Debbie Drechsler

Drechsler was born in Champaign, Illinois in 1953. She knew early in life that she wanted to make art of some kind. She studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

In the 1970s, she discovered the feminist movement as well as alternative comics. She was originally encouraged to draw comics by fellow cartoonists Richard Sala and Michael Dougan.

In 1992, she got her first piece published by Drawn & Quarterly. Her work later appeared in the Kitchen Sink Press anthology Twisted Sisters, edited by Diane Noomin.

In 1996, her first graphic novel was Daddy's Girl, published by Fantagraphics. It was a semi-autobiographical story dealing with difficult subjects such as rape, and incest. It was nominated for an Ignatz Award and also appeared as #81 in The Comics Journal's "Top 100 Comics list" in February 1999.

In 2002, her new graphic novel was The Summer of Love, released by Drawn & Quarterly. It was also partly based on Drechsler's own experiences, dealing with typical teenage experiences such as alienation, confusion, and anger.

Drechsler used to live in upstate New York, but since a few years back she is currently living in Santa Rosa, California.

• Official website
• Debbie Drechsler profile at Lambiek
• "What It Feels Like for a Girl", October 2002 review of Summer of Love (by Andrew Arnold at Time Magazine)
• "Drechsler Interviewed by Gary Groth". The Comics Journal (249). December 2002. p. 82. Archived from the original on 2006-05-05. Retrieved July 19, 2020.