Women in Comics Month: Interview with Holly Golightly

In honor of Women in Comics Month this March, PREVIEWSworld talks with artist, colorist, letterer, and Broadsword Comics VP Holly Golightly!

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PREVIEWSworld: Who is your current comics employer?

Holly Golightly: BroadSword Comics

PREVIEWSworld: What is your primary job title? In a quick phrase or two, could you define your job’s key responsibility?

Holly Golightly: I’m a Founding member, VP, and creator. I do all the production and most of the retail/wholesale responsibilities, as well — oh, and I do some modeling too.

PREVIEWSworld: Could you please explain how your work helps make comics a reality? (Connect the dots for us. Where are you in the flow of getting a book into reader's hands?)

Holly Golightly: Jim does the pencils, inks, writes the stories, full cover art and then, basically, I do everything else needed- including the interior colors and lettering.

PREVIEWSworld: What’s the part of your job you enjoy the most?

Holly Golightly: Making people happy by doing something that makes me happy.

PREVIEWSworld: What comic titles have you worked on?

Holly Golightly: In the twenty-five-ish years in comics, I’ve worked on quite a lot. Some past titles were Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Josie & the Pussycats, and Cheryl Blossom. With BroadSword, Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose, 3 Little Kittens, School Bites, and VampFire.

PREVIEWSworld: While there are loads of professionals in the comics industry, there are only so many folks who get to do what you do! How did you get started? How did you learn all the skills you needed for your position?

Holly Golightly: I left the fashion industry and asked myself, “What is my Bliss?” I remembered comics! I took a quick course at the New School in NYC, got a portfolio together, and went to a convention.

PREVIEWSworld: Talk to us about the heroic people in your comics life. Who do you admire? Who inspires you? Why?

Holly Golightly: Frank Thorne is the reason I love comics. When I was 15, his Red Sonja, made me feel good about being me! I was built like her and wanted nothing to do with boys! I wanted to read comics, see Star Wars and pretend I was a She-Devil with a Sword! He was the first person I reached out to when entering this industry and the first warm welcome and encouragement.

PREVIEWSworld: Please tell us about the coolest experience you’ve ever had thanks to your job.

Holly Golightly: Oh, goodness. I get to draw all the time! Also-traveling and being treated like family at conventions, meeting other like-minded peeps, anytime I meet an actor that I admire — I’m a total GEEK- having a booth next to David Prowse, chatting with Kenny Baker…I could go on and on. But best-ever was meeting my husband and creating comics with him.

PREVIEWSworld: Every industry professional has something they absolutely love about comics. Whether it’s a particular title or format or audience or tradition or something else, we’re all hooked. What’s special about comics for you? Would you be willing to share a treasured memory about it?

Holly Golightly: My obsession started because I had a crush on my best friend’s mother's boyfriend. He was a lawyer on the Watergate trial (good guy side) I was 14 and he was reading in his study. I asked what he was reading, he handed me a Conan, a Howard the Duck, and a Red Sonja. I was hooked!

PREVIEWSworld: If you had one comics-related wish—no limits—what would it be?

Holly Golightly: OOO! Be invited to a Tokyo Based Comic Con!

PREVIEWSworld: Do you have an online presence we can link to and share with our readers?

Holly Golightly: Sure! I run and keep our websites www.jimbalent.com. Also my All-Age site www.schoolbites.net. And you can find me at www.facebook.com/HollyWitch, or twitter.com/BroadSwordComic. And many pics of our cat at instagram.com!