comics, essays, and more from an anxious, androgynous, aromantic, atheist asexual with adhd

Comics

Craving

by M.D. Christopher · February 21, 2018

A multi-panel comic in a single issue, colored in shades of grey with accents of purple. The first panel has a long rectangular frame and shows the artist - a young woman with short hair wearing a purple t-shirt - standing between the silhouettes of two couples, shrugging her shoulders. The narration says, "Most days I don't mind being alone. Though it can get lonely." In the second panel, three versions of the artist are shown from the torso up, with small meters near their heads like in a video game. Instead of measuring health, the bars have a heart at the top. The narration continues, "But every so often I'm struck by this lust...for romance." The first version of the artist is just smiling politely, and the meter is half-full. The second version also has a half-full meter, but she suddenly looks suspicious. The third version is struck by a lightning bolt, causing her hair to stand on end, the meter to max out, and purple hearts to replace her eyes. The third panel shows the artist with the hearts for eyes surrounded by books. The narration says, "I turn to fiction to satisfy my desire: scenes from my favorite books where characters fall into each other's arms-" Followed by a panel showing the back of the artist's head as she watches a woman and a man on television and sighs. The narration continues, "Or the moment just before the on-screen kiss - whatever provides a cheap, vicarious high." The next panel shows a purple book with 'Jane Austen' on the cover hanging from a medical pole like an IV drip bag. The narration says, "Mainlining Jane Austen usually helps." The next panel shows the artist in an Animorphs-esque montage, transforming from heart-eyes to a woman who clutches her head as if it pains her. The narration says, "After the binge, the feeling starts to fade." The final panel shows the artist reaching for a large purple heart with arms who reaches back, but they don't touch. The narration concludes, "But I can't share the thought that I might never know what it feels like for real."

Tags: aromantic asexuality cartoon comic jane austen m.c.metaphors romance

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