Katie West

@katiewest

Current editor. Former book publisher. Former sex worker. Watches a lot of anime. Reads a lot of comics, manga, and manhwa. She/her katiewestedits.com #stay#atiny#coer#evol#engene#p1ece

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Katie West@katiewest· 14h

My thoughts on Image publishing a new Warren Ellis book.

I have spent the day re-reading the entirety of SoManyOfUs.com, including every testimonial. I’ve also re-read dozens of documents and communications from the transformative justice action SMOU-TJ and Warren Ellis started. I wanted to remember the hope I held at that time. I also wanted to see if I could approach this moment with gratitude instead of anger.
To believe in transformative justice is to believe people capable of change. But, as our mediator said during the process, “transformation is heartbreak.” It is crushing and painful, but it is also our right as human beings. I haven’t spoken to Warren Ellis in over 6 years. I don’t know who he is now. I don’t know how he’s changed, but I’m sure he has. I know Warren read all of SoManyOfUs.com and I can’t imagine an outcome where doing so doesn’t change you. But, as Kai Cheng Thom says, “Change is inevitable, growth is optional.” I was often sad that Warren, when confronted with the consequences of his actions, didn’t react in the way I expected him to. But I am grateful it led to me untangling 15 years of complicated feelings and hurtful actions.
I’m grateful that I believe we can change and hold ourselves accountable in this world. But, quoting our mediator again, “being called to accountability feels like being reminded that your shit stinks. and coming clean is hard to do.” It can feel impossible to look in the mirror and confront the worst version of ourselves. Without having the necessary support systems in place to make it possible, I don’t blame or fault anyone for not being able to do it.
We all tried our best. When our attempt at a community accountability action failed, I was disappointed, but grateful that we tried. And grateful to know that Warren had tried, too.

I currently work as an editor in comics, with books I work on being published by Image. I love comics. I love the comics community and how we all keep making them despite it being so hard, with no financial security, and no safety nets. I see groups within the community doing so much good and fighting hard to make the industry more sustainable and safer for everyone involved.
But there is no set process for anyone in the comics community to account for our actions and change our behaviour after harm or abuse has happened. This has led many people to be forced out of the industry – victims, perpetrators, and witnesses. My heart hurts for all the people who were bullied, ostracized, shunned, or threatened out of this community, particularly those I spoke to back in June and July of 2020, impacted by Warren’s actions. I hope one day this changes.
I’m grateful to everyone who was wondered if Warren has “made amends to the satisfaction of all involved.” It shows me solidarity and care are widespread within comics. I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied, but I also would say I am no longer personally invested in Warren’s transformation.
I am personally invested in the books I work on that come out with Image, and I really hope you don’t take any disappointment you feel in Image’s actions out on the creators whose work they publish. Seeing people boycotting Image comics feels a cruel joke when that directly affects my livelihood and that of the people who respect and support me. But I get it – this seems like a financial decision from Image, so respond in a financial fashion. I hope we can all keep ourselves open to change in the future.
My resolve to expand my capacity to hope for change – after a night of anger and crying and shouting – is renewed. Thanks for hearing me out and for reading all of this.

Katie West@katiewest· 7d

I got @sxbond.bsky.social's 100 FAQ on Making Comics in the mail today and I love this sticker with the U.S. comics page size. I have this on a post-it note stuck on my monitor, but now it can be more aesthetic.

A picture of a book called 100 FAQ on Making Comics with a sticker sheet on top.

Katie West@katiewest· May 26

I can't stop thinking about this video I saw where a guy went to a Japanese idol gig and there was choreographed moshing, waves of men jumping onto other men's shoulders and rushing the stage, a man bleeding from his head. The group was iLife! I am fascinated.

A photo of the jpop girl group iLife! Nine young Japanese women are sitting on giant cupcakes and macaroons wearing frilly outfits of all different colours. It is a pink sweet treat of a photo.

Katie West@katiewest· May 15

Also really nice to see THE COMIC I EDIT nominated for an Eisner, too. Lol Good work Team TPF: @kierongillen.bsky.social , @casparw.bsky.social, @claytoncowles.bsky.social and @rianhughes.bsky.social! (I stole this image from Caspar's IG!)

Katie West@katiewest· Apr 18

All night I kept thinking I had a really great joke about genestealers from 40K and the song Stealer by kpop group Enhypen. Every time I woke up, I was like, don't forget this. It's comedy gold! In the morning I realised it's terrible and doesn't work, but I did it anyway.

