Toronto illustrator Jenn Woodall is carving out a vital space in independent comics by tackling online hostility and personal anxiety head-on.
Toronto illustrator and screenprinter Jenn Woodall has built an uncompromising body of self-published work while weathering the harsher realities of today's comic scene. From viral backlash constant grind of self-promotion, Woodall explores systemic misogyny, toxic fandom, and artistic vulnerability through visceral minicomics and zines like Magical Beatdown, Dumbass, and her newest release, She Must Be Ugly.
The impetus behind She Must Be Ugly stemmed directly from Woodall becoming an online target after her feminist sticker design, Catcall Kill! Kill!, went viral. The resulting wave of harassment pushed her to dissect the venomous psychology of anonymous internet culture alongside its toll on her mental health. Her candid approach echoes earlier work in Dumbass, where she tackled creative paralysis and the agony of tying self-worth to artistic output.
Woodall's path into indie publishing began well away from conventional comic tracks. After studying fashion design and working in film costuming, she returned to drawing without industry baggage. Early encounters with Animerica Extra and serialized manga like Revolutionary Girl Utena, X/1999, and Maison Ikkoku had revealed what the medium could accomplish. Self-publishing gave her the discipline to control production from start to finish without compromising her voice.
Beyond her own drawing board, Woodall remains deeply rooted in Toronto's independent community. She co-organizes the local zine fair Zine Dump, edits the regional creator anthology PULPING, and has contributed cover illustrations for commercial publishers including IDW Publishing and Boom! Studios. Her dual presence across underground tables and mainstream covers underscores her commitment to grassroots print culture over corporate pipeline conformity.
Looking ahead, Woodall is deep into her most ambitious narrative yet with Worrywart, slated for release through Conundrum Press in 2028. Currently serialized via Patreon and mailed directly to subscribers as physical collectible zines, the graphic novel expands on a 2015 minicomic detailing her diagnoses of clinical anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, cementing Woodall's place as one of indie comics' most unflinching chroniclers.
