ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Emanata wishes to acknowledge and thank the following:
Alexander Tyree for our inspiring cover.
Our graphic designers Solimar Santoyo and Victor Romanko for hard work and patience in helping us put together this book.
Velocity Comics for their continued support and their role in uplifting the Richmond Comics scene.
Our alumni for their continued support and participation in our organization.
Our contributors for their infallible enthusiasm and hard work in creating these comics, and for sharing their stories with us.
Our editors for their dedication and reliability in assuring the best quality possible.
Our staff for their unbreakable commitment to making our organization the best it can be.
And VCU’s Student Media Center, not only for making this publication possible, but for their endless support and guidance every step of the way.
Jessica Clary Director of Student Media claryj@vcu.edu Owen Martin Business Manager martinso@vcu.edu Mark Jeffries Creative Media Manager mjeffries@vcu.edu
Check out emanatacomics.com for even more comics! Contact us: emanatacomics@gmail.com @vcucomics @VCUComics
FOREWORD
Dear Readers,
We have finally reached our tenth year of making comics for VCU. While this is a great accomplishment, it seems that we continue to face the same problems as we did when we started all those years ago. We continue to be cruel to ourselves and to others, and tend to seek the most difficult path in the guise of looking for solutions. It feels as though we’re constantly being tossed between light and dark, reality and escape, joy and fear, life and death, over and over again; We’re stuck In a tumultuous and vicious Cycle.
This is not a call for despair; just the opposite. This is a rebellious call for hope. Here, in a reality where hate has become almost normal, we make the choice to find the good in whatever we can. In the stories we share, in the people we love, in the art we make, in the music we sing, there lies an innate belief that there is something that we can always look forward to. Sure, the bad times may eventually come back, but that means the good times will come back too.
Once again, it is time for the Cycle to repeat. But this cycle is not something to fear, it is something to embrace. It is time to dive into another beautiful collection of stories that have been made with immense love and care; stories that rebel against the norm, that give us an opportunity to hold power over the difficulties we’ve faced. And like the mighty Phoenix that is destined to burn and rise again from its ashes, we will strive to endure and conquer every obstacle that comes our way, no matter how many times we face them, and continue to get back up no matter how many times we fall.
- Natalie ReyesTABLE OF CONTENTS Under My Skin Apollo Hurley ...................................... Enclosure Hannah Perlow........................................... CRSD Dawn Gonzales ................................................. Flyover Carter Lydon .................................................. All Clear From Here On Out Katie Marshall ................ High Fantasy Nikolas Baumgart ................................. 2 guyz on da moon Grayson Gayvert ......................... The Cycle Repeats Kimberly Easterling ..................... Cycle: A Tale From Crossbee Beck Kallenburg ......... The Weight Cycle Jamie Pennix ................................. Bear Fight Nathan Umbrell ......................................... You Never Learn! Aiden Dvalidze ............................... New Moon Looping Bridget Sadler ........................... Moonlight Johnnie Watkins ........................................ Blood Oath Anne Wu .................................................. The Kindred Plains Liz DeFluri ................................... Farer’s Duty Lauryn Baynes ....................................... Ants Hannah Smith ..................................................... The Black Company Anthony Duong ......................... Giant Dreams Anna Wells .......................................... His Final Will Morgan Lee ........................................... Home Katarina Riner ................................................... Sueños Angustiosos Melina Rivera ........................... And Yet, Roses M. Pham ........................................... 1 7 13 16 22 27 32 35 40 46 51 54 59 65 71 77 82 86 90 96 101 107 111 117
TABLE OF CONTENTS My Many Lives Emma Laba .......................................... Glass Box: Its Migrations and Lost Histories Burnett The Cycle Of Internal Drawing Chatter Isaac Harmon The Journey of the Soul Aidan Doyle ........................... Nookie & Quinniford 3 Quinn Wakefield ........................ On The Way Out Maddi Lehde ...................................... The World Still Turns Cassidy Davis .............................. The Hero’s Journey Jordyn Johnson ............................ Season’s Greetings Lena Soriano ................................ In Two Worlds Yeala Grimes .......................................... Per Astra Tori Chapel .................................................... A Sunless System Tessa Coleman ................................ Circadian Elena Khan .................................................... Onfim Cici Eltermann ..................................................... The Curse Viktoria Fisher ............................................... Wash Cycle Cam DiVenere ........................................... | Chat Lindsey Ren .................................................. Infinite Jade TeSelle ...................................................... Initializing Emily Belson ................................................. Five More Minutes Ray Scott ........................................ Stellar Evolution Andrea Gonzalez ................................ Curse of the Hunt Cedar Grace Meade ......................... The Knight and The Maiden Samantha Brem .............. Out of the Game Mason Bleadingheiser ........................ 123 129 135 136 139 145 150 151 157 160 164 170 176 182 188 190 195 201 207 213 214 220 226 232
Altschmerz Sarah Harvey .......................................... Cycle Callisto West ..................................................... Riding in Tandem Trinity Bui ...................................... Efflorescence Sophie Boone .................................... The Forgotten Reese Cilley ....................................... Bar Support Alexa “Tig” Harriss & Jesse Anderson..... Transience Neelee Dave............................................ Fated Gabe Carlson ................................................... Knock ‘Em Dead Viktoria Soriano.............................. Wolf Moon Malaika Campbell .................................... Samsara Vedika Krishna ............................................ Verklärte Nacht Alex Lawson .................................... Perpetual Casey Smith .............................................. 238 244 250 255 261 262 268 271 277 283 286 288 294
OF CONTENTS
TABLE
1
3
5
6
8
9
10
11
14
16
17
18
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
37
40
42
43
44
Look who it is.
