mental health | Musings of the Monster Librarian

Graphic Novel Review: Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir, art by Christina “Steenz” Stewart

Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir, art by Christina “Steenz” Stewart

Oni Press, 2018

ISBN-13: 9781620104705

Available: Paperback

After losing her job at the library due to her failing mental health, Celeste “Cel” Walden lands an archivist job at the Logan Museum, previously a sanitarium. The position, she finds out quickly, is a bit odd. She is required to live on site, keep strange hours, and work with a secretive supervisor, among other things. There are also mysterious noises that can be heard through the vast halls at night, making the environment creepier than it is during daylight hours. Cel also experiences losing time, strange and unsettling dreams, and fainting. She can’t afford to lose this job: how is she going to cope with the strange goings-on that are occurring around her? Who is the mysterious girl, Celine, haunting Cel’s dreams, and eventually, her waking hours?

Cel’s fear and apprehension of mental health treatment, and the stigma that is attached therein, resonated with me. Between losing her beloved library position as a result of her failing mental health and what she “sees” of Celine’s experiences in the sanitarium, Cel’s experiences provide a lens for viewing the history of mental health care, particularly for young women. I had my own negative experience with the mental health care system, so I understand fully Cel’s apprehension. I think Weir has captured that fear well in this book. While there is much good that mental health care can do for those who need it, it’s difficult to trust it when you have had a potentially harmful experience. Compound that with the stigma placed on those who cope with mental health issues, and it is perfectly understandable why Cel’s reaction is appropriate to the character. Even as her boyfriend Kyle and others try to reassure her, she still struggles, sometimes to the point of falling into cyclical logic that tells her she is broken. For me, Cel was extremely relatable.

While Archival Quality isn’t strictly horror, it has the elements of a fantastic ghost story. It would be a great book for YA and adults alike. Since it is set in an archive, I think archivists and fellow librarians would be interested in this book just for the setting. Steenz provides fantastic artwork to Weir’s story. It’s simplistic and colorful, while not being overpowering. I particularly love the depiction of Cel’s supervisor Holly and her style. Steenz and Weir make a wonderful creative team, and I look forward to seeing what they do in the future. Recommended.

Stay tuned for an interview with the creators of Archival Quality!

Contains: references to mental health and outdated, harmful practices/”cures” previously used in mental health treatment.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Kickstarter for “It’s All In Your Head” Art Book Illustrates Mental Health Disorders As Monsters

This sounds very cool. The Kickstarter is still going. You can learn more about it below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD’ BRINGS VISIBILITY TO INTERNAL STRUGGLES
Coss compiles viral illustrations into an in-depth exploration of the mind

AKRON, Ohio – From the creative mind behind Any Means Necessary Clothing and the haunting stories and illustrations of “Kindergarten” comes a new project focused on the dark recesses of the mind.

“It’s All In Your Head” is a compilation of 85 illustrations by Shawn Coss that explore mental health issues and phobias, made famous during the annual Inktober Initiative over the past two years. What began as a simple collection of themed artwork soon turned into a viral sensation.

In 2016, Coss chose mental health disorders as his theme for Inktober, a month-long challenge founded by Jake Parker where artists create an ink drawing each day of October. While many artists work off a set list of prompts, Coss wanted to use this as an opportunity to really study a topic in-depth.

“Given my interest in the human condition and the demand from my fans to tackle mental health, I wanted to take on the various disorders in my own style,” Coss said. “I was intrigued, not only as an artist who suffers from depression, but also a medical professional. I wanted to portray the behaviors and symptoms as monsters that plague us.”

By giving the disorders themselves humanoid form, Coss was able to bring structure to abstract feelings in a whole new way. The response from fans was instantaneous. The art was shared 15,000 times, with more than 600,000 views. It got the attention of many major outlets, such as Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, The Mighty, BoredPanda, The Quint, and Bento.

Creating this level of awareness is really at the heart of the intention of the artwork.

“It was never about capturing every symptom of each issue in one piece of art,” Coss explained. “No one person shares the same symptoms or severity, and it would’ve been foolish of me to attempt to do so. It was about raising awareness, starting a conversation, and letting people know that the way they felt inside was real and valid. People really responded to that.”

In 2017, Coss set his sights on phobias, unlocking a whole new realm of struggles and touching on real experiences of fans across the globe. His art grabbed the attention once again of major media outlets, such as The Quint and BoredPanda.

In a follow-up to the wildly popular Kickstarter campaign for his short story and illustration book “Kindergarten,” Coss is launching another Kickstarter to publish all of his mental health and phobia artwork into one volume. The 180-page book, titled “It’s All in Your Head” will also include the medical insight and personal reflections that inspired each piece of art.

“I’m excited to finally be able to open up about my own mental health battles and connect with those who struggle every day,” Coss said. “I’m blown away by all of the responses from people who have told me how my artwork has helped them. I hope this book will continue to help others and continue the conversation on mental health.”

The Kickstarter campaign is running Feb. 20 – March 22, 2018, with copies of the book, artwork, and other special incentives for donors. For more information or to donate, visit http://kck.st/2sD0rI6.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Shawn Coss is an Ohio based artist who’s been chasing his dream to being an “entreprenartist” for the past 9 years. He’s co-owner of Any Means Necessary clothing, creator of the Inktober Illness Series, and got his start into the craziness of professional art while working (and currently) with Cyanide and Happiness. He’s also achieved his dream gig of working with Stephen King on the movie Cell as a prop design artist, as well as create the album art for bands such as Seether, Cage, and Sadistik. He refuses to leave Ohio because he doesn’t know any better.

http://www.shawncossart.com
http://www.amnclothing.com
https://www.facebook.com/ShawnCossArtist/
https://instagram.com/ShawnCoss
http://www.explosm.net

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