Abby Denson

Abby Denson was born in Illinois, and then grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut.{{Cite web|title=Abbycomix: "Rock&roll soap-opera- stylin' mini-comics about life"|url=http://www.grrrlzines.net/interviews/abbydenson.htm|access-date=2020-11-11|website=www.grrrlzines.net|archive-date=September 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918223943/http://grrrlzines.net/interviews/abbydenson.htm|url-status=dead}} She received a degree in Cultural Studies from Eugene Lang College and a BFA in Illustration from Parsons School of Design. She lives in Brooklyn, New York City, and is the creator of City Sweet Tooth, her online blog that reviews the city's best sweets and treats in comic book form.Eismann, Sonja; Jiménez, Haydeé; Zob, Elke (January 2008). [http://grrrlzines.net/interviews/abbydenson.htm "Abbycomix: "Rock&roll soap-opera- stylin' mini-comics about life"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175609/http://grrrlzines.net/interviews/abbydenson.htm |date=March 3, 2016 }}. Grrrlzine Network.

Abby Denson initially self-published Tough Love, a minicomic about two gay teenagers in high school. She sent a copy to XY Magazine for review, which serialized it over a number of years, while Denson completed the story. She was the illustrator for the cover of the special Survival Guide edition of XY. In 2006, the series was reprinted as a graphic novel by Manic D Press.{{Cite web|last=Inkstuds|title=Abby Denson {{!}} Inkstuds Radio|url=http://www.inkstuds.org/inkstuds-whining/|access-date=2020-11-11|language=en-US}} Denson won the 2007 Lulu of the Year Award from the comics organization Friends of Lulu,{{Cite web|last=Kawasaki|first=Anton|title=Interview With Abby Denson – GAY LEAGUE|url=https://gayleague.com/interview-with-abby-denson/|access-date=2020-11-11|language=en-US}} and was nominated for a Stonewall Award from the American Library Association.

Denson has worked on several newsstand comics, such as Amazing Spider-Man Family, Josie and the Pussycats, The Powerpuff Girls, Sabrina The Teenage Witch,{{Cite web|last=Montero|first=Patrick|date=|title=Comic artist Abby Denson makes a difference with 'Dolltopia'|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/comic-artist-abby-denson-difference-dolltopia-article-1.319141|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110022749/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/comic-artist-abby-denson-difference-dolltopia-article-1.319141 |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |access-date=2020-11-11|website=nydailynews.com}} and Kim Possible.{{Cite web|title=Kim Possible Adventures by Michael Stewart, Abby Denson, Steve Behling: 9781684055128 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/605310/kim-possible-adventures-by-michael-stewart-abby-denson-steve-behling-craig-rousseau-tom-bancroft/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US}} At the same time, she has continued to release her own self-published comics, including Night Club, Jamie Starr Teen Drag Queen, Deadsy Cat & Kissy Kitty, Cute Boys of the 80's, and others.

Denson was a contributor to the Friends of Lulu anthology The Girls' Guide To Guy's Stuff, Robert Kirby and David Kelly's anthology The Book of Boy Trouble 2, and Tim Fish's anthology Young Bottoms In Love.

Denson's graphic novel Dolltopia was published in 2009 by Green Candy Press. It garnered a silver Moonbeam Children's Book Award and a Bronze Award at the 4th International Manga Awards.{{cite web|url= http://www.manga-award.jp/en/index.html|title= The 4th International MANGA Award|accessdate= January 14, 2014|work= manga-award.jp|publisher= International MANGA Award Executive Committee.|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140116085720/http://www.manga-award.jp/en/index.html|archive-date= 2014-01-16|url-status= dead}}{{citation|last=Phataranawik |first=Phatarawadee |author-link= |title=Thai manga artist clinches silver in Japan |journal=McClatchy - Tribune Business News |volume=14 |date=14 January 2011 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/839558532 |id={{ProQuest|839558532}} |url-access=subscription}}

