Research Task: Autobiographical Comics

For this research task I was to read and look into the following books, which I then reflected on:

• Steven Appleby, 'Dragman' (2020)

• David B, 'Epileptic' (2006)

• Kate Beaton, 'Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands' (2022)

• Gareth Brookes, 'The Black Project' (2013)

• Christine Mari, 'Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery'(2024)

• Craig Thompson, 'Blankets' (2003)

'Dragman' by Steven Appleby

'Dragman' tells the story of a secret life of the Steven Appleby and his journey of confidence and acceptance, however, it's told in a metaphorical way as Steven gains powers with their ladies clothes and becomes a superhero (reflecting Steven's own euphoric feelings when they wore women's clothes). Steven overcomes transphobic abuse which leads them to be a target by the villain as they claim souls; interestingly, the villain tells some of the story of how they targeted and how they felt claiming souls. In the end, Steven exudes confidence in their desire to be a women, they never needed the woman's clothes just his own belief that they wanted to be a woman.

This story was really fun and interesting, every character was memorable and you really felt for Steven and wanted them to see how much they were a woman without the clothes. It was really interesting to see how the people around Steven interacted with them in their own ways, like their very supportive wife who only wanted to know the truth and see Steven happy.

The art style was very similar to Roald Dahl but had it's own unique charm and it was a nice touch to use colour for the present time and black and white for the past-- really helps understand different points of time quickly.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel it was funny and interesting, I read this in one sitting comfortably and really glad I got to read it-- It was a unique take to an autobiography as it told Steven's own story through a telling of fictional world where superheroes exist.

'Epileptic' by David B

This story tells of the authors life with a brother who struggles with Epilepsy, through his first moments of his epilepsy, the "curing of him" and the aftermath of the acceptance that his life will be controlled by Epilepsy. Interwoven in this story is the family history of being inflicted with war and the constant running to different methods of healing through faith.

I did struggle to retain this book and ended up skimming the 'historical' parts of this graphic novel (and I'm dumb), however, when I got into the parts where David talks of how he and his sister struggled with his brothers epilepsy, it really hammered down the fact that his brother epilepsy not only greatly harms him but his whole family-- and coped with it in different ways. In the end, it got really gritty with the way his brother got his violent tempers, and really made you worry for both parties as all they try to protect themselves and his brother.

The art style was very cool, it was disturbing as he describes himself, but really interesting to see how he portrays certain things and people. It really helps to understand how he imagined those things/situations as a kid; the pace was slow but picked up where the tension would pick up.

I did like this graphic novel, it made me see a different side of epilepsy that I didn't have much knowledge on that topic, but I did struggle to keep up with reading it as the history side lost me a little.

'Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands' by Kate Beaton

Kate Beaton's story tells us about her life working on the Oil Sands, coming from a small town where jobs are scarce and so Kate finds herself a job working on the Oil Sands. Working there is extremely tough: you have the dangers of the job, poor working conditions, low pay and if you a woman sexual violence (both verbal and physical). Working on on Oil Sands is different from everyone, however some similarities seem to appear in the other characters and what they face.

This book is emotional and at times funny, but you can really see how much the people working on these sites struggled. I did feel like I could relate to Kate's experience, not working on the sites but dealing with misogyny and sexual harassment; it made me connect with the character (and ultimately with Kate herself). In the end, you really empathized with the characters because of the conditions they worked in, struggling with making ends meet or the deaths/injuries that were caused by these dangerous sites.

The art style is something I really enjoyed and was quite a stark contrast to how dark the story would get, not in a bad way though, it sort of settles in and you would get that this style represents Kate as a person rather than what she had to deal with.

I don't know if it was my Kindle messing up but there were times were I thought that the story would jump? Or cut off? So I would have to go back and see if I was reading the right page but it would just be the same page I had read. The pace was really quick and sometimes I would want a moment to go on a little longer but it's an autobiography so it's understandable if it's something that maybe the author couldn't exactly remember.

I really did enjoy this book, I got lost in it and I really felt for Kate and the characters around her; I liked the art style and how she tells the story, I was able to relate to her but also see how she lived and the amount of hard work she did in those two years of work to survive and pay off her student loans.

