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Cynthia “Cindy” Martin worked in mainstream comics at the very WORST time to be female in mainstream comics — the 80s and 90s — despite this, she racked up a solid run on Marvel’s STAR WARS that’s considered some of the definitive comics work on the title. She also drew Wonder Woman and Spider-man. In recent year’s she been illustrating a number of non fictionYA graphic novels for Capstone. She’s also been made an honorary member of the 501st Legion—the Stormtrooper cosplay organization.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. We interviewed her for our “Forgotten pencilers of the 80’s'” main feature in SCARCE 71 in 2009. That was the most captivating interview I ever made. The back story behind her “disapearance” from the comics field after the War of Gods debacle and what she did after that is simply amazing. I couldn’tbelieve it was real!
    In the late 2000’s, she pencilled a story for Boom’s Planetary Brigade & also a Trina Robbins issue of Honey West. And also a Blue Beetle comics in the pre new 52 serie.

  2. A detail you missed about her Star Wars run: At the time she was the artist, Mary Jo Duffy was the writer. So the latter day run of Marvel’s Star Wars title was both written and drawn by women.

    The opinion on this run has been very divided. However, in recent years. people have really taken a shine to it again. Especially on how focused Duffy managed to stay despite all the restrictions Lucasfilm imposed on her. So she finally made a story about an alien force from outside the galaxy who invades the New Republic. This was a whole decade before the very same idea got introduced in the post ROTJ-books.

    Personally I loved her run. It was FUN (remember when Star Wars was fun?). It cute be a bit too cute at times, but so was Ewoks. Cynthia Martin’s art was my second introduction into Manga-styled art. What other comics at this time did a 6 page silent duel between Luke Skywalker and a woman with a whip? I think I will re-read this run again tonight.

  3. Just to set it straight: Jo Duffy turned me on to manga back in the 80’s, and had a very definite coaching style. When Marvel flew me to New York, Jo took me to a Japanese bookstore and LOADED ME DOWN with books she paid for.

    I stayed at her house for a few days, when she lived on LI, and she played Japan Pop over and over. That’s where the whole first year of my SW run came from.

    Jo Duffy was onto Manga, Anime and Pop BEFORE ANYBODY — back in the early 80s.

  4. I should also mention that she was amentor to me, as was Ann Nocenti. Great women in NYC: They changed my life. Sadly, this seems to have dropped off. More women need to be mentoring today, seriously.

    *soapbox*
    *mentors like hell*

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