Welcome to Cover Girl! For this feature, we gather a team of WWAC contributors to analyze a new or recent and notable comic book cover featuring one or more women. This month, Masha Zhdanova, Kayleigh Hearn, Kat Overland, Jenna Ledford, and Emily Lauer talk about the cover of Snotgirl #16 by series co-creator Leslie Hung!
What is your initial reaction to this cover as a piece of comic art?
Masha Zhdanova: WE’RE SO BACK!!! I am super excited for the return of Snotgirl and the toxic yuri between Lottie and Caroline. I love how tight and possessive their hands are, Lottie’s detached “model posing” expression paired with Caroline’s rare affectionate one, the texture in the fur and the plaid pattern on Caroline’s outfit. The flat coloring gives it a more vintage, timeless feel.
Kayleigh Hearn: Welcome back, Lottie Person, I know you would have loved Brat Summer. Believe it or not, the previous issue of Snotgirl came out in March 2020, so our eponymous allergy-plagued heroine has not only missed almost the entire Biden administration, she missed a whole-ass pandemic, too. But as the cover for Snotgirl #16 shows us, Lottie hasn’t been alone. She’s with her new girlfriend, the mysterious “Coolgirl” Caroline.
Kat Overland: So amped for the return of our green girl Lottie and jealous of her ability to fast forward through the past four years. Lottie’s pose and expression are giving me ‘romance manga heroine’ in the sense that Caroline’s embrace is happening to her — Caroline has the expression you’d expect from her in this embrace, but Lottie is detached, looking neither at Caroline nor the viewer.
Jenna Ledford: I am confused by Lottie’s shirt. Is it layered and tucked upwards? Is this how the kids are wearing things these days? I’m an old millennial who has always been old. There’s a shift in coloring from the top of the coat to the bottom – from a winter white to a soft pink, with the red background and Lottie’s green hair, it’s giving vintage holiday vibes, combined with romance manga heroine like Kat said, and I dig that queer Christmas coloring.
Emily Lauer: Like Masha and Kat point out, the difference between the two characters’ attitudes is really striking! Lottie’s body language and facial expression look like solo Instagram influencer to me, while Caroline’s pose and facial expression look much more candid.
What do you think the artist is trying to achieve?
Kayleigh Hearn: It’s giving hard launch on Instagram. Lottie and Caroline are finally together-together and now they’re making it everyone’s problem. Leslie Hung’s Snotgirl covers are perpetually underrated – her characters are beautiful and fashionable, of course, with that tell-tale snot trail revealing the vulnerability behind Lottie’s carefully-curated façade. But on Snotgirl #16, Lottie looks pristine and perfect. She’s got the clothes, she’s got the looks, she’s got the girl. Everything’s coming up Lottie, so what could go wrong?
Oh, and does the red and green color scheme technically make this a Christmas cover?
Emily Lauer: These shades of red and green don’t feel Christmassy to me! Unless she’s actually the Grinch?
Kat Overland: Leslie Hung’s use of body language here is so fascinating. Lottie is posed more like she’s in a fashion editorial and less like she’s in a passionate embrace. I love the mirrored hand positions on each woman — but Caroline is digging her fingers in while Lottie is letting hers slide off the fur, not even grasping at Caroline’s hip.
Jenna Ledford: Yes, I also noticed the way Caroline’s hand is placed on Lottie’s stomach (a contentious area for many women) – is she gripping her, stroking her, I am not sure. Is Lottie trying to break free and why?
Emily Lauer: Jenna, I also wondered about the hand on stomach, and it was your comment above about the shirt that made me wonder if that was fabric draping rather than a lil tummy pudge?
What does this cover tell you about the characters?
Masha Zhdanova: They’re beautiful, stylish, and probably obsessed with each other in a not necessarily happy and loving way.
Kayleigh Hearn: “Toxic yuri fans, do we have a comic for you.”
Kat Overland: There’s definitely an asymmetry to their relationship portrayed here. It also tells me that maybe Snotgirl finally got some Zyrtec?
Jenna Ledford: I have not read any of Snotgirl due to a very easily triggered gag reflex, though I like the concept for a female-centered comic, and also I love a f/f story. The cover shows an intriguing tension…but is there more snot? Is there lots of snot? I am scared.
Emily Lauer: I hope they are happy in their relationship! It looks to me like someone who is self-absorbed has found someone else who also wishes to be absorbed by them, and hey, if that’s what you want, I hope it works out for you.
Snotgirl #16 is now available from Image Comics!
