Artist Statement

Wrestling with Life is a comic book series that offers humorous takes on serious issues that range from racism to student debt. It is a largely autobiographical series, addressing relatable subjects of personal interest and concern such as food and the introverted fear of public speaking. The protagonist of the comic book series is Mr. Indestructible, a superhero wrestler of color who is featured on each of the covers. The cover illustrations are initially hand-drawn, then scanned in Photoshop and brought into Illustrator where they’re completed. The imagery is brightly colored with solid areas of flat color contained by outlined figures and shapes. The typeface maintains consistency, and outlines, shadows, and drop shadows are used to separate the typography from the illustrations. Through this series of books, not only is my admiration for wrestling and comic books on full display, but the superhero protagonist serves as an avatar to wrestle with issues that I and many of my peers are facing. The use of humor makes these often-uncomfortable subjects more approachable and relatable by lowering the inhibitions of the reader. Mr. Indestructible emerges as an unlikely life coach navigating a broad range of issues.