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Artist Tells Heartbreaking Stories About The Issues Of Our Society Without Using A Single Word (5 New Comics)
Every story deserves to be told, but not all stories are glamorous, pleasant, or easy to tell, and so they’re not told as often as others. Stories about the wrongs of our society, the injustice, the gutters, and the underground are exactly that type. But that doesn’t mean that nobody wants to read them, or that it’s best if we don’t highlight them, but the storytelling requires a sensitive and heartfelt approach. Ademar Vieira is a master of this type of storytelling, and he uses the medium of comics to tell heartwrenching stories that hit close to home. And he does it so subtly that he doesn’t even need to use words. The previous part of his comics was very well-received, so if you missed it, give it a look!
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We’re not enemies
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Ademar has given an exclusive interview to Bored Panda. He started off by appreciating his set of skills in screenwriting, journalism and illustration, and how they supplement each other when he creates his comics. “I think comic strips are exactly that! The union of all these skills that I acquired throughout my life. I’ve been drawing since I was young, but I stopped when I started studying journalism. I worked as a journalist for 13 years before leaving that career to dedicate myself to audiovisual scripts. At the same time, I returned to drawing and shortly afterwards I managed to unite the three things through comic strips. On them, I use the journalistic eye, along with the graphic narrative I learned as a screenwriter and, of course, the illustrations to give life and charisma to the stories.”
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
We asked him what made him sensitive to the social issues in the first place, and his answer made a lot of sense, considering the context. “When you live in Brazil, social inequality is rubbed in your face every day. Brazil is not a poor country, far from it, but it’s very unequal. In my city, you can see condominiums and shacks on the same street, and that always bothered me a lot. I think it’s important to highlight this subject, so that people can reflect and discuss it more. I’m happy when someone shares a comic and comments with other people. That’s my biggest goal.”
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Ademar Vieira is very self-aware about the tone of his comics. “I never think: ‘I’m going to make a comic to make everyone cry!’ But I think that because of the chosen theme, usually some subject that is bothering me. So, the story moves towards something tragic or sad. I noticed that my pen tends to go to that place often, but when I realize that I’m becoming too negative, I try to do something with a positive ending, so I don’t fill my feed with sadness.”
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
The artist also shared his views about the most important issues of our society today. “I think we lost our way for a few years now. When I was younger the future looked bright, TV said the Internet would unite the world. There was a lot of talk about the global village, there were discussions about the environment and society, minorities seemed to be gaining more and more rights. A better world seemed just a matter of time, but suddenly everything changed. Social media have created bubbles where people isolate themselves and consume fake news and ideas that they want to believe are real. Leaders with extremist thoughts were elected spreading lies. I think that discussing the negative impact of social media and its regulation should be the most important issue now.”
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
While global problems are important, Ademar is hurt most by what’s happening in Brazil. “I would really like to say that everything is going well, but I would be lying. Brazil has faced the worst years in almost every sector in decades. Amazon and Pantanal, our two richest and largest biomes, are being destroyed by fire and given away to pastures. Unemployment and inflation with the highest rates in many years and added to this the total lack of interest and even denial of the government in fighting the pandemic. I could talk for hours about everything that’s wrong, but it would only enrage the audience, so I’d rather just wish that better days would come soon.”
But let’s end the interview on a bright note. The artist teased that he’s “producing a comic strip book about my characters Sam (the human), Oscar (the dog) and Edgar (the cat). They are characters very dear to my audience and people have pointed out that I should invest on them.” We can’t wait, and we’ll surely post them on our wonderful website when the book comes.
Image credits: ademar__vieira
How does Ademar do it; how is he capable of doing so much in so few words? Well, perhaps the fact that he works as a journalist, a screenwriter, alongside being a great illustrator, might give you a clue. When you come to think of it, this is probably the best combination to have for a task like telling a compelling story about life in images.
When worlds collide
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Some cynical critics might say that Vieira’s work exploits our empathy, but this remark is nothing more but cynical in the worst sense. I’d even say on the contrary, his works don’t dance around their subject and are sometimes even brutally honest, considering that most would prefer to soften the edges of the social issues they’re portraying. It’s just how life sometimes is. Isn’t life often tragic? Isn’t it sometimes poignantly painful? It’s important not to lose this understanding.
A Christmas story
“Once when I was working at a newspaper, I was asked by my editor to write a story about Santa Claus. At first I thought that the story would be silly, but then I realized that Santa might have good stories to tell. I interviewed some of them, and a Santa from a big shopping mall told me this story, which happened in my hometown, Manaus, a few years ago…”
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
The sensitive societal problems that are explored here sometimes might be unforgiving for a storyteller: there’s a risk that these stories might come out as being a little bit too gritty, hardcore, too dark and seemingly hopeless. But still, Vieira has his ways of approaching these topics with a sensitive perspective and a gentle touch. Perhaps it’s the watercolor that he uses, or the way he draws his characters and sets up the narrative, or the way in which he might find a silver lining of hope in the dark clouds of toil. Whatever it is, it works like magic. Let’s wish for him never to lose this spark of talent!
Keep moving
“Our lives are constantly changing. Nothing lasts forever. Things change and losses are inevitable. It’s painful, but there is no recipe for eternal happiness and we can only adapt to everything that comes ahead. This strip is called “Keep Moving” and I dedicate it to all the people who needed or are needing to reinvent themselves to move forward.”
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
But like most great things, Ademar’s passion for creating these stories started as a humble hobby, “just a way to exorcise my demons during a very difficult phase I was going through,” he said. But what he quickly noticed is that many people connect with his stories and identify themselves in them. The artist’s popularity skyrocketed overnight, at first in Brazil, then worldwide, as he received hundreds of thousands of likes and 20 thousand followers in just one week. Now the artist has over 60k followers on Instagram, which is a very solid amount by any artist’s standards.
It’s not over yet
“What’s happening in my hometown, Manaus, is mainly the result of the incompetence and lack of planning by government officials at all levels, but some other factors contributed to this tragedy. Ignorance, denying science, fake news and the unfounded notion that the worst is already gone is leading hundreds of thousands to death around the world. Let’s stay alert and careful and mind each other’s own well-being.”
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
Image credits: ademar__vieira
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What do you think ?
Ansu Seesay 3 years ago (edited)
Did you know that bees will always seek out the truth and then repeat it when they find it? Wear your goddamn mask
Load More Replies...
Raabh Aquino 3 years ago
As a Brazilian, I totally relate to this. Some of them made me tear up.
Amy G 3 years ago
I lost my beloved aunt to Covid earlier this year. They all touched my heart but that last one really hit deep.
||your_demon_grunkle|| 3 years ago
I'm so sorry for your loss. My great grandmother died in a hospital hallway because all the rooms and beds were full, so it was too close to past experiences for me as well.
Load More Replies... Ansu Seesay 3 years ago (edited)
Did you know that bees will always seek out the truth and then repeat it when they find it? Wear your goddamn mask
Load More Replies... Raabh Aquino 3 years ago
As a Brazilian, I totally relate to this. Some of them made me tear up.
Amy G 3 years ago
I lost my beloved aunt to Covid earlier this year. They all touched my heart but that last one really hit deep.
||your_demon_grunkle|| 3 years ago
I'm so sorry for your loss. My great grandmother died in a hospital hallway because all the rooms and beds were full, so it was too close to past experiences for me as well.
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