What does it mean to feel at home, especially when life takes you from one place to another? For cartoonists Ben Hatke and Lily Kim Qian, that question has inspired comics that explore the pull of familiar places, the excitement of discovering somewhere new and the complicated feelings that come with being caught between the two.
Hatke, the creator of the Zita the Spacegirl series and Mighty Jack, explores the tension between home and adventure in his work, including his graphic novel Home/World. Qian, whose graphic novel Until We Meet Again draws on her experiences living in different places, uses comics to explore displacement, identity and belonging.
The two creators will discuss these themes at the Boston Comics Arts Foundation’s upcoming Picture + Panel event, where they’ll share their perspectives on the meaning of home, the creative process and the stories that have influenced their work. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET this Monday, Oct. 5 at the Boston Figurative Arts Center.
Ahead of the event, Hatke and Qian shared how they approach the idea of home in their comics, the challenges and rewards of being between places, and the books, films and art that have inspired them.
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