He continued developing the character in webcomics and then a short story titled 'Zita the Spacegirl: If Wishes Were Socks,' in the 2008 Random House anthology Flight Explorer. When Hatke and Anna met in college, he began adapting the character into its present incarnation. Along the way, she rides a giant mouse, deals with humanoid chickens as well as robots, and makes friends with a blob-like creature.' Īccording to Hatke, the character was actually created by his wife Anna while she was still in high school. Zita the Spacegirl Īccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Zita the Spacegirl, 'centers on a girl named Zita who embarks on a journey to becoming an intergalactic hero after her friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult. His character Mighty Jack is a contemporary spin on the fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. His story 'The Edge' appeared in Flight #3, published (at that point by Random House) in 2006. Hatke contributed the story 'The Plank' to the anthology Flight vol.

While he was in college, he spent a semester in Italy studying Italian Renaissance painting. Hatke attended Christendom College, in the Shenandoah Valley, earning his B.A.

Other influences included Bill Watterson, Maurice Sendak, Leonardo da Vinci, Brian Froud, Trina Schart Hyman, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Todd McFarlane. One of his early comics influences was Wendy and Richard Pini's Elfquest. His family were members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and Hatke spent a lot of time outdoors as a child. Hatke was born in Lafayette, Indiana, and grew up with sisters. His work is notable for its focus on strong female characters. He is most well known for his series of middle grade graphic novels Zita the Spacegirl. Ben Hatke (born June 4, 1977, in Lafayette, Indiana) is an American cartoonist and children's book illustrator.

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