Donna Barr
Encyclopedia
Donna Barr is an American
comic book
author and cartoonist
.
She was born in Everett
, Washington, the second child in a family of six siblings.
Common elements in her work are fantastic human/animal hybrids and German culture
. She is best known for two of her series. One is Stinz
(about a society of centaur
-like people in a setting reminiscent of pre-industrial Germany
). Originally published in 1986 as a short story in a hand-bound book, it was then serialized in the Eclipse Comics
series The Dreamery, edited by Lex Nakashima. It was picked up by Albedo
creator Steve Gallacci under his Thoughts & Images label, moving on to MU Press
and its imprint Aeon Press. It was then self-published under A Fine Line Press.
Her other long-running series, The Desert Peach
is about Pfirsich Rommel, the fictional homosexual younger brother of Erwin "The Desert Fox" Rommel
. Beginning in 1987, it was set in North Africa during World War 2
). The first three issues were published by Thoughts & Images. Additional issues were published by Fantagraphics Books
, Aeon Press, and then self-published. Other works include Hader and the Colonel, The Barr Girls, and Bosom Enemies.
Barr has also recently published a number of novels, including Permanent Party, An Insupportable Light, and Bread and Swans. The last two of these feature Stinz
and The Desert Peach
, respectively. Some of her later books take advantage of the new print-on-demand
technologies.
Barr has illustrated several GURPS
roleplaying books, including GURPS Ice Age and GURPS Callahan's Crosstime Saloon.
Barr also produced illustrations for the Traveller
role-playing books, including Alien Module 8: Darrians, the MegaTraveller Player's Manual and several issues of both the Journal of the Travellers Aid Society
and Challenge magazine.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
author and cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
.
She was born in Everett
Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
, Washington, the second child in a family of six siblings.
Common elements in her work are fantastic human/animal hybrids and German culture
Culture of Germany
German culture began long before the rise of Germany as a nation-state and spanned the entire German-speaking world. From its roots, culture in Germany has been shaped by major intellectual and popular currents in Europe, both religious and secular...
. She is best known for two of her series. One is Stinz
Stinz
Stinz is a comic book created by Donna Barr, chronicling the adventures of Steinheld Löwhard, or "Stinz"---a centaur who lives with other centaurs and "two-leggers" in an imaginary Alpine valley called the Gieselthal....
(about a society of centaur
Centaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
-like people in a setting reminiscent of pre-industrial Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
). Originally published in 1986 as a short story in a hand-bound book, it was then serialized in the Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
series The Dreamery, edited by Lex Nakashima. It was picked up by Albedo
Albedo Anthropomorphics
Albedo Anthropomorphics, or Albedo for short, was a furry comic book anthology series which was credited with starting the furry comic book subgenre that featured sophisticated stories with funny animals primarily intended for an adult audience...
creator Steve Gallacci under his Thoughts & Images label, moving on to MU Press
MU Press
MU Press was an independent comic book publisher based in Seattle, Washington, which operated from 1990–c. 2006. MU Press was one of the industry's most prolific "furry" comic publishers, while its mid-90s imprint Aeon Publications specialized in alternative fare. MU Press was founded by...
and its imprint Aeon Press. It was then self-published under A Fine Line Press.
Her other long-running series, The Desert Peach
The Desert Peach
The Desert Peach is a comic book created by Donna Barr, chronicling the adventures of the eponymous protagonist, Erwin "The Desert Fox" Rommel's fictitious homosexual younger brother, Oberst Manfred Pfirsich Marie Rommel , nicknamed the "Desert Peach"...
is about Pfirsich Rommel, the fictional homosexual younger brother of Erwin "The Desert Fox" Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
. Beginning in 1987, it was set in North Africa during World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
). The first three issues were published by Thoughts & Images. Additional issues were published by Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
, Aeon Press, and then self-published. Other works include Hader and the Colonel, The Barr Girls, and Bosom Enemies.
Barr has also recently published a number of novels, including Permanent Party, An Insupportable Light, and Bread and Swans. The last two of these feature Stinz
Stinz
Stinz is a comic book created by Donna Barr, chronicling the adventures of Steinheld Löwhard, or "Stinz"---a centaur who lives with other centaurs and "two-leggers" in an imaginary Alpine valley called the Gieselthal....
and The Desert Peach
The Desert Peach
The Desert Peach is a comic book created by Donna Barr, chronicling the adventures of the eponymous protagonist, Erwin "The Desert Fox" Rommel's fictitious homosexual younger brother, Oberst Manfred Pfirsich Marie Rommel , nicknamed the "Desert Peach"...
, respectively. Some of her later books take advantage of the new print-on-demand
Print on demand
Print on demand , sometimes called, in error, publish on demand, is a printing technology and business process in which new copies of a book are not printed until an order has been received...
technologies.
Barr has illustrated several GURPS
GURPS
The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
roleplaying books, including GURPS Ice Age and GURPS Callahan's Crosstime Saloon.
Barr also produced illustrations for the Traveller
Traveller (role-playing game)
Traveller is a series of related science fiction role-playing games, the first published in 1977 by Game Designers' Workshop and subsequent editions by various companies remaining in print to this day. The game was inspired from such classic science fiction stories as the Dumarest saga series by...
role-playing books, including Alien Module 8: Darrians, the MegaTraveller Player's Manual and several issues of both the Journal of the Travellers Aid Society
Journal of the Travellers Aid Society
Journal of the Travellers Aid Society is a role-playing game magazine devoted to Traveller, commonly abbreviated JTAS. The first issue was published by GDW in 1979 and the last of the first run was #24 in 1985...
and Challenge magazine.