Published by  | | | | I've been drawing comics before I knew they were called anything. Instead of writing in my diary, I drew a dramatized account in panel form, with lines of dialogue and characters from my life. They were kind of like what I saw in the funny pages of my mom's Cincinnati Enquirer, kind of like the panels I saw in my neighbor's manga books, but also kind of something else, too. I didn't think they "counted." The drawings were too crude, the subject matter too trivial. | | | An excerpt from my childhood comics, circa 2009. Trust me when I say none are publishable in full! (Hannah Good) | | I kept drawing comics, but it wasn't until I started at The Lily nine months ago that I found out my specific craft has a name: autobiographical, or autobio, comics. True, personal stories told in pen and ink. The Lily has been publishing comics of all genres since its launch in 2017. Led by design editor and comics cheerleader Rachel Orr, our contributors have told hundreds of stories about mental health, body image, identity and so much more. Rachel often says comics are the most perfect form of storytelling, and looking at our archives makes it easy to see why. Comics tell stories in a way that makes it hard to look away. Distilled into square panels, they make complex ideas accessible, raw emotions tangible and everyday experiences delightful.Now, alongside Rachel and art director MarĂa Alconada Brooks, I get to help bring these stories to life. As comics editors, we reach out to artists we admire, read pitches from prospective contributors, proofread scripts and tweak art direction. Then on Sunday, we deliver the final panels to you on Instagram, where you often respond with thoughtful, energizing conversation. It's truly a dream job. As another turbulent year draws to a close, we rounded up 10 of our favorite comics that captured it. When anti-Asian racism spiked across the country, Tenzing Lhamo Dorjee reflected on how she learned to fight back. As the pandemic entered its second year, Christine Suggs captured how isolation empowered them to come out as nonbinary. Sharee Miller shared what it's like to become a new mom in a time of so much uncertainty, and Hyesu Lee reevaluated her work-life balance. Spend some time with them to start your new year. We hope they bring you insight, joy and, most of all, that magic feeling of connection only great art can inspire. P.S. We're always looking for comic artists to join our roster. If you want to pitch us, or have questions about how comics work around here, send me an email. Plus, I'd love to hear what you think of our comics, what you're loving in the world of graphic storytelling and what you'd like to see from us in the future. | | | | | Three need-to-know stories | | | (iStock; Washington Post illustration) | 01.Coronavirus cases are soaring across the United States as the more transmissible omicron variant spreads, triggering a familiar round of restrictions, disruptions and uncertainty heading into the pandemic's third year. Airlines canceled more than 2,500 U.S. flights on New Year's Day, many of them into or out of the storm-battered Upper Midwest. Follow The Washington Post's live updates here. 02.Amy Schneider has made "Jeopardy!" history more than once: Earlier this year, she became the first transgender contestant to make the Tournament of Champions. And last week, she notched her 23rd straight victory, the most by a woman. Schneider, 42, now holds a top-five spot in three of the show's four Hall of Fame categories: consecutive games won, highest winnings during regular-season play and all-time winnings. 03.Beloved actress Betty White died Friday, less than three weeks before what would have been her 100th birthday. No specific cause was cited. White's fans feared her death for years. But the "Golden Girls" actress wasn't afraid of it. "Fear of death is not one of my problems … only of the dying," she wrote in "Betty White In Person." She added: "I figure I will improvise when the time comes … some things are better without rehearsal." Read more in The Post. | | | | | | | A story to make you smile | | | (Turquoise LeJeune Parker) | | Elementary school teacher Turquoise LeJeune Parker was a few days away from the start of her holiday vacation when she received a text message from the mother of one of her second-grade students: The parent wondered if Parker knew where she could find food for her children during the school's two-week winter break because her refrigerator and pantry were almost empty. Her kids relied on free school breakfasts and lunches to get them through the day. That text six years ago was the start of an annual effort from Parker, who's now a library teacher in Durham, N.C. Each year, she raises money through fundraisers, a charitable foundation and social media to feed thousands of kids through the winter break. This year, they raised enough to help every child at 12 elementary schools in her school district, said Parker. Read more from Cathy Free in The Post. | | | | | But before we part, some recs | | | (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) | Lena FeltonDeputy editor, The LilyHow I'm saying goodbye to 2021: Writing out my biggest personal moments, month by month, of the last year. My partner and I do this together — it's a quick way to chart all that's happened and reflect on the whirlwind that has become all of our lives. What I'm picking back up:Taking photos on a disposable camera. Two years ago, I launched a whole project sending these cameras to other women, but I stopped carrying them around myself. A recent road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles was the perfect opportunity to change that. How I'm carving out time for myself:I take much more time to get ready for bed — 10 or even 15 minutes longer than I used to. I'll light a candle, put on a face mask, listen to music. Even if I don't get a whole lot of "me time" during the day, this feels like a little bit of luxury. | | | | |
