You Are Not Alone

You Are Not Alone is a comic anthology from GrayHaven Comics.  GrayHaven Comics gives budding creators an avenue to publishing with its The Gathering anthologies and other comics.  You Are Not Alone was created in a response to the recent mass shootings in Colorado and Connecticut, as a way to address bullying and alienation experienced by kids.  It was presented as a Kickstarter project in 2012 to generate funds to publish copies to distribute in schools.  Advance copies were made available late last year, and it's planned to be published soon.

http://www.grayhavencomics.com/2014/01/02/happy-new-year/

It's a noble and worthwhile effort.  With over 40 stories by dozens of creators, I won't try to review them all.  As a contribution based anthology, there is a wide range of style, content, and quality.  They are grouped in topics of Depression/Suicide, Homophobia, Racism, Abuse, Violence, and Bullying.  Each section is followed by a list of support resources.

The stories and art vary widely, from simplistic or incomprehensible, to rich and evocative, but it covers so much ground in topics that growing kids can relate to, and use to integrate their experiences into their growing lives, that I must recommend it.  I have high hopes that this will be a continuing effort to raise consciousness of people to the needs of young people, and indeed all people.

A couple stories I liked stand out.  Elaine's Story by Elaine Will is a deeply personal account of the author's struggles with depression, and her success.  Story from the Desert by Ronald Montgomery and illustrated by Lars Kramhoft was a frightening story of flight from abuse, with barely a happy ending.  Here's Looking at You by Ebersole/Gable was nice to see and read, with a more nuanced look at its topic than many others.  Forward was a well-crafted story spanning decades linking good deeds.

Many more stories are good, and all of them have valuable qualities.  This deserves more attention than I give it.  I hope my simple words can encourage others to seek this out and use it to help themselves and others to grow as individuals and societies.  We have come so far and have so far to go.

YANA was brought to my attention by Intone Flux, like myself a former denizen of the departed HM website message boards.  Thanks for the tip IF.