Masha Zhdanova
@mashazart.bsky.social
She/her, cartoonist, writer, editor, picture drawer! Words at publishers weekly, shelfdust, Eisner winners WWAC and the Beat, mozaikmage on dreamwidth. Pictures at mashazart on Twitter and Tumblr and here sometimes.
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
Honored to have contributed to this year’s Publishers Weekly Graphic Novel Critics Poll (and stoked to share space with fellow Beat editor @mashazart.bsky.social!) Some really great comics came out this year. Read them!
‘Do Admit’ and ‘Spent’ Top PW’s 2025 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
For the third consecutive year, it's a tie for the top spot on PW’s annual Graphic Novel Critics Poll, highlighting the breadth of this category.
www.publishersweekly.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Honored to have contributed to this year’s Publishers Weekly Graphic Novel Critics Poll (and stoked to share space with fellow Beat editor @mashazart.bsky.social!) Some really great comics came out this year. Read them!
December 9, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
The new revenge thriller manga Roar: A Star in the Abyss is back with Volume 3!
After a tense dinner, Misato reconnects with Junya and regains her confidence. With a fresh look, she auditions alongside Ayane—can she claim the spotlight?
https://ow.ly/KBt550XymK4
After a tense dinner, Misato reconnects with Junya and regains her confidence. With a fresh look, she auditions alongside Ayane—can she claim the spotlight?
https://ow.ly/KBt550XymK4
December 4, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The new revenge thriller manga Roar: A Star in the Abyss is back with Volume 3!
After a tense dinner, Misato reconnects with Junya and regains her confidence. With a fresh look, she auditions alongside Ayane—can she claim the spotlight?
https://ow.ly/KBt550XymK4
After a tense dinner, Misato reconnects with Junya and regains her confidence. With a fresh look, she auditions alongside Ayane—can she claim the spotlight?
https://ow.ly/KBt550XymK4
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
it is an underrated miracle of the 21st century that we really did massively, massively reduce bullying in schools
My experience as well. So far we're 2-for-2 on kids having a largely bullying/abuse-free middle school experience. Not without bumpy spots of course, but light years away from what I endured.
My hot take: the anti-bullying stuff has really worked, which is why conservatives are pushing back at it.
My hot take: the anti-bullying stuff has really worked, which is why conservatives are pushing back at it.
for what it’s worth I got roped into helping out with my sixth grader’s extracurricular thing so I’ve had more recent contact with middle schoolers who aren’t mine than I usually do, and biased sample/biased reviewer/etc but my verdict is that the kids are all right
December 4, 2025 at 3:15 PM
it is an underrated miracle of the 21st century that we really did massively, massively reduce bullying in schools
December 2, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
Also added to the shop: tote bags, sticker sheets, and individual stickers! Not to mention all my minicomics and prints... come by, come buy!
mashazart.bigcartel.com
mashazart.bigcartel.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Also added to the shop: tote bags, sticker sheets, and individual stickers! Not to mention all my minicomics and prints... come by, come buy!
mashazart.bigcartel.com
mashazart.bigcartel.com
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
If you liked the landscapes I've posted here recently, I'm selling the originals!
Get an original watercolor illustration here just in time for the holidays!
mashazart.bigcartel.com/product/orig...
Get an original watercolor illustration here just in time for the holidays!
mashazart.bigcartel.com/product/orig...
November 19, 2025 at 6:24 PM
If you liked the landscapes I've posted here recently, I'm selling the originals!
Get an original watercolor illustration here just in time for the holidays!
mashazart.bigcartel.com/product/orig...
Get an original watercolor illustration here just in time for the holidays!
mashazart.bigcartel.com/product/orig...
My little sister showed my mom hazbin hotel and my mom said in a tone of deep disgust "very ugly drawings" lmaoooo
November 28, 2025 at 11:24 PM
My little sister showed my mom hazbin hotel and my mom said in a tone of deep disgust "very ugly drawings" lmaoooo
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
If you love nonfiction, check out Bill Griffith's incredible biography of his great grandfather and namesake in PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY! Then, if you feel inspired to make your own comics, MAKING NONFICTION COMICS will give you an incredible crash course from Nib editors Shay Mirk and Eleri Harris.
