Throughout 2021, independent British publisher Markosia have been turning the spotlight on some of the top selling graphic novels from their extensive back catalogue, based on sales through DriveThruComics – and one of them is Geek-Girl: Lightning Strikes!
When “Little Miss Popular” Ruby Kaye lands a pair of super-tech glasses (invented by brainiac college geek Trevor Goldstein) in a game of Strip Poker, she’s granted flight, super-strength, and – due to a flaw in the glasses’ programming – super-klutziness! And this is just the beginning of the changes the glasses will wreak on Ruby…
Trying to be a super-hero, Ruby stumbles across a mysterious and extremely dangerous new villain taking down her town’s Numero Uno heroine – and is forced to step up and use her powers for more than just accidentally knocking drinks over her friends… Geek-Girl is entering the Super-Hero Big leagues – ready or not!
Sam Johnson (The Almighties, Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman) first came up with the Geek-Girl concept back in 2008, responding to an Image Comics challenge. Since then, working with co-creator and artist Carlos Granda (Grimm Fairy Tales, Charmed), and others, including Sally J Thompson, the character and supporting cast have had many adventures, including Geek-Girl: Incoming, a recent “trailer comic” for the series.
“Doing research ahead of releasing Geek-Girl #0, I was looking into why there are so few super-heroines that have sustained a successful series,” Sam recounted back in 2009, “and if you look at the characters that are out there, you can generally see why. The most recognisable female super-characters are Wonder Woman and Catwoman; now, while these do well, they haven’t hit as big as your ‘Supermans’, your ‘Spider-Mans’, etc. And I think part of the reason for this is they’re hard to relate to.
“Ruby is a much more down to earth character, that I think people will be a lot more easily able to identify with, and I know from being on MySpace and Facebook that people are digging the ‘geek factor.’”
Markosia was established in 2005 and has become one of the UK’s leading Independent publishers, particularly in the graphic novel field. The publisher has gained a reputation for producing a diverse range of comic books, graphic novels, children’s picture books and prose novels that cover all genres.
Geek-Girl: Lightning Strikes! collects Geek-Girl #1-#4 and is available from DriveThruComics | AmazonUK | Comixology | Comic and Bookshops ISBN 978-1911243311
• Geek-Girl on the Web | Facebook | Twitter
• Follow writer Sam Johnson on Twitter @dasamjohnson
• Carlos Granda on Art Station
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Graphic Novels, Comics, Digital Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News