Rosamond the Strange

She's strange, but she's not Rosamond

I knew it!

The first time I saw an image of Goth icon Emily the Strange I swore I was looking at Rosamond, a character from the illustrated Nate the Great child detective books.  But it wasn't her: it was an almost identical character with a new name.  Rosamond was a very strange girl who was perpetually surrounded by her cats and often involved in Nate the Great's cases, and I assumed that the creators of the book series had renamed her.

I've been wondering for years why the name "Rosemond" wasn't suitable for their marketing, but today BoingBoing linked to an article on You Thought We Wouldn't Notice, a blog that highlights artistic rip-offs, and it turns out that Emily may not be a licensed use of Rosamond.  See for yourself.  The comparison images show what an extraordinary rip-off Emily is. I hope the owners of Emily the Strange give credit (and royalties) where due.

posted on 2008-12-03 18:50:00