This collage uses artwork made for my 2009 comic Flying Solo. On top we have panels 4 and 5 from page 5. I ended up not using this picture of me drawing myself in the mirror. These pages in the comic explore how the protagonist imagines his idealized superhero, then an idealized version of himself before unsuccessfully trying to accept his actual self in the mirror.
As a kid, I always felt that I was too skinny. As a young adult, I finally gained weight, but due to my lifestyle (too much beer and ice cream), it all went to my stomach. For years I put off any real change. I prioritized everything else (work, art, friends and family) over exercise. If I thought about needing to exercise, it made me feel depressed, and feeling depressed robbed me of all motivation to do anything at all.
Now that I’m in my forties, I’ve found some level of resolve that I’m applying to my creative pursuits and my health. Both are long-term projects. I still get depressed, but I’ve learned to ride that wave. I fall off the wagon, I give myself a break, and then I get back on.