An image of six genestealer minis from Warhammer 40K, grotesque and scary looking, except each one has the hair of a member of kpop boy group, Enhypen. They are also all singing the lyrics to the Enhypen song Stealer:
Oh, you could just call me now
S-T-E-A-L-E-R, 쾌감 그 너멀 touch, uh
Stealer, 더 막을수록 타올라, 도망치는 밤, 마치 thriller
모든 걸 다 걸어, we're the dealer, 세상 위를 밟아, stealer
Which translates as:
Oh, you could just call me now S-T-E-A-L-E-R, the pleasure is beyond touch, uh Stealer, the more you block it, the more it burns, the night you run away, like a thriller, risking everything, we're the dealer, stepping on the world, stealer.

Katie West@katiewest· Feb 6

Black Friday! This is another photo of Agnes. Black Agnes, Countess of Queensferry, Defender of the Realm, Scourge of the English Army!!!

My black cat Agnes looking very beautiful and powerful with her fluffy tail in the foreground and her green eyes are looking off into the distance, no doubt daring any challenger to just fucking try it, mate.

Katie West@katiewest· Feb 1

I read over 200 bl manhwas and mangas last year. This apparently puts me in the top 0% of readers according to Lezhin. Lol. Ask me anything.

A screenshot of my year-end round up from the Korean website Lezhin. It says I'm in the top 0% making me a master. There is a cartoon dog drinking an energy drink and it has a speech bubble that says "Not a want. A NEED." Which is accurate.

Katie West@katiewest· Jan 25

Highly recommend photoshopping your cat into the painting as @mckelvie.bsky.social did our cat, Bruce, many years ago. It will bring you joy forever.

The Sistine Chapel painting with god on the right reaching towards my cat Bruce, on the left. She has her paw extended toward him and looks like a fat little grey angel. It is perfect.

Katie West@katiewest· Jan 22

I recently was on the Dead Pets Podcast talking to Elyse about my cat (Princess) Bruce who was the love of my life. You can listen to it here: open.spotify.com/episode/1c0r...

A photo of my fluffy grey cat Bruce lying on the grey carpet next to me. She has green eyes and adorable little paws. I miss her so much.

Katie West@katiewest· Dec 19

This from @lukeoneil47.bsky.social's Welcome to Hell World newsletter. Spontaneous delight is one of my main reasons for being alive so, yeah. This sucks.

A screen shot of text that reads: Yet another reason why "A.I." fucking sucks my ass hole.

Coming across anything fun online now comes with a necessary pause for a call up to the booth for review. Like waiting to find out if it was a catch or not in the NFL. Inspecting the movement of the blades of grass. We are robbed of spontaneous delight.

Katie West@katiewest· Nov 22

Round and Round (2023) This is one of the best Christmas (though it's actually Hanukkah) movies I've ever watched. It's charming, emotional, funny, and fun. Watch it! I loved it.

Movie posted for Round and Round with Vic Michaelis, a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, and Bryan Greenberg, a man with short brown hair and an unshaved face. They're standing next to each other with a clock behind them.

Katie West@katiewest· Nov 14

Christmas Above the Clouds (2025) A retelling of A Christmas Carol, predictable and over the top. But because of the story there's plenty of Christmas magic, even if it's kinda dumb. However. Tyler Hynes. King of the Horny Kiss. So horny. A national treasure.

A movie poster for Christmas Above the Clouds. A couple are sitting in airplane seats, he's wearing a green sweater and she's wearing a white pant suit. Outside the plane winter are three spirits and a full moon.

Katie West@katiewest· Nov 14

Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper! (2025) This was incredibly charming. It gets better as it goes along and the characters have real, meaningful conversations about their feelings and miscommunications. It's also funny and sweet. And holy hell the kiss is horny. 🎄🎄🎄🎄/5

Movie poster for Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper! with a brown haired man holding a wind blown red umbrella in one hand and a news mic in the other, with a wind blown green tie that's hitting the woman beside him in the shoulder. She also has brown hair and has her arms crossed, leaning back against him..

Katie West@katiewest· Nov 3

You Are So Lovely, if you're interested.

The cover image for the Korean manhwa, You Are So Lovely. A dark haired man on the left wearing a suit, has kisses all over his face, including on the scar across his lip. The man on the right is white haired with wolf ears and yellow eyes, he's smiling and pressing his cheek against the dark haired man. They're in love.

Katie West@katiewest· Nov 3

Found two lion's mane mushrooms today. Mushrooms have felt very hard to find in Ontario this season. Too dry? Maybe. But it always feels cool to find one of these fun guys.

A photo of a lion's mane mushroom on a log. It is yellow-white in colour with lots of dangly bits that make it look kind of like a beard or a ... Lion's mane.