IT’S TITTY BOY!
Can I suck on them?
I hate my life.
No one’s going to make fun of me EVER again!
2017
46
And from that point forward I was determined to lose weight
2018
2019 47
and in less than 3 yeares I lost 50 pounds.
I finally found a group of friends who loved me for who I am.
But as I got into college I stopped focusing on exercising and more on school and friends.
Which is a true blessing, however...
48
I had gained all of the weight back by junior year, and realized that I had spent many years of my life driven by spite instead of taking care of myself for my own sake.
49
For the past month, I’ve been trying to go to the gym and cut down on weight again.
but for my own physical and mental well-being
but this time not because anyone has been bullying me.
and this time, I want to break the pattern of gaining and losing weight. I want to break this...
50
51
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
75
77
79
80
83
84
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
120
121
I’ve collected mementos from all of my past lives
As sometimes I seem to forget
In this book
How this all started
TW: Deppression, Suicidal Thoughts, Death, Alchoulism, Minor Drug Use
123
My first name was, Elizabeth
However one night...
I was a theif, a damn good one
I just happened to steal from the wrong person
The very wrong person
Until I woke up, again and again.
I didn’t fully under stand what happened
I was many things
A doctor, reporter, criminal (again). what i’ll never be again is...
125
126
It became so repetitve . The same thing over and over again
birth -> school -> job -> retire - > repeat
One day I hope I can stay in one of these graves
127
Just say the magic word Elizabeth
The End
130
132
134
135
136
137
138
140
142
144
145
146
147
148
149
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
159
160
161
162
164
165
166
167
168
169
171
172
173
174
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
192
193
194
195
196
198
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
209
210
211
213
215
217
218
219
222
223
224
225
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
237
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
253
255
Sophie Boone
256
257
258
259
260
262
263
264
265
266
268
269
271
272
273
274
275
277
278
279
281
283
284
285
286
287
289
290
291
292
294
295
SENIOR STAFF
Natalie Reyes Editor-in-Chief
Natalie Reyes is a senior studying Communication Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. She loves snuggling her cat, listening to music, and anything to do with visual storytelling, especially through the mediums of comics, animation, and video games. She hopes to work on video games and release a webcomic someday.
Shannon Fritz Deputy
Shannon Fritz is a communication arts junior, working towards earning their bachelors of fine arts. Most of their work consists of comics, character designs, and colorful illustrations. Their currently working on their own comics, hoping to be a published author and artist soon
Gabe Carlson Senior Editor
Gabe Carlson is a junior here at the VCU School of Nursing. When not stressing over classes and clinicals, Gabe is an aspiring comic artist who dreams of getting something published one day. His primary domains of interest lie in horror, sci-fi, and stories of queer love and heartbreak, hoping to one day be able to incorporate all three into his comic work.
Jordan Kalafut Social Media Manager
Jordan Kalafut is a sophomore Social Work major with hopes to work in harm reduction or in a trauma center. When not studying at the library or taking naps, Jordan enjoys engaging with student media, playing silly video games, and jamming out with friends.
