Resemblance between the radiant Kaja Foglio, and the heroine of ‘Girl Genuis,’ Agatha Heterodyne, is purely coincidental. So they tell us.
She is a writer and artist in her own right, and the co-creator of the Hugo award winning graphic novel series Girl Genius. We wish a very happy birthday to Kaja Foglio! She and her husband Phil Foglio along with their colorist Cheyenne Wright have made their online comic the gold standard since they took their comic series online in 2005.
The alternate history of Girl Genius begins with the continent of Europa ravaged by war between super-intelligent mad scientists (called “Sparks”) using the opportunities presented by the Industrial Revolution in an attempt to assert their dominance. Enter the heroine, Agatha Heterodyne, who discovers her heritage as the lost heiress to one of the most powerful of the city-states. Hope springs in the hearts of the oppressed as Agatha discovers that she, too, is a Spark and struggles to regain her family’s lost power and to right the wrongs of the past – and her own ancestors.
Often credited with the inspiration for the dramatic rise in fandom interest in the steampunk genre, Kaja coined the term “gas lamp fantasy” to describe the popular continuing graphic story.
Girl Genius has won three Hugos for best graphic story, three Web Cartoonists Choice awards, an Eisner Award and four Squiddy Awards.
Kaja and Phil Foglio are the masters of Studio Foglio, and live with their two children in Seattle, Washington. Kaja is 45 years old today.
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