Sanbika(・∈∋・)

a series  

WAYWARD SON SPOILER WARNING.

“I don’t know if he’ll hear me over everything.” - Simon, Chapter 41, Wayward Son by @rainbowrowell

I’m so pleased to finally share this 4-spread sequential artwork inspired by Chapter 41 of Wayward Son. I kept words as sparse as possible to ensure I’m not infringing on the book’s copyright, but the words featured here were handlettered by the talented and generous @penpanoply. Thank you so much for lending your skills to this project, Jeska.

About the art:

I started sketching this scene almost immediately upon finishing the book, as the poetry of it had completely blown me away. In particular, I was moved by the subtext at work in this scene—that Simon and Baz’s relationship in WS on the whole had the same qualities as riding precariously in the back of a truck on a rough road, leaving them struggling to be heard over the noise, struggling to touch one another in a way that actually conveys what they intend. The ride is too rough, and the wind, too loud.

And yet, they find a way to embrace each other through it. The ride is such an effective metaphor for what it’s like to love someone through trauma, depression, and anxiety: the loss of what was once easy and natural between you and the one you love, in exchange for turbulence that requires so much more effort and care to navigate. It knocked the wind out of me to read it.

For the art, I’ve tried to hit milestones you’ll recognize. I’ve kept everything monochrome but the rear tail lights, which are in a bright fire-engine red, to underscore the anxiety that they’re muscling through in this scene. In the absence of narration, I’ve tried also to make their faces as true to the original as it’s within my skill to do, leaving some ambiguity in some of their expressions so that you can’t quite tell if they’re feeling pleasure or pain.