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About August 2024

Aug01
by on August 1, 2025 at 1:30 pm

ON THE HEAT A four panel comic rendered in magenta and green. In the first panel, Emily lays under a blanket in bed, groggily waking up to her phone alarm. The narration begins, “August so far has been…well, a stereotypical August.” In the second panel, Emily looks frustrated over a laptop, which reads “printing estimate: the day after you need it lol.” The narration continues, “Which is to say: exhausting, with each mishap draining my energy at what feels like double the rate.” In the third panel, Emily sits at her office desk, looking tired and with wisps of black clouds floating around her. The narration continues, “It occurs to me, after consistent summers like this, that maybe I have some seasonal affective disorder about it.” In the last panel, we zoom out, and see Emily still sitting at her office desk but looking up at a large tidal wave that casts a dark shadow over her. The narration concludes, “or maybe it’s just that the therapy and the mindfulness and the lexapro can only do so much in the face of a COVID surge, ongoing genocides, political unrest—“ -- ON RISE A four panel comic, rendered in magenta and green. In the first panel, Emily wakes up in bed, but quietly and without grumbling. The narration begins, “But in the morning, I let myself remember that the work has done something.” In the second panel, milk pours into a bowl of cereal. The narration continues, “that the depression isn’t gone—but it no longer makes itself comfortable in my home.” In the third panel, Emily, now holding the bowl of cereal, sits down on a couch and turns on a tv. The narration continues, “that there might be a day of despair, maybe two—but no longer weeks, months.” In the last panel, Emily closes her eyes as she takes a bite of cereal, content. The narration concludes, “that there’s always a new morning, with new joys.” -- ON BALANCE A four panel comic, rendered in magenta and green. In the first panel, Emily stands behind a convention table, her wares in front of her, talking to another show attendee. The narration begins, “CAKE was an absolute blast—“ In the second panel, Emily lays back on a couch, moaning “my boooooones,” as she relaxes with a beer. The narration continues, “—but also maybe the most exhausted I’ve been after a show in a looong time.” In the third panel, we return to the show scene, and Emily cheerfully chats with a friend across her table display. The narration continues, “I love comic shows so much, but I can’t deny the physical and mental toll that arrives in tandem with the joy of community, the pressure of performance alongside basking in other folks’ art.” In the last panel, Emily stands alone behind her table, exhausted and dripping with sweat, thinking “it’s so friggin hot.” The narration concludes, “if only I could have the ‘make comics and share them and discover other artists and their comics’ 0/45 without the ‘business and money’ part.” -- ON RECLAIM A four panel comic, rendered in magenta and green. In the first panel, Emily cheerfully walks down a city street, singing California Song by the Mountain Goats to herself: “I got joy joy joy in my soul tonight.” The narration begins, “I think so much more often now of love.” The second panel, Emily washes dishes while on the phone with Luke, who drives a truck in a speech balloon branching off from Emily’s phone. Emily laughs at their conversation. The narration continues, “of silver linings, of shared laughter, of the doors I open to let the joy flow out, an abundant resource freely given.” In the third panel, Emily walks next to Em, both holding take out boxes from their dinner, Emily doubling over in laughter as Em grins. The narration continues, “and when I, so rarely now, remember the sword, I see how much it has rusted.” In the fourth panel, a broken and rusted sword sits among the grass, as Emily and Em’s conversation floats in from off panel. The narration concludes, “and I pity it now, I think.”

Apologies for the delay on these! Let’s just pretend today is still Friday and these aren’t late. (Something something depression screwing with sense of time anyway.) Will be back on Friday with more About comics! SV comics will return soon,[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…

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