EDITORS
NIKOLAS BAUMGART
@the_real_espy
SAMANTHA BREM
APOLLO HURLEY
@achilles_knees
JORDAN KALAFUT
@jskalafut
KASSANDRA LONDONO
@peachykis3
@samanthadrawsstuff @varaniaart @stbrrymilky
KAELA BOTTS
@kitt.kae
SHANNON FRITZ
@Dream_something_big
ASIA RORICK asiarorick.com
@liloposs
OLLIE HOFFMASTER @inanolivetree
JAMIE PENNIX @jamiep_art
EDITORS
MORGAN LEE
EMILY BELSON @nightmare_parfait
JOSEPH JARRET
AIDAN DOYLE AUTUMN WINTERS
VIV RATHFON
DAWN GONZALES
CICI ELTERMANN
ADRI ULM
AMELIA VALDEZ-MACHICADO
NEELEE DAVE
EDITORS
ALEX O’CONNOR
GABE CARLSON
TRINITY BUI
KILLIAN GOODALE-PORTER
@killian_draws
PIPER JOHNSON
RACHEL FARZAN
BRIANNA SELDJESK
killian-goodale-porter.myportfolio.com
REECE CILLEY
ISSAC HARMON
EDITORS
JAMIE PENNIX @jamiep_art
SOLIMAR SANTOYO @solimarsantoyo solimardesign.com
VICTOR ROMANKO @romankodesigns
CONTRIBUTORS
APOLLO HURLEY @achilles_knees
HANNAH PERLOW @kiptopie
DAWN GONZALES
KATIE MARSHALL @h.t.artphalt
NIKOLAS BAUMGART @the_real_espy
GRAYSON GAYVERT @ri0tpark
KIMBERLY EASTERLING @ kittenlover888
BECK KALLENBURG @noxartra
NATHAN UMBRELL
AIDEN DVALIDZE @ihatehornets
CONTRIBUTORS
BRIDGET SADLER @redrobber13
JOHNNIE WATKINS @johnnies.art
ANNE WU @awe_nyx
LIZ DEFLURI @modramrod
LAURYN BAYNES @kingowlbert
HANNAH SMITH
shermaworma.wixsite.com/shermaworma
ANTHONY DUONG @kiri_n_
ANNA WELLS @annagraceart_
MORGAN LEE @nightmare_parfait
KATARINA RINER @ktr2003art
kirin_draws
CONTRIBUTORS
MELINA RIVERA @watermeloooms
M. PHAM @ae.storious
EMMA LABA
watermeloooms.myportfolio.com/
BURNETT ISAAC HARMON @ismoughart
AIDAN DOYLE @aidand16
QUINN WAKEFIELD @qstar_art
MADDI LEHDE @decocards_art
CASSIDY DAVIS @casvasidy
JORDYN JOHNSON
@tunestonestudios @tunestonestudios
@casvasidy
@yourboredfriendjordyn
CONTRIBUTORS
LENA SORIANO
@lenagsoriano
YEALA GRIMES
TORI CHAPEL
@yae.la artstation.com/anitithe
TESSA COLEMAN
ELENA KHAN
@sourbelt_ill
CICI ELTERMANN
berrythefly.wixsite.com/berry-the-fly
VIKTORIA FISHER
CAM DIVENERE
LINDSEY REN
cherriru.myportfolio.com/
JADE TESELLE
@sourpatch_pit
CONTRIBUTORS
EMILY BELSON @kimcat3120
RAY SCOTT
ANDREA GONZALEZ
aiggonzalez.myportfolio.com
CEDAR GRACE MEADE
@cedgrayme
SAMANTHA BREM
@samanthadrawsstuff
MASON BLEADINGHEISER
@masons_art_corner
SARAH HARVEY
linktr.ee/ArtsyFartsyAntics
CALLISTO WEST
@callisto_west
TRINITY BUI
@carotelier
SOPHIE BOONE
@chihuahua_t0by
chihuahuat0by.wordpress.com/
CONTRIBUTORS
REESE CILLEY @searhys_
ALEXA “TIG” HARRISS & JESSE ANDERSON tigtoggle.carrd.co/
NEELEE DAVE
GABE CARLSON @lukass_kick.s
VIKTORIA SORIANO @visrupto
MALAIKA CAMPBELL @scorpi.goat
VEDIKA KRISHNA @helvedika
ALEX LAWSON @alexlawson507
CASEY SMITH CARTER LYDON
carterlydon.com
lukass_kicks
COLOPHON
Emanata is typeset with Pragmatica. It was printed by Worth Higgins & Associates, Inc. in Richmond, Virginia. The cover is printed on 100 lb. Neo-star Silk cover paper. The interior pages are printed on 70 lb. Starbrite Select Opaque Smooth.