making progress on comics

too many ideas. too little time.

After the tornado, then the car tires being slashed then came the bedroom ceiling collapsing beside our bed in the middle of the night. And this is just the last three weeks. Are the laughing gods satisfied yet?

It’s been a very wet summer so far. I guess a nice change from the drought we’ve experienced previous years. I asked my astrology pal what the planets were doing in my chart. I like to stay informed! lol This is what she told me on June 20th,

Uranus is in my 4th house meaning, unexpected events at home. Neptune is in my natal Mars meeting in my second house of resources. Neptune is watery and confusing. Sometimes poetic…In summary, Uranus and Neptune are having a silly, lighthearted conversation with Mars and because of who they are, it’s also a bit watery, damaging and unexpected. The gods are laughing. Expensive, but not sinister. Some good may come out of it.

Twelve days have passed and we are about to find out about how much this will all cost us. Even though I’m a skeptic towards most “meaning-making” agenda’s, there is some satisfaction and hope? in listening to the stars!

With that chaos in mind (and in my mind), I approach the comic creation work with deadlines! OMG! Creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum of peaceful studio spaces (though at times it does). It happens amidst laundry, dishes, renovations, crises navigation and caregiving! I love my work and it’s a miracle that anything emerges amidst this continual compost heap!

My latest comic is getting longer and longer! As stories tend to go. I’ve printed and laid out several iterations and am still workshopping different angles. I’m gonna try to give an elevator pitch on the storyline (based on my own life):

A tired, audhd, disabled mom gets away from the city for a night hoping for a mini artist retreat. Little does she realize how much work it will be to get there and how many other creatures are already living there quite happily taking up space. Her anxiety gets the better of her when she encounters evidence of bear activity. Even though she is exhilerated by the sensory and erotic energy of being alone in nature, the sensory discomforts attempts to sabotage her pleasure.

My first few drafts covered the general timeline of one day. But now I’m wanting to open up the depth and richness of the experience. I have over 30 panels drawn and added a few more last night! Here’s a few things I’m needing to develop:

1. The character’s anxious imagination running off into wild and dangerous territory.

2. The sensual and erotic energy within the spaces the character inhabits out in nature.

3. The growing relationship between the main character and the wild animals she encounters

Here’s a few sketches. The original was drawn over a year ago. I held onto it till now!

A lot of my work centers mental health and learning to be with my body rather than against it. Learning to tend to her with compassion rather than criticism and judgement. I’ve lived forty plus years with a lot of harshness and inner bullying. Writing auto-bio comics is therapeutic in re-naratting a way to navigate the world with self-compassion.

I only have five weeks to complete this comic, print everything for my small booth and have everything ready! Wish me luck! This audhd girl is struggling hard.