'The Black Project' by Gareth Brookes

So, starting off this research task, I saw the list of books and found them, put them on my Kindle and read them without reading the description. I started to read this book and thought 'what the f***', this disturbing tale tells of a child and his slightly strange obsession with making a life-sized woman. The child goes on to make multiple women after each of them were destroyed in different ways, and ends with him making a friend after stealing his friend's sisters's doll head. Very strange.

After reading it, and reading the passage at the end (which I believe is the afterword), the author tells us that it reflects his own life minus the obsession of making a woman, but instead drawing things like that. Strange but growing up can be really weird...

This charming graphic novel is created in lino-cut and embroidery which I actually really liked, it was different and it really sold the disturbing narrative very well. It's something I have never seen before and I don't think I will ever get out of my head so big well done to Gareth Brookes.

I cannot tell if I liked this graphic novel or not, yes it was disturbing, however it got me to feel something. Some graphic novels I read, think that was pretty cool but feel nothing. But this, I was just feel the wiggles in how uncomfortable I felt; to the point where I ended up verbally expressing how strange it was to the people around me. Very interesting...

'Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self Discovery' by Christine Mari

This little graphic novel will have a special space on my shelf, I really loved this graphic novel. This story tell of Christine's struggle with identity as a "halfie", moving to Tokyo from the USA to "find herself". Her identity gets shrouded in her depression as she struggles to find her place in Japan, resorting to living with her grandma who helps her find her way into adulthood (no matter if we still think we act like children).

This book perfectly tells how it feels to struggle with identity, I've seen in other movies and TV shows this plot before. But this book told of how each thought and emotion was influenced by our obsession with identity through the eyes of others.

The art style is cute and the way she would create different emotions through her character by having it fell like she was sinking into the surroundings really captured what it feels like to be in that moment.

I loved this comic! I empathized with he struggle with be identity being American and Japanese, and then I was able to relate to her when she spoke of how others were "talking" about her, how she compared herself and how she spiraled into her depression after feeling like she wasn't good enough.

'Blankets' by Craig Thompson

I had heard this graphic novel before through other comic artists that have recently read this so when I saw this book on there I got really excited! This story shows the coming of age of a young Craig Thompson and his journey of faith and love. The author falls in love with a young girl who and struggles with his faith, he desires things that his faith believes to be of the devil.

There are some topics that I believe to have been explored like some sexual assault as a child - if i didn't read it wrong. Also, topics of growing up in a broken household, a poor household was also referenced. I found it very profound that even if he didn't end up with the girl at the end, he still found it very important that she was a part of his life and didn't want to erase that; which he then realises that he's left his brother out and rekindles that relationship that was so delicate at the beginning.

This graphic novel is beautiful, I really like the pace of the story and how the beauty of life is drawn, the art style is very nostalgic and makes every moment feel important. The black and white really stands out from the page and helps identify important moments, since our eyes are drawn to light we see their faces and dialogue immediately.

Overall, I have picked this one as one of the favourites, alongside Christine Mari's book; they both share their stories in a way that's beautiful and endearing.

My own pick: 'It's Lonely At The Centre Of The Earth' by Zoe Thorogood

I could talk about this book non-stop, and I have before. So just to summarise, this book tells of Zoe's battle with her mental health as she creates the book we read; this book talks a lot about mental health, identity, passion and selfish-ness as an artist.

I LOVE this book, she is able to tell her story through multiple characters (versions of herself), and is very open in her motivation as an artist. There are lots of intimate moments between the reader and herself as she tells us her embarrassing moments and allows us a moment to see us through her.

Seeing her journey is very emotional, there are moments were you feel like you can relate to her which she references herself when she attends comic con and a fan approaches her and says "relatable". Every moment in the comic is planned and carefully drawn out, it's art.

If there is one graphic novel to recommend it's this one.

Reflection

Exploring auto-biography graphic novels was the best research task ever, I enjoyed this research task so much-- being able to read a variety with different styles and topics was so interesting and very inspiring. I especially liked the coming-of-age graphic novels like Blankets and Halfway There, since I am sort of going through that stage of being adult but still feeling like a child.

The most memorable one was The Black Project, I don't think I'll forget that one for a very long time.

What I will take away from this research task is not only to read more graphic novels but also allow myself to draw from what I experience around me, that can be used for inspiration and motivate me in telling stories of my own in the future.