Comics artists who are tackling the theme of loneliness can use panels to demonstrate the various stages of being stuck inside your own head. Whether it’s moving through various states or living in your imagination, comics panels can communicate a lot of turmoil in both abstract and specific ways. Assigning words to emotions, especially the pain of loneliness, is difficult. That’s not to say that representing loneliness through art is any easier — it’s just a different method of communicating. In comics about loneliness, I’ll often come across an image that’s very familiar: standing in front of the fridge, sitting blank-faced on public transit, or staring up at the sky. Reading comics about loneliness always helps me put things in perspective and remember that there is a world outside of my head. Loneliness gets worse when we feel like we have no one to reach out to, because of issues around queer identity or mental health struggles. If you’re looking for more comics that speak to issues around mental health and mental illness, there are many great comics about depression and anxiety.
