Have I tapped into an Archetype?
Last August, in this strip I introduced "Cleo." Cleo's basically a nasty bitch, sort of a cross between The Facts of Life's Blair Warner and GPF's Trudy. I haven't used her in a while, but she will be making an appearance in the next story line, and will have a larger role down the road. She was based on someone I actually knew as an undergrad. Her usual garb consists of a turtle-neck with a heart on it and a mini-skirt. As for her markings -- she is solid white. Her profile was inspired by little Dolly of Family Circus, and her front-view was influenced by the Hello Kitty franchise. In short, my goal was to make her as sickening as I could.
Recently, at the food co-op, I bought a girl's magazine called New Moon. I was perusing it when I encountered a strip called "Cat-Tails" by Emily Kawachi. My jaw hit the floor when I laid eyes on Isme, an unmarked white cat in a polo shirt with a heart on it and a mini-skirt. Her function in the strip is to make cutting, superior remarks to the "everygirl" figure, a tabby named Tsivy.
Now I first became aware of Isme last week, and it's a safe bet that Kawachi is not aware of Cat-Tharsis at all (though I can't be certain -- but given the size of my readership, the numbers are against it). What this means is that Kawachi and I have, to all intents and purposes, developed the exact same character, right down to the details of dress.
Does this mean that a white cat in a heart-emblazoned shirt with a miniskirt is some kind of instinctual code for "superior, snarky bitch?" Or is it a manga convention of which I am unaware, since I don't read manga? In which case the question remains of why I came up with it.
Recently, at the food co-op, I bought a girl's magazine called New Moon. I was perusing it when I encountered a strip called "Cat-Tails" by Emily Kawachi. My jaw hit the floor when I laid eyes on Isme, an unmarked white cat in a polo shirt with a heart on it and a mini-skirt. Her function in the strip is to make cutting, superior remarks to the "everygirl" figure, a tabby named Tsivy.
Now I first became aware of Isme last week, and it's a safe bet that Kawachi is not aware of Cat-Tharsis at all (though I can't be certain -- but given the size of my readership, the numbers are against it). What this means is that Kawachi and I have, to all intents and purposes, developed the exact same character, right down to the details of dress.
Does this mean that a white cat in a heart-emblazoned shirt with a miniskirt is some kind of instinctual code for "superior, snarky bitch?" Or is it a manga convention of which I am unaware, since I don't read manga? In which case the question remains of why I came up with it.