Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke talks about a heroine’s period comic

Emilia Clarke wants us to talk about periods, period. On Thursday, actress-turned-comic book writer Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) joined Moni Barrette of the American Library Association at New York Comic Con to discuss creating her first comic MOM: Mother of Madness (Image Comics), about a superhero mother who discovers her powers for the first time during her period.

In 2021, Clarke made the surprising transition from Emmy-nominated actress to comic book author with MOTHER, co-written with Marguerite Bennett (DC Comic bombs). MOTHER. tells the story of a single mother named Maya. As if being a single mom wasn’t hard enough, Maya has superhero powers she can’t control and a job she hates. Clarke calls the series “dead Pool Satisfies Fleabag. ”

Maya is shaped by the loss of her mother at a young age and by becoming a single mother. The three-issue miniseries presents a great deal of analysis of the different social pressures that affect women. It’s for a younger audience (think Billie Eilish’s voice in comic book form) and it’s a wry look to navigate what it’s like to be a woman.

The actress credited her introduction to comics to her brother, saying, “I was very in awe of all of that, but I could never find my way.” Clarke said she felt ostracized by the comic book community as a child. Recently, however, she began to rediscover comics, and there she found the powerful stories and magical realms that she thought were lost as a teenager.

Clarke said the concept for the series grew out of a joke in a car between friends: “Wouldn’t it be funny if there was a superhero in a costume that he could pee on? It was then that the germs of this idea emerged, I started writing and couldn’t stop. “

Clarke worked with Bennett to develop the story, which uses a brilliant pop culture environment to address feminism, friendship, and cultural issues. The female creative team includes illustrator Leila Leiz, co-collaborator Isobel Richardson, and cover artist Jo Ratcliffe.

For Clarke, elevating human flaws to superpowers was essential to who Maya is. It was also important for the actress to promote frank and open discussions about periods to help eliminate the fanfare of a common biological function. Maya’s powers depend on the emotions she feels. The little nibble on his powers? They only come once a month.

Maya’s unpredictable powers help her effortlessly move from dangerous situations, like taking down a human trafficking ring, to making breakfast for her son. The stakes for Maya and her family rise sharply in Issue 2 of MOTHER. Fortunately, he has the help of his friends. What Maya learns is that she is a better superhero when she accepts help from others, a powerful message for young adults.

Maya’s costume was another major sticking point for Clarke. “For her outfit, she was turning to the 1990’s Missy Elliott fisheye videos and PussyRiot. There is also science going through all its symbols and signs. We were mixing chemical compound symbols and mythological symbols for feminism. “

Barrette asked Clarke what kind of comments she had received from the comic. “A big fear of mine was that it was seen as anti-man, and I didn’t want that to be the case,” Clarke said, adding, “I wanted this to be inclusive for more people. Toxic masculinity is a very real thing and I wanted it to be there. “

MOTHER it’s about what it means to need and accept help. It’s about the identifiable challenge of being an emotional person, especially when society demonizes those who express their feelings as crazy, unstable, or unbalanced.

When asked to describe what the comic was about, Clarke said, “The story of the book is one of kindness and frankness.”

Image Comics will publish the latest installment of MOTHER upon October 27, 2021.