This Artist Turns Existential Dread Into 6 Wholesome Comics

We can’t run away from our demons – they always find a way to creep up on us. If we want to get rid of them, we have to sit down with them, look them in the eyes and have an honest conversation. Which is exactly what the artist Skullbird has been doing after life hit them hard, in the form of a comic series, called Chats with the Void.

The full-time graphic designer got the idea for the project a couple of years ago. “I had a lot of rejection all at once. Career rejections, love rejections, one after another,” Skullbird told Bored Panda. “Life’s just like that sometimes. When you end up in situations like that, you can get a lot of intrusive thoughts about your life and your value as a person. A little voice starts creeping into your head telling you bad things about yourself when you’re trying to sleep at night. I eventually got so worn down by this I just started having mental discussions with these negative thoughts instead of shoving them aside.”

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Image credits: skullbird

“I mean, ignoring it wasn’t working, so why not. I think by regularly confronting myself whenever that voice kicked in, I started changing the voice from being cruel into being constructive. That’s where the idea of the talking-void came from. Turning these negative perspectives and feelings into a kinder constructive force. I really enjoyed the idea of everyone having this little shadow of positivity waiting to be let out. In a way, depression and sadness are tools nature gave us to get out of bad situations, they’re just very difficult tools to learn how to use.”

Image credits: skullbird

The artist describes the series as optimistic nihilism with animals. “Animals are my favorite thing to draw. There’s a lot of symbolism and associations tied to certain animals, and part of the fun is deciding what species fits an idea the best. It’s a great way to slide in a little extra meaning to anyone looking for some. There’s a lot of media out there already that shows humanity confronting the void, but we’re not the only living beings out here that have to deal with an uncaring universe. Humans just probably think about it the loudest.”

Image credits: skullbird

Skullbird believes that a lot of fears are best dealt with by exposing yourself to them. “Concepts like death and meaninglessness are things that we all have to confront eventually. It’s certainly easier and more enjoyable to distract yourself from these things, but they’re ultimately unescapable concepts you’ll have to deal with eventually. It’s better in the long run to acknowledge them, accept them, sit down, and get to know each other. I think that’s a healthier approach. To look fear in the face and say ‘Hi, I see you.'”