November 28, 2025 at 3:59 PM
If you love nonfiction, check out Bill Griffith's incredible biography of his great grandfather and namesake in PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY! Then, if you feel inspired to make your own comics, MAKING NONFICTION COMICS will give you an incredible crash course from Nib editors Shay Mirk and Eleri Harris.
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
For fans of period pieces with gorgeous art, dive into a steamy mafia romance with SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES, then cleanse your palate with GLOBETROTTERS, a nonfiction account of Nellie Bly's trip around the world illustrated in a suitably trippy rainbow-colored palette.
November 28, 2025 at 3:59 PM
For fans of period pieces with gorgeous art, dive into a steamy mafia romance with SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES, then cleanse your palate with GLOBETROTTERS, a nonfiction account of Nellie Bly's trip around the world illustrated in a suitably trippy rainbow-colored palette.
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
It's buy one get one 40% off for ALL our graphic novels from @abramscomicarts.bsky.social today! I'm going to list some of my favorite gift pick combos from this season—we make some great books! www.abramsbooks.com/imprints/abr...
Abrams ComicArts | ABRAMS
Abrams ComicArts
www.abramsbooks.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:59 PM
It's buy one get one 40% off for ALL our graphic novels from @abramscomicarts.bsky.social today! I'm going to list some of my favorite gift pick combos from this season—we make some great books! www.abramsbooks.com/imprints/abr...
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
If you're an educator in NJ please consider signing onto this letter in support of the Immigrant Trust Act. This bill helps ensure that immigrants can still access important services without fear of detention or deportation. When our students are afraid they can't learn.
forms.gle/wq4pCaaxF8Fi...
forms.gle/wq4pCaaxF8Fi...
Educators Demand New Jersey Legislators Pass the "Immigrant Trust Act" Sign-on Letter
Immigrant communities are seeing heightened ICE operations in New Jersey. New Jersey must pass the Immigrant Trust Act (A4987/S3672) to help protect immigration status information at sensitive locatio...
forms.gle
November 27, 2025 at 2:19 PM
If you're an educator in NJ please consider signing onto this letter in support of the Immigrant Trust Act. This bill helps ensure that immigrants can still access important services without fear of detention or deportation. When our students are afraid they can't learn.
forms.gle/wq4pCaaxF8Fi...
forms.gle/wq4pCaaxF8Fi...
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
Finally got an update out. Admittedly things aren't really good and Im overtly stressed but what can you do. I appreciate everyone's help so far.
gofund.me/de5a32f95
gofund.me/de5a32f95
November 18, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Finally got an update out. Admittedly things aren't really good and Im overtly stressed but what can you do. I appreciate everyone's help so far.
gofund.me/de5a32f95
gofund.me/de5a32f95
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
How to start a Webcomic: a free series of posts on my Patreon :) (with free worksheets!)
I'm trying a new format where I talk about how & why I'm wrapping up my old comic, Rodney R Rodney, and how I'm prepping for the next one
www.patreon.com/posts/develo...
I'm trying a new format where I talk about how & why I'm wrapping up my old comic, Rodney R Rodney, and how I'm prepping for the next one
www.patreon.com/posts/develo...
Developing Webcomics: why end a comic, and how to start a new one | Vee
Get more from Vee on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:34 AM
How to start a Webcomic: a free series of posts on my Patreon :) (with free worksheets!)
I'm trying a new format where I talk about how & why I'm wrapping up my old comic, Rodney R Rodney, and how I'm prepping for the next one
www.patreon.com/posts/develo...
I'm trying a new format where I talk about how & why I'm wrapping up my old comic, Rodney R Rodney, and how I'm prepping for the next one
www.patreon.com/posts/develo...
