Sara Ryan

Me and Edith Head was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Short Story. The protagonist, Katrina, is also a character in my novel Empress of the World. The magazine this story originally ran in, Cicada, is out of print, so we’ve made it available in a small-press edition. Now in its fourth printing!

Reviews:

“…an elegant, beautifully-told, absolutely human story. No spandex or fistfights, just real people, real life and real emotions. Sara Ryan’s novel, Empress of the World, is a real treat, and this companion piece in comics form shows that she can handle comics as elegantly and effectively as prose. And of course, Steve Lieber’s art is rich, expressive and involving; he’s as good with a high school drama setting as he is with spies in Antarctica. I want more comics like this. I want lots more comics like this.” –Kurt Busiek

“I’ve always been faintly disgusted by Steve Lieber’s level of talent. Now it appears I have to have his wife killed too.” –Warren Ellis

“Excellent… This is something we need more of in graphic fiction–writers who understand young people and artists who know how to draw them.” –Needcoffee.com

“Entrances and captivates the reader… [Lieber's] ability to summarize the changes in the characters growth with the minimum of panels is astounding, the subtle use of background details aligned with overlapping dialog is a perfect mix of words and pictures.” –Alan J. Porter, Revolution SF

“A smart little tale about making choices and dealing with things not necessarily turning out the way that you had planned.” –Optical Sloth

“Smartly written and expressively drawn… worthy of all the praise heaped upon it.” –The Spinner Rack

“An impressive short story… In 16 pages it gives the reader a complete character arc, notable supporting characters, a high concept, and a likeable lead. It also gives you a good moral at the end and a sense of hope. Imagine that: a story about hope that’s fun to read, without talking down to you or being too saccharine…” –Augie DeBlieck, Pipeline

“Story and art provide staightforward storytelling with a point. Outstanding.” –Maggie Thompson, Comic Buyers Guide

“I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the stretching of comics as an artform, for the pretty pictures, and especially for the terrific story Ryan weaves in just over a dozen pages. Grade: 5/5″ –Comic Book Galaxy

“…A model mini-comic… A teenager has her dreams crushed when she ends up doing costumes for the school play instead of being cast as Titania and learns new ways to cope with life as a result. Short and to the point, with a real story, real characters and no hysterionics. Nicely drawn, too, but I expect no less from Lieber.” –Steven Grant

“The 15-page story introduces us Katrina Lansdale, a teenage girl whose home and social lives are less than wonderful and whose parents are divorcing. Yet the heart and soul of the tale are the discoveries Katrina makes about herself as she creates costumes for her school play. It’s an extremely satisfying story that left me wanting to know where Katrina goes from here. Ryan is the author of Empress of the World, a “groundbreaking novel that tackles teen sexuality head on.” It was named a Best Book For Young Adults by the American Library Association/Young Adult Library Services Association. I ordered a copy five minutes after reading Me and Edith Head… 5 out of 5 Tonys.” –Tony Isabella

“…A subtly moving coming-of-age tale that manages to thoughtfully explore the weighty topics of identity and divorce in its slim, but surprisingly satisfying, 16 pages.” –Four -color reviews

“This is a sweet, neat little story that doesn’t waste a word…” –Savant

“The writing is very good in depicting Katrina’s gradual increase in confidence, as well as showing how her home life plays a part in it. The art captures her many moods expertly, in both facial expressions and body language… Grade: A” –CBEM

“One of the most touching and poignant tales I’ve read in a long time.” –Jen Contino, Sequential Tart

“…A miniature of delicate loveliness that delights the eyes and touches the heart.” –Barb Lien-Cooper, Sequential Tart

“This is a perfect story not only for teens but adults as well.” –Adrienne Rappaport, Sequential Tart

“Boasts a universal, slice-of-life appeal. It’s a delightful story of teenage alienation that’s bound to connect with just about any reader one can imagine. If you get a chance to pick this mini-comic up from Lieber at the cons this year, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity. You won’t regret it.” –The Fourth Rail

“This is a book everyone, old and young, should read.” –Planet Krypton

Also Featured In:

Panel Two: More Comic Book Scripts by Top Writers

Future comics writers and those interested in the art of comics writing will enjoy Panel Two: More Comic Book Scripts by Top Wriiters. This follow-up to the popular Panel One showcases the scripts to nine great comic book stories, giving a rarely-seen glimpse behind the scenes at the way comics are made. With script and plot examples from such luminaries as best-selling author Peter David, Golden Age great Otto Binder, and leading comics theoretician Scott McCloud, readers will be exposed to a wide array of comics writing techniques and styles.

Included in Panel Two is Sara Ryan’s very first comic book story, Me and Edith Head, which brought her an Eisner Award nomination. We have that script with commentary by artist Steve Lieber.