A photo of a fresher lion's mane mushroom on a log. It is off-white in colour with lots of dangly bits that make it look kind of like a beard or a ... Lion's mane.

Katie West@katiewest· Oct 31

Happy Halloween from my cat, Eddie the Pumpkin.

My tabby cat Eddie wearing a pumpkin costume and lying on a bed and a pile of laundry.

Katie West@katiewest· Oct 31

The little face guy is my favourite.

Two carved pumpkins on a step in the dark. The top one has big open mouth with pumpkin guts coming out it's mouth. The bottom one has a tiny smiley face. Both are lit with candles inside.

Katie West@katiewest· Oct 17

Here's a photo of this happening in the English village of Warkworth from the BBC show Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village. So you can see it was a practice that continued for many centuries! youtu.be/lxINRJnhfBI?...

A screenshot of the BBC show Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village showing the host holding an photograph of a cow coming out the front door of a house.

Katie West@katiewest· Sep 30

Today was my birthday and I went canoeing and then swam in a waterfall. It was perfect.

A photo of a nature scene, with the front of a canoe visible in the bottom foreground, a river with autumn trees lining it in the background. The blue sky above reflected in the dark water.

Katie West@katiewest· Sep 10

Between the Lines by hodot. You can read it on Lezhin.

Two men stand looking at each other. One on the left is blonde and holding up a little black soot keychain in the face of the other man, who has brown hair and is wearing mouse ears. They are in love.

Katie West@katiewest· Aug 9

Oh, got my Acid Box Kickstarter goodies today!

Katie West@katiewest· Aug 8

I've never been able to take a photo that does Agnes justice. But a friend is staying at our house right now and look at this photo they took of her! That is Black Agnes, Countess of Queensferry, Defender of the Realm, Scourge of the English Army, Chaos Incarnate!

An absolutely gorgeous photo of my black cat Agnes. She is looking off into the distance with beautiful green eyes and her black fur is fluffy and magnificent. You can see the slight colour variations in her fur.

Katie West@katiewest· Aug 7

Today I was able to combine two of my favourite activities: looking at 18th century Scottish headstones and petting cats.

A photo of a black and white cat peering around the side of a headstone from the 18th century.

Katie West@katiewest· Jul 26

Post your lock screen. (I have been waiting for this moment. I told a friend today I rated Yuri on ICE!!! 15/10 and I stand by that.)

My lockscreen. It's purple with darker purple dots in the background. In the foreground are Yuri and Victor from the anime Yuri on ICE!!! Victor has his fingers under Yuri's chin and is gently lifting his face up towards his own. They are deeply in love. (Yuri doesn't quite realise it yet.)

Katie West@katiewest· Jul 21

CATS ON A CAT TREE

Katie West@katiewest· Jun 26

On the plane to Canada! Big move for little babies!

A picture of our cat Eddie, a brown tabby, inside his carrier on the plane. He's looking out to the side.

A picture of our black cat Agnes in her carrier on the plane. All you can see are her eyes.

Katie West@katiewest· Jun 25

My grandmother died yesterday. She was 102. I was convinced she was immortal, as she'd rallied three times before. I would fly home to say goodbye, but then she'd get better. Last time, we spent a day together, with her telling me Death Truths. This time, she died as she lived: on her own terms.

A picture of my nana and me when I was a baby. I'm sitting on her lap and she's leaning down smiling with her cheek against mine and her arms around me. Fuck. Writing this alt text is the first time I've cried since she died.

Katie West@katiewest· Jun 3

Anime #30 of 2025: Chainsaw Man. I really liked the first season of Chainsaw Man. I think the characters are all flawed in the most unhinged, wonderful ways. To be honest, I'd watch it if it was just a slice of life with Denji and Power causing mayhem and Aki being exasperated with them.

A screenshot from Chainsaw Man anime with a bunch of characters in a line looking extremely tired and bloody.

Katie West@katiewest· Jun 3

Anime #29 of 2025: Sasaki and Miyano. IT BEGINS. Looking back, this was the beginning of a very particular interest for me. I love BL. So much. I will read and watch anything. It helped that this anime is so sweet and lovely. A thoughtful and emotionally mature look at high school love.

Sasuki, with red hair, an oversize cardigan, and headphones around his neck, stands back to back with Miyano, shorter, with black hair, a navy blue sweater and holding a bunch of bl manga.

Katie West@katiewest· Jun 3

Anime #28 of 2025: Turn A Gundam. We didn't finish watching this, but it had real Ghibli vibes. I think we only watched four episodes? Not for any real reason, probably because we were watching it on BluRay, actually. I'd like to finish it one day.