We chat with Kate Leth about their coming-of-age young adult graphic novel Mall Goth, which follows a 2000s goth teen whose favourite part of her new town is the mall—think Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me with a Y2K twist.
Hi, Kate! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! I’m a writer, illustrator and jack-of-all-artsy-trades from the East coast of Canada. I’ve been making comics for about 12 years! I’m queer, nonbinary, heavily tattooed, a devoted cat person, and a diehard Swiftie.
When did you first discover your love for writing and illustrating?
Very early on. I was writing and drawing Sailor Moon fanfic on looseleaf in elementary school, and I haven’t really stopped since. I ran an Emily the Strange art fan page in middle school.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the the graphic novel that made you want to become an illustrator and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Honestly, my first love was webcomics! Hark! A Vagrant, Dar, Chester 5000, A Softer World, Dinosaur Comics, and WIGU are part of my DNA at this point. A book I can’t stop thinking about is Emily Carroll’s newest, A Guest in the House, because I don’t have it yet and I’m not allowed to buy it until my birthday.
Your latest graphic novel, Mall Goth, is out September 26th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Being 15 is a nightmare.
What can readers expect?
Feelings, friendship, Y2K fashion, references to Linkin Park, a soft but unflinching look at the way strange and unusual girls become targeted by adults with ill intent, and lactose intolerance.
Where did the inspiration for Mall Goth come from?
Being fifteen. The book is a work of fiction, but like the love triangle in Taylor Swift’s folklore, it’s clearly inspired by real experiences. It’s a blend of what happened and what should have happened, with plenty of made-up adventures and crushes along the way.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or illustrating?
There are some poignant, knife-in-the-gut panels I spent days on, but I also loved drawing the MMORPG characters. Honestly, I learned so much drawing this, and pushed my style a lot. I incorporated a ton of specific Y2K fashion references! That was a treat.
Can you tell us a bit about the process when it came to working with Diana Sousa (colorist) and Robin Crank (letterer)?
I mostly dealt with Robin through our art director, Tom, but she was an absolute gem with great suggestions that really made the dialogue come alive. Diana continues to be a wildly talented collaborator as we get into promo season. She’s overflowing with incredible ideas and makes a ton of the graphics I share. I’m so grateful for them both!
What’s next for you?
I’m working on the next book pitch as well as my own webcomics, some cartoons here and there, an in-home sticker factory, and whatever else comes my way.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Elliot Page’s recent memoir Page Boy also spends a lot of time on the East Coast of Canada in the early 2000s, and is both funny and painfully real. Everything Emily Carroll or Becky Cloonan have ever touched. The works of Eric Smith and Gwenda Bond. My cup runneth over.