Starting to suspect I am not so much a "good writer" as I am good at putting myself into situations where I can look like a "good writer"
November 27, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Starting to suspect I am not so much a "good writer" as I am good at putting myself into situations where I can look like a "good writer"
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
Chainsaw Man is simultaneously worthy of serious discussion for its heartfelt look at society and cycles of abuse and dehumanization, and it's also like, a fantastic nonstop barrage of shitposts
November 25, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Chainsaw Man is simultaneously worthy of serious discussion for its heartfelt look at society and cycles of abuse and dehumanization, and it's also like, a fantastic nonstop barrage of shitposts
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
The one about comic book page rates – again. News flash: Comic book page rates are STILL stagnant, after all these years, and for indie cartoonists it's even harder
The one about comic book page rates – again
News flash: Comic book page rates are STILL stagnant, after all these years, and for indie cartoonists it's even harder
www.comicsbeat.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:31 PM
The one about comic book page rates – again. News flash: Comic book page rates are STILL stagnant, after all these years, and for indie cartoonists it's even harder
I learned so so much about editing from the wwac crew I basically owe my entire underpaid career to them shoutout @dogunderwater.bsky.social @illusclaire.bsky.social @ronchronchronch.bsky.social @metakate.bsky.social !!!
By the way, it's National Editor Appreciation Day.
Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.
So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.
So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
November 25, 2025 at 4:24 AM
I learned so so much about editing from the wwac crew I basically owe my entire underpaid career to them shoutout @dogunderwater.bsky.social @illusclaire.bsky.social @ronchronchronch.bsky.social @metakate.bsky.social !!!
I do have a Post scheduled for tomorrow but I'm not linking it bc I don't wanna get yelled at you have to subscribe if you wanna know what I'm scared of lol
November 25, 2025 at 4:22 AM
I do have a Post scheduled for tomorrow but I'm not linking it bc I don't wanna get yelled at you have to subscribe if you wanna know what I'm scared of lol
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
I want to give shout-outs to every one of the editors at Anime Herald. Y'all are rock stars.
@arhenderson.bsky.social, @mashazart.bsky.social, @ellyberries.bsky.social, @trentlcannon.bsky.social,
@lydiarivers.bsky.social, @pixelatedlenses.bsky.social, and Kerine Wint
@arhenderson.bsky.social, @mashazart.bsky.social, @ellyberries.bsky.social, @trentlcannon.bsky.social,
@lydiarivers.bsky.social, @pixelatedlenses.bsky.social, and Kerine Wint
By the way, it's National Editor Appreciation Day.
Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.
So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.
So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
November 24, 2025 at 10:25 PM
I want to give shout-outs to every one of the editors at Anime Herald. Y'all are rock stars.
@arhenderson.bsky.social, @mashazart.bsky.social, @ellyberries.bsky.social, @trentlcannon.bsky.social,
@lydiarivers.bsky.social, @pixelatedlenses.bsky.social, and Kerine Wint
@arhenderson.bsky.social, @mashazart.bsky.social, @ellyberries.bsky.social, @trentlcannon.bsky.social,
@lydiarivers.bsky.social, @pixelatedlenses.bsky.social, and Kerine Wint
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
If you ever want to see more of something you read but don't feel like you can do anything about it because you're not an influencer or a publisher or a journalist, even just leaving a five star review online moves the needle. Even telling a friend "you'd like this too"!
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
If you ever want to see more of something you read but don't feel like you can do anything about it because you're not an influencer or a publisher or a journalist, even just leaving a five star review online moves the needle. Even telling a friend "you'd like this too"!
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
I want the industry to change, but ultimately publishing is a reactive industry. It IS reacting to adult manga, but the manga market and graphic novel market are two different book industries that have evolved in different ways, and manga readers don't often cross over of their own accord.
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I want the industry to change, but ultimately publishing is a reactive industry. It IS reacting to adult manga, but the manga market and graphic novel market are two different book industries that have evolved in different ways, and manga readers don't often cross over of their own accord.
Reposted by Masha Zhdanova
For graphic novels, especially adult genre fiction, it's incredibly helpful to review it online, talk about it, recommend it to a friend—adult fiction in the graphic novel space is difficult to place, and nothing convinces readers that they'll like a book more than the personal testimonial.
If you like an author's work, the best thing you can do is buy it. The second best thing you can do is ask your local library to buy it. Or, do both!
A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
For graphic novels, especially adult genre fiction, it's incredibly helpful to review it online, talk about it, recommend it to a friend—adult fiction in the graphic novel space is difficult to place, and nothing convinces readers that they'll like a book more than the personal testimonial.