Manga Otaku Meets Lynda Barry: Bodily Making Comics for Finding Yourself

This paper aims to deliver an analysis on Lynda Barry’s making comics philosophies. Barry’s practice, based on the author’s experience as her student, can be theorized as a pedagogical tool that encourages us finding yourself and embracing your past, though she doesn’t emphasize such theorization. My argument is derived from the concept of autobifictionalography from Barry’s significant book, One Hundred Demons (Barry, 2002). Some cartooning methods are introduced in this essay: namely, spontaneous drawing, drawing with eyes-closed, collaborative exercise. These recipes aid to overcome hesitation in drawing with serendipities, and enrich the body and sense awareness. Further, such methods cultivate the discussion on the problem of transnationality in Comics Studies (Eisner, 1985; Groensteen et al., 2007; Kern, 2016; McCloud, 1993; Meskin, 2009). The daily diary method (Barry, 2019) inspires in self-exploration over time and space by blurring fiction and nonfiction, which challenges the idea of fixed subjectivity. In regard of relational subjectivity and anti-perfectionist approach, Barry’s autobifictionalography aligns with posthuman theories (Barad 2007; Haraway 1985/1991). With such relationship, I consider that Barry’s method helps understand posthumanism’s complex idea. Finally, I discussed the posthuman ideas and Barry’s method along with Ghost in the Shell (Shirow, 1991), which is significant manga relating to posthumanism. In conclusion, I believe that Barry’s method will benefit anyone, so I am keen to invite more scholars and practitioners to study. As a manga scholar having found my transnational identity by Barry’s method, I hope to provide thoughtful connections beyond disciplines.