist Shaenon K. Garrity noted that she
liked the website's name for its "juxtaposition of squishy girliness with hard retro tech," saying that the website has always blended a
large variety of themes, including "cuteness and horror, comedy and melodrama, gruesome darkness and giggly light, femininity and
masculinity."[4] Lisa Jonté stated that Girlamatic's inclusion criteria was essentially "whatever appeals to the editor ... we want
engaging stories with well-developed characters." Jonté did note that she mainly wanted to stay away from female sex-appeal and
"frilly pink melodrama."[1]

History
Girlamatic launched on March 31, 2003. The website featured sixteen artists upon launch: Donna Barr, Vera Brosgol, Kris Dresen,
Shaenon K. Garrity, Lisa Jonté, Layla Lawlor, Jenn Manley Lee, Dylan Meconis, Andre Richard, Harley Sparx, Spike Trotman,
Jason Thompson, Carla Speed McNeil, Rachel Hartman, Jesse Hamm, and Tochi. Getting access to the Girlamatic archives costed
$2.95 USD per month or $29.95 per year.[6][3] The service had ten regular features in its first year. When Hernandez posted an open
call for new submissions in 2004, she found that a large number of creators were willing to join the platform. Eleven new features

[7]
were added to Girlamatic when it was renewed in April 2004.
 [7]
were added to Girlamatic when it was renewed in April 2004.

Arcana Jayne-creator Lisa Jonté took over Hernandez' role as editor in early 2006.
At this point, Girlamatic sent out an open call once or twice per year.[1] Girlamatic
went quiet between 2007 and 2009, as all of Joey Manley's websites merged into
comics-oriented social media and publishing platform ComicSpace, which he
developed in collaboration with OnlineComics.net-creator Josh Robert. Girlamatic
relaunched on July 31, 2009. This time, artist Diana McQueen (creator of Spades)
took over as the editor, and subscription fees were dropped entirely. Despite this,
McQueen stated that Girlamatic had not become a hosting website or artist
community, but remained a magazine. McQueen also brought in two bloggers: Nick
Popio of Hobotaku posted reviews of manga, anime, and western comics, while
Elizabeth Shupe wrote blog posts about dolls. Girlamatic was the first of Manley's
Modern Tales-family of subscription services that received a relaunch on
ComicSpace.[8][9]
Spike Trotman published her first
major webcomics on Girlamatic.[5]
McQueen stated that she believed the subscription model of the Modern Tales-
family had failed, and that too few readers were willing to pay for online media.
Girlamatic went on to have limitedonline advertising handled by the ComicSpace ad network. McQueen said that she aspired to have
print releases of Girlamatic, in the tradition of Shojo Beat.[8][9] However, this never came to be. ComicSpace never successfully took
off,[10] and Girlamatic closed alongside Manley's other websites in April 2013.
[11]

Webcomics
Several cartoonists made their professional debut through Girlamatic, while other
artists serialized their existing work on the service.

Von Allen's 2007 graphic novelthe road to god knows…was serialized

on Girlamatic.[13]
Svetlana Chmakova's first semi-professional work was publishing
Chasing Rainbows on Girlamatic.[14]
Barry Deutch began publishingHereville on Girlamatic in 2004.[15]
Shaenon K. Garrity published a spin-off of her webcomic Narbonic on
Girlamatic, titled Li'l Mell and Sergio.[4]
Rachel Hartman published Return of the Mad Bunon Girlamatic as a
follow-up to her print comic seriesAmy Unbounded.[4]
Lea Hernandez herself published a sequel to her comic bookRumble
Girls: Silky Warrior Tansie on the website, titled Rumble Girls: Runaway
Lightning Ohmry.[4]
Hope Larson published I Was There & Just Returnedon Girlamatic
while a senior at art school.[16]
Layla Lawlor publishedKismet: Hunter's Moonon Girlamatic.[16]
Dave Roman began releasing Astronaut Elementary on Girlamatic in Raina Telgemeier stated that
2004.[7] serializing a weekly webcomic on
Tara Tallan ran her print comicGalaxion on Girlamatic from 2006 to Girlamatic "[offered] just enough
2010.[4] structure to finally tell a story" she
Raina Telgemeier began serializing her Baby Sitter's Club[12] and Smile had in mind for years.[12]
graphic novels on Girlamatic in 2004.[7]
Jason Thompson moved his 2001 webcomicThe Stiff onto Girlamatic.[4]
Spike Trotman published her first big webcomic projects through Girlamatic,Sparkneedle and Lucas and
Odessa.[5][16]
Two new webcomics were added to the Girlamatic roster during its 2009 relaunch: The Continentals by Darryl Hughes and Monique
McNaughton, and Godseeker by Lisa Gilbert and Terry Blauer. The entire existing archive became available on the website for free at
this point as well.[8]

Reception
Many critics were unsure what to make of the website when it launched in 2003. Columnist Ted Rall initially proclaimed the website
as a "ghetto for women cartoonists,"[4] and blogger Eric Burns noted in 2005 that he always felt uncomfortable entering a space that
was mainly set up for women, voicing his concerns that initiatives like Girlamatic might section off and divide the webcomic
[17]
community, making it less likely for male readers to come across the works of female webcartoonists.

