CATWOMAN 89
the new story arc. Th ey have published 15 issues to date, all written and illustrated
by Medley and lettered by Klein. Fantagraphics has also released a “handmade” special
edition of Castle Waiting that includes full-color chapter-divider plates, gilded page
edges, an original dust jacket with brass protective corners, a special library card, and an
original sketch and signature by Medley. Th is collector’s item retails for $150.00 and is
available through the publisher’s Web site.
Often compared to the work of Rackham, William Heath Robinson and Kay Nielsen,
Medley’s black and white illustrations resemble medieval woodblocks and linocuts of
the 1930s with her strong clean lines and hard-edged lines. Her drawings are crisp,
detailed and animated, fi lled with humor and expressive details of both characters and
setting. Castle Waiting is strongly character driven, blending elements from folklore to
tell the story of the everyday lives of the characters and astutely chronicling the history
of a community, with a great sense of fun and insight into human nature. Medley states
that “on a deeper level the whole saga is really an allegory of death and rebirth, although
you do not need to be aware of that to understand or appreciate the story” (Atchison).
In her article on Castle Waiting, Rachel Hartman explores the function of home in the
series.
Medley was nominated for an Eisner Award in 1997 for “Best Graphic Album-New”
and won two Eisners in 1998 for “Best New Series” and “ Talent Deserving of Wider
Recognition.” Klein has won Eisners for lettering in 1998, 1999, 2002, and 2003, with
reference to Castle Waiting. Medley has received numerous nominations over the years
for Lulu of the Year for this title as well.
Selected Bibliography: Atchison, Lee. “On Books and Waiting: Linda Medley.” Sequen-
tial Tart 2(10) (November 1999), http://www.sequentialtart.com/archive/nov99/medley.
shtml; de Vos, Gail, and Anna Altmann. New Tales for Old: Folktales as Literary Fictions
for Young Adults. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 1999; Epstein, Daniel Robert.
“Castle Waiting Creator Linda Medley.” Suicidegirls.com ( July 14, 2006), http://sui
cidegirls.com/interviews/Castle+Waiting+creator+Linda+Medley; Guilbert, Xavier.
“Linda Medley.” L’autre bande dessinee (April 2008), http://www.du9.org/Linda-Medley,943;
Hartman, Rachel. “In Your Own Home: Losing it, Finding it, and Making your own
in Castle Waiting.” Sequential Tart (April 2001), http://www.sequentialtart.com/archive/
apr01/art_0401_3.shtml; Medley, Linda. Castle Waiting. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books,
2006; Medley, Linda. Castle Waiting: Th e Curse of Brambly Hedge. Petaluma, CA:
Olio, 1996; Medley, Linda. Castle Waiting: Th e Curse of Brambly Hedge. 2nd Ed. Peta-
luma, CA: Olio, 1999; Medley, Linda. Castle Waiting: Volume One: Th e Lucky Road.
Columbus, OH: Cartoon Books, 2000.
Gail de Vos
CATWOMAN. Since her introduction in Batman #1 (1940), Catwoman has remained
one of the most alluring and notorious female characters in comics. Th e “Princess
of Plunder” was the brainchild of Bill Finger (writer) and Bob Kane (artist). Th eir
