Mariko Tamaki facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mariko Tamaki
Tamaki in 2018
Born	1975 (age 49–50) Toronto, Canada
Occupation	Graphic novel writer, performance artist
Period	2000s–present
Notable works	Skim, This One Summer

Mariko Tamaki (born in 1975) is a talented Canadian writer and artist. She is well-known for her amazing graphic novels like Skim, Emiko Superstar, and This One Summer. Since 2016, she has also written stories for big comic book companies such as Marvel and DC Comics. Her work has been recognized with many awards and honors.

Early Life and Education

Mariko Tamaki was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her family background includes both Japanese and Jewish heritage.

She attended Havergal College, which is a school just for girls. Later, she studied English literature at McGill University and finished her studies in 1994.

Mariko Tamaki's Creative Career

Mariko Tamaki has worked as a writer and a performance artist in Toronto. Performance art is a type of art where artists use their bodies and voices to create a live show.

Early Books and Graphic Novels

In 2000, Tamaki published her first novel called Cover Me. It tells the story of a teenager facing challenges and feeling like an outsider at school.

Her graphic novel Skim was released in 2008. She created this book with her cousin, Jillian Tamaki, who is an artist. Skim is about a teenage girl exploring her feelings and friendships during a summer. Mariko Tamaki shared that she wanted to show the many different experiences young people can have. The book uses beautiful black and white drawings to tell the story.

Another graphic novel, Emiko Superstar, came out in 2008. This was her first time working with illustrator Steve Rolston. The story is about a young woman who feels stuck in her suburban life. She finds inspiration in performance art and discovers her own voice.

Working with Major Comic Companies

Mariko Tamaki has written for some of the biggest names in comics.

In 2016, it was announced that she would be writing a new series for Marvel Comics called Hulk, featuring She-Hulk. She also wrote the mini-series Supergirl: Being Super for DC Comics.

She started writing novel versions of the popular Lumberjanes comic series in 2017.

In 2019, her graphic novel Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me was released. This book, illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, is a story about a young person growing up and dealing with a difficult relationship.

Later in 2019, Tamaki wrote a four-part mini-series for Marvel called Spider-Man & Venom: Double Trouble.

She also wrote for the famous Wonder Woman comic series from issue #759 to #769.

In 2021, her graphic novel I Am Not Starfire was published by DC Comics. It tells the story of Mandy Koriand'r, the daughter of the superhero Starfire. Mandy wants to move to France and avoid the spotlight.

In January 2021, Mariko Tamaki worked with artist Dan Mora on Dark Detective for DC's Future State event. After that, in March, Tamaki, Mora, and Jordie Bellaire became the new creative team for Detective Comics. Mariko Tamaki made history as the first female lead writer for this long-running comic series. Her work on Detective Comics finished in 2022.

Awards and Recognition

Mariko Tamaki's work has won many important awards.

Skim received an Ignatz Award, a Joe Shuster Award, and a Doug Wright Award in 2009. It was also nominated for the Children's Literature category at the 2008 Governor General's Awards.

Her graphic novel This One Summer won several awards in 2014 and 2015, including an Ignatz Award, an Eisner Award, the Michael L. Printz Award, and a Caldecott Honor.

In 2019, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel and the Best Children's or Young Adult Book Award from the Harvey Awards. It also received the 2020 Walter Award in the Teen category and an Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens. That same year, Mariko Tamaki won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for her work on several books.

Her 2023 graphic novel Roaming, also illustrated by Jillian Tamaki, was nominated for the 2024 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Comics. Roaming won the 2024 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album—New, and Tamaki won the 2024 Eisner for Best Writer.

List of Works

Here are some of the books and comic series Mariko Tamaki has written:

• Cover Me (2000)
• True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice (2002)
• Fake ID (2005)
• Skim, with Jillian Tamaki (2008)
• Emiko Superstar, with Steve Rolston (2008)
• (You) Set Me on Fire (2012)
• This One Summer, with Jillian Tamaki (2014)
• Tomb Raider II (2016-2017)
• Saving Montgomery Sole (2016)
• Supergirl: Being Super (2016-2017)
• X-23 (2018)
• Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell (2019)
• Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, illustrated by Steve Pugh (2019)
• Spider-Man & Venom: Double Trouble (2020)
• Wonder Woman, #759-769 (2020)
• Overwatch: Tracer – London Calling (2020)
• Thor & Loki: Double Trouble (2021)
• Dark Detective, #1-4, illustrated by Dan Mora (2021)
• I Am Not Starfire, illustrated by Yoshi Yoshitani (2021)
• Detective Comics, #1034-1061 (2021-2022)
• Anne of Greenville (2022)
• Roaming, with Jillian Tamaki (2023)

Lumberjanes Novels

All illustrated by Brooklyn Allen:

• Unicorn Power! (2017)
• The Moon Is Up (2018)
• The Good Egg (2018)
• Ghost Cabin (2019)

She-Hulk Comics

• Volume 1: Deconstructed, illustrated by Nico Leon and Dalibor Talajic (2017)
• Volume 2: Let Them Eat Cake, illustrated by Georges Duarte, Bachan, Julian Lopez, and Francesco Gaston (2018)
• Volume 3: Jen Walters Must Die, illustrated by Jahnoy Lindsay and Diego Olortegui (2018)