Women’s History Month Highlight: Peach Momoko
Fanboys continue to highlight Women’s History Month by turning the spotlight on Peach Momoko. Peach Momoko is the pseudonym of the Japanese born comicbook cover artist whose work blew up in 2019. Still going strong today, she almost exclusively does variant cover artwork for every major (and minor) comic book company out there. Her comic book credits include Marvel, DC, Boom! Studios, IDW, Titan, Heavy Metal, Upperdeck, Girls and Corpses…and more. She’s even done cover work for local North Texas comic’s publisher Charter Comics on the Chris Hays title: Don’t Pay The Ferryman.
November 2021 saw Momoko wrap up her first credit writing and drawing the X-Men mini series Demon Days. Articles about the book use the word “re-imagined” when describing her art and the story, but Momoko doesn’t see it exactly the same way. When asked about her “art style” being Anime inspired she gently pushes back on that idea. “I don’t believe any country has a singular art style,” she says, continuing on to point out that maybe the art style isn’t as different as we might imagine. Her artwork often evokes an overt surrealness, and can be unsettling-a way of communicating that came from getting her start in the horror genre. I’m not sure if she creates work digitally or traditionally but her artwork looks like watercolor, and has a softer, lighter palette despite often a darker subject. Its quite the juxtaposition which gives the work a dreamlike feeling.
In 2021 Momoko won and Eisner for Best Cover Artist, which surprised her. “I had heard of the Eisner Award, and I’d hoped to win it someday, but certainly didn’t expect it. I was really surprised!” When asked to give advice to other artists looking to get into comics she said, “Please keep drawing every day. There is a famous quote that I believe, ‘The key to success only works when preparation (drawing every day) meets opportunity.'”
What comes next for Momoko after Demon Days and winning an Eisner? She’s not sure, but what she is sure of is, “I won’t be taking a break any time soon.” And for that we can all be grateful.
See more of Peach Momoko’s work on her website at www.peachmomoko.com. Look for her covers everywhere you shop for comics.