Kristen Gudsnuk - Henchgirl

2017.08.19 TerrifiCon, Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Ct
"Made it Ma! Top of the World!"


Kristen Gudsnuk is the creator of Henchgirl. The story of Mary Posa who is a member of the butterfly gang. The comic was originally published by Scout Comics (2015-2016) and ended the story line with issue #11. A trade was released by Dark Horse Comics in 2017.

I had several opportunities at previous shows to meet Kristen, but I was never able to fully connect with her. At TerrifiCon, I wanted to make sure I got the chance to request a sketch. James Cagney is an actor I grew up watching, because of my parents. Whenever one of his movies was on TV, we were watching it. An all around performer, Cagney was known for his many gangster roles, and I figured Henchgirl was the perfect fit.  It turns out that Kristen is a big fan of Cagney and portrayed Henchgirl in the Cagney role of Cody Jarrett in White Heat.  At the end of the movie, Jarrett is trapped by the police and decides to fight rather than surrender. The police fire tear gas into the building and gunfight ensues. Jarrett climbs to the top of the building where he is shot. He takes one last stand and yells "Made it Ma, Top of the World".

In her sketch Gudnsuk as Mary re-enacting the scene with her mother, the superhero Flame Girl looking on.

Kristen claims in an interview on Bleeding Cool, that her inspirations are Bruce Tim's animated DC universe, sitcom humor, Sailor Moon, Scott Pilgrim and her own life. She told me that was also was a fan of James Cagney, having written a school paper about his movies.

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