Abby Steinour began drawing comics during middle school, but her shyness kept her from ever showing her work. When she finally took the opportunity to publish in 2017, though, people instantly became fans.
“I felt like my work was going somewhere and I had a direction as to where I was going because I was now creating for the public,” Steinour said.
The junior graphic design student said that drawing her first comic strip, Egg and Bee Comics, provided an outlet for self-expression. The series displays the humor of everyday life, and features three main characters: a graphic designer named Bee, a dog and a ghost. Since launching her comics, Steinour has built an 80,000-person following on Instagram.
Upon her arrival at Temple, Steinour shifted her content to focus on college life in Philadelphia, creating the spin-off strip, Broad Street Lines.
“Most of my content is inspired by my real life which is Temple and Philadelphia, but my main account didn’t really have a place for that,” Steinour said. “All of my followers couldn’t relate, so I wanted to have somewhere to put that.”
Steinour said that the Broad Street Lines strip is unique because it’s centered around a niche group of people. Since Philadelphia is not depicted in the media as much as other major cities, she said people love to see their home and school represented.
Sophomore glass and jewelry student Gemma Hollister is a big fan of Egg and Bee, crediting the strips’s success to Steinour’s unique personal touch.
“I think that they are definitely relatable and that is what people like about them,” Hollister said. “They are also slightly edgy, which makes people gravitate towards them.”
“If you know Abby, then you know that these comics are a reflection of herself,” she added.
Steinour draws both of her strips in what she describes as a youthful style, with pastel colors and large, round shapes. Steinour bases the comic off of what she sees at Temple and throughout Philadelphia, occasionally featuring fellow students and friends in mentions of the mumps outbreak, student government and mental health.
“It’s a juvenile style that covers mature topics,” Steinour said.
Sophomore public health student, Tess McArdle follows both of Steinour’s accounts and says the comics are fun, diverse and easy to consume.
“She is creative and funny, and she is able to put that into one,” McArdle said. “She has a great following platform of not only Temple students, but people beyond that.”
Steinour said both comic strips have allowed her to make great connections with people who she would not typically have the opportunity to talk to.
“I love all of the connections that I have made because people reach out,” Steinour said. “I have received internships and job opportunities which I would not have otherwise gotten.”
Steinour currently works as a graphic designer for Temple Athletics and interns with the Philadelphia Flyers. Through these positions, she found she enjoys designing for athletics and hopes to combine her skills and interests for further growth on her platform.
“I have found that I love designing for sports and it has made me very excited for my future,” Steinour said.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Abby Steinor was previously employed at The Temple News. She had no part in the reporting or editing of this story.
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