Personified is a slice-of-life comic about various portrayals of the self: outwardly, a purple mass (mess?) of matter, a sunflower on the head as a measure and symbol of growth and decay, and within, a cast of characters: aspects of the self, past and present, oppressed and suppressed or not, and a personal take on interior life versus social masks.

 

The characters are manifestations of fragmented traits and interests, locked-away hurts and humours, stunted deviations, repressed emotion, ego, the inner critic, and of course, throughout, elements of a few people throughout my life who have (perhaps, obviously?) ‘magically’ appeared as I drew. Having said that, these are manifestations of myself, no more another person than the wide nostrils of the nose on my actual face belonging to my biological dad instead of simply bearing his resemblance. That’s my disclaimer, by the way. Having said that, the very first character I drew began to bear such a close resemblance to my maternal grandfather that on leaning into it, gave way to the rest of the project.*

 

While it might seem odd that within the cast of inner-world characters of a female protagonist there are male characters, characters with different skin tones, different hairstyles, and of course, though it’s not yet apparent, very different traits, some of which have been largely locked away and some which have only surfaced or resurfaced in certain situations or with certain people, these characters (aspects of myself) can be linked together and are. Justin, for example, possesses traits and interests which are within society viewed as stereotypical of white Asian males, and while stereotypes are debated, they still form a current view within society and are often overlooked in those who don’t fall within those particular boundaries for multiple reasons. As this project progresses, I’m expecting it to become clearer. I have plans for the project, but as with any creative endeavour, it will follow its own course to a certain degree as well. I’m hopeful it will keep the central theme and message I currently have in mind.

 

As personal as it is, my urge to pursue this project and share it eclipses my fear — maybe, it’ll resonate, maybe it’ll help someone else make sense of their own experiences, or maybe it’ll be one more thing to scroll on by. Either way, it’s underway.

 

I drew these characters using Procreate on iPad. Here’s a time-lapse video of the process of initial character creation (noob alert). The first comic pages will be uploaded by Feb 2026. Details of posting will follow.

 

 

*Sadly, my grandfather passed away in 2022. With what he left me, I was able to buy an iPad, and it’s been something of a lifeline, allowing expression and creativity in ways I hadn’t had before. It offers healing and brings me comfort, and as these drawings show, there is a piece of him that lives on as a part of me.

RIP Dada Freddie ❤️