Community projects in comics are something we are always very keen to get behind here at Broken Frontier. We do style ourselves as a “community hub” after all. One such initiative that will no doubt resonate with many is Long Covid Superheroes! which looks to support young people with Long Covid and celebrate their resilience. Initiated by Alchemise Theatre and led by adults who also live with the condition, it was supported by Long Covid Kids, and funded by Arts Council England and Voiceability.
Facilitator Louise Dickinson’s premise is a simple but eloquent one. For a year the young people involved were invited to meet online in groups to “consider a personal strength, that’s helping them with their illness, and transform that into a sci-fi superpower.” Mindful of avoiding ableist tropes in the genre, by effectively subverting them, the end result of the process was the comic Long Covid Superheroes!, illustrated by two of our Broken Frontier ‘Six to Watch’ artists Alice Urbino and Zhenyi Zheng, with costume design realisation by Kelli Des Jarlais.
The comic is split into two narrative approaches. The first section ‘A Day in the Life of Long Covid: The Game’ frames the experience of the Heroes (the young people involved) living with the condition in the terms of a video game. Their super-hero identities are introduced first before the sequential section begins. The advantage of the intros is that it gives us a direct connection to those taking part, as they explain their reasons for the super-powers they’ve given their alter egos and how they relate to living with Long Covid.
The game format is an immensely clever way to visually communicate the issues explored; engaging, symbolically articulate, and relatable to its presumed target audience. Artist Zhenyi Zheng, perhaps better known for her abstract or grittier comics work, shows just what a versatile storyteller she is here in a mock digital landscape of power boosts, energy levels, and big bosses. Make no mistake, this isn’t simply about highlighting worthy work – this is excellent comics in and of themselves, leaning heavily into their unique language and narrative tools.
The second section is illustrated by Alice Urbino, again showing how adaptable an artist she is. This part is titled ‘Dreamweavers’ with the group working on this one showing the Heroes involved working together to remind us to appreciate good health and look for change. In this story we are introduced to kids living with the debilitating realities of Long Covid who nonetheless come together in their shared dreams to battle an anthropomorphised incarnation of the virus. Urbino is probably best known for her body horror comics but here she underlines what those of us who have been following her work for years already knew – she’s also an incredibly expressive cartoonist with an empathetic line in visual characterisation that is simply outstanding.
What both parts of Long Covid Superheroes! emphasise is the shared experiences that so many young people have. I cannot stress enough that this is more than simply a worthwhile cause to support. It’s also an excellent piece of graphic medicine, inventive and clever in the ways it plays with the form, and a notable platform for those who took part. For more comics dealing with Covid and the pandemic check out our Resource List on the subject here.
Avi, Sophia, Jay, Clara, Olivia, Eva, Scarlett, Ben, Lucy, Elana, Emily, Merdith, Grace (the Heroes), Zhenyi Zheng & Alice Urbino (A), Louise Dickinson (Creative Director), Kelli Des Jarlais (Costume Designer) • Alchemise Theatre, £15.00
Visit the Long Covid Superheroes Just Giving page here
Review by Andy Oliver