In 2014 and 2018, she published two illustrated travel guides.{{Cite web|last=Hisaka|first=Dave|date=2018-09-22|title=Artist Interview with Abby Denson!|url=https://templeofgeek.com/artist-interview-with-abby-denson/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=Temple of Geek|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2018-01-30|title=The Cool Tokyo Guide: Adventures in the City of Kawaii Fashion, Train Sushi, and Godzilla|url=https://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/stories/cool-tokyo-guide|access-date=2020-11-11|website=Wandering Educators|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Japanese popular culture|url=https://japaneselit.net/tag/japanese-popular-culture/|access-date=2020-11-11|website=Contemporary Japanese Literature|date=March 16, 2015 |language=en}} Her Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats and Ramen (2014) is summarized as a "...hip and handy travel guide with her expertise as a frequent visitor to Japan and her bright and vibrant illustrations".{{Cite web|title=Publishers Weekly review of Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats and Ramen|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-4-8053-1279-7|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418001418/https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-4-8053-1279-7 |archive-date=April 18, 2021 }} Then came Cool Tokyo Guide: Adventures in the City of Kawaii Fashion, Train Sushi and Godzilla (2018), noted as a practical guide for Japan's metropolis, which despite with its "lighthearted,.. manga-style" targeting teen readership, was deemed sufficiently amenable to use by adults as well{{citation|last=Wildsmith |first=Snow |author-link= |title=Cool Tokyo Guide: Adventures in the City of Kawaii Fashion, Train Sushi and Godzilla |journal=The Booklist |volume=114 |number=9/10 |date=1 January 2018 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1987380559 |url-access=subscription |page=60|id={{ProQuest|1987380559}} }} and was a 2019 recipient of an IPPY award.{{cite web|url=http://www.ippyawards.com/138/medalists/2019-medalists-cat-1-35/2019-cat-61-85 |title=2019 Medalists Cat 61-85 |publisher=Independent Publisher |access-date=2020-11-11}}

She collaborated with artist Utomaru on the 2021 book Kitty Sweet Tooth‘s Tasteorama from First Second Books.{{Cite web|last=Alexander Lu|date=2018-04-19|title=EXCLUSIVE: Cinephiles, eat your heart out with KITTY SWEET TOOTH's TASTEORAMA|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/exclusive-cinephiles-eat-your-heart-out-with-kitty-sweet-tooths-tasteorama/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419224926/http://www.comicsbeat.com/exclusive-cinephiles-eat-your-heart-out-with-kitty-sweet-tooths-tasteorama/ |archive-date=April 19, 2018 |access-date=2020-11-11|website=The Beat|language=en-US}} Reviews of this book included "A sugar-sweet burst of sunshine for new readers" {{Cite web|title=Kirkus Reviews Kitty Sweet Tooth|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/abby-denson/kitty-sweet-tooth/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418001426/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/abby-denson/kitty-sweet-tooth/ |archive-date=April 18, 2021 }} and "Denson’s sweet adventure will please movie and dessert lovers alike. Bold line art and vivid colors by Utomaru enhance this candy-coated comedy".{{Cite web|title=Publishers Weekly reviews Kitty Sweet Tooth|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250196774|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418001414/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250196774 |archive-date=April 18, 2021 }}

Denson has been in a number of bands including the all-women band Mz. Pakman, Let's Audio, Abbymatic and, most recently, The Saturday Night Things. She also collaborated with Rodney Alan Greenblat on the album Let's Audio.

• Tough Love: High School Confidential, Manic D Press, 2006
• Dolltopia, Green Candy Press, 2009
• Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats and Ramen. Tuttle Publishing, 2014
• Cool Tokyo Guide: Adventures in the City of Kawaii Fashion, Train Sushi and Godzilla. Tuttle Publishing, 2018 {{ISBN|978-4-8053144-1-8}}
• Kitty Sweet Tooth, illustrated by Utomaru. First Second, 2021. ISBN 9781250196774
• Kitty Sweet Tooth Makes a Movie, illustrated by Utomaru. First Second, 2022. ISBN 9781250196781

• The Book of Boy Trouble 2: Born to Trouble, edited by Robert Kirby and David Kelly, Green Candy Press, 2008 {{ISBN|978-1-931160-65-0}}
• The Girls' Guide to Guy's Stuff, Friends of Lulu, 2007
• Young Bottoms In Love, edited by Tim Fish, Poison Press, 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-9762786-7-2}}

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• [http://www.abbycomix.com Abby Denson's website, Abbycomix]

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Category:21st-century American novelists

Category:American female comics artists

Category:American comics writers

Category:American female comics writers

Category:American graphic novelists

Category:LGBTQ comics creators

Category:Living people

Category:People from West Hartford, Connecticut

Category:American women novelists

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century American women writers