Having established themselves firmly in the theatrical arts space, Welsh Arts in Health charity Re-Live are turning their attention to the world of comics as a fresh way to share stories of military veterans in a new anthology comic entitled Coming Home.
Established in 2006, Re-Live have built a reputation in their native Cardiff for translating under-represented people’s stories into award-winning theatre projects. During the pandemic, Re-Live launched a new online Life Story group for veterans, with the aim of exploring their experiences of mental health. The participants expressed their love of the comics medium, and so Re-Live began developing a Life Story comic with the group.
Coming Home appeals to fans of traditional war comics, but promises to give readers a deeper insight into military life than the traditional heroic tales. Through presenting true stories, Coming Home crosses over into the popular autobiographical comics genre, and also sits within the emerging literature of Graphic Medicine combining comics and healthcare.
Among the incredible British comics talent involved in the project is the legendary Ian Kennedy, whose wraparound cover painting for Coming Home was the last thing he completed before passing away in early 2022, aged 89.
Also working with veterans on the title are a host of classic and contemporary British cartoonists; including Keith Page, Emma Vieceli, Mike Donaldson, and Clark Bint. Logo designer Richard Starkings created the Coming Home logo.
Coming Home will be available via all good comic stores in November.
Source: Graphic Policy