In 2006, comic book author Gail Simone called Girlamatic "one of the most important venues for female-friendly comics created to
date."[18] Girlamatic has received various Lulu awards and nominations for being among the "most women-friendly and reader-
friendly work in comics."[19]

References
1. Braddock, Paige (2006-04-01)."The Girl Behind GirlAMatic"(http://www.sequentialtart.com/article.php?id=105).
Sequential Tart.
2. Wolk, Douglas (2004-11-01)."Web Comics Send Readers Looking for Books" (https://www.publishersweekly.com/p
w/print/20041101/36779-web-comics-send-readers-looking-for-books.html)
. Publishers Weekly.
3. Contino, Jennifer M. (March 2003)."Rumble Girlamatic" (http://www.sequentialtart.com/archive/mar03/leahernandez.
shtml). Sequential Tart.
4. Garrity, Shaenon (2011-08-12). "The Bossest Comics on Girlamatic"(http://www.tcj.com/the-bossest-comics-on-girla
matic/). The Comics Journal.
5. Asselin, Janelle (2014-10-22)."Hire this Woman: Cartoonist and Publisher Spike Trotman" (http://comicsalliance.co
m/hire-this-woman-cartoonist-and-publisher-spike-trotman/)
. Comics Alliance.
6. Xerexes, Xaviar (2003-03-31)."Girlamatic Launches Today (3/31)" (http://comixtalk.com/girlamatic_launches_today_
331/). Comix Talk.
7. "GirlAMatic.com relaunches"(https://www.cbr.com/girlamatic-com-relaunches/). Comic Book Resources. 2004-04-
19.
8. Alverson, Brigid (2009-07-28)."Unbound: Rethinking Girlamatic"(https://www.cbr.com/unbound-rethinking-girlamati
c/). Comic Book Resources.
9. "More on the return of Girlamatic"(http://www.comicsbeat.com/more-on-the-return-of-girlamatic/). Comics Beat.
2009-07-29.
10. Garrity, Shaenon (2013-11-15). "Joey Manley, 1965–2013" (http://www.tcj.com/joey-manley-1965-2013/). The
Comics Journal.
11. Melrose, Kevin (2013-11-08)."Modern Tales founder Joey Manley passes away" (https://www.cbr.com/modern-tales-
founder-joey-manley-passes-away/). Comic Book Resources.
12. Rudulph, Heather Wood (2016-09-12). "Get That Life: How I Became a Best-Selling Graphic Novelist"(https://www.c
osmopolitan.com/career/a63918/raina-telgemeier-graphic-novelist-get-that-life/)
. Cosmopolitan.
13. "Von Allan joins Girlamatic"(http://www.comicsbeat.com/von-allan-joins-girlamatic/). Comics Beat. 2007-11-20.
14. Alverson, Brigid (2017-07-13)."Svetlana Chmakova's Journey from Webcomics to Graphic Novels" (https://www.publ
ishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/74223-svetlana-chmakova-s-journey-from-webcomics-to-
graphic-novels.html). Publishers Weekly.
15. Slayter, Mary Ellen (2004-12-12)."A Shrinking Drawing Board for Cartoonists"(https://www.washingtonpost.com/arc
hive/business/2004/12/12/a-shrinking-drawing-board-for-cartoonists/ef694342-4493-4346-b4f9-fb46f64c4bce) . The
Washington Post.
16. "First Midwest Sequential Art Exhibition opens Sunday".The News-Gazette. Champaign. 2003-10-03.
17. Burns, Eric (2005-04-17). "Feeding Snarky" (https://web.archive.org/web/20050419052623/http://www.comixpedia.or
g/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2352&topic=55&newlang=) . Comixpedia. Archived from
the original (http://www.comixpedia.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2352&topic=55&n
ewlang=) on 2005-04-19.
18. "Lea Hernandez's House Burned: Simone Rallies Help"(https://www.cbr.com/lea-hernandezs-house-burned-simone-
rallies-help/). Comic Book Resources. 2006-09-06.
19. "Lulu Awards" (https://friendsoflulu.wordpress.com/lulu-awards/)
. Friends of Lulu. 2009-03-08.

External links
Official website, archived using the Wayback Machine

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Girlamatic&oldid=869094338

"

This page was last edited on 16 November 2018, at 10:53(UTC).

Text is available under theCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of theWikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.