Books / graphic novel
Debut graphic novel from Totterdown illustrator released
“Running a business and finishing off your first graphic novel during a pandemic was intense,” says Lize Meddings, the founder of The Sad Ghost Club. “It required a lot of Animal Crossing and a lot of coffee.”
Lize, who started The Sad Ghost Club – a creative project making comic books, apparel and merchandise – in 2014, has published her first graphic novel.
The illustrator, who lives in Totterdown, started the business to spread positive awareness of mental health through comics.
is needed now More than ever
“I always wanted to make a graphic novel, but as The Sad Ghost Club grew, it became about the store, workshops and comics for the internet, so I put the idea on the back burner,” says Lize.
“That being said, when my publisher, Hachette, reached out expressing interest, I was at a bit of a crossroads of what I wanted to do. It felt like perfect timing.
“Luckily, we were on the same page in terms of story, I knew I wanted it to be an ‘origin story’ of sorts and that was exactly what they were looking for.”
Lize Meddings is founder of The Sad Ghost Club. Photo: Lize Meddings
The Sad Ghost Club, which has nearly 600,000 followers on Instagram, focuses on the trials and tribulations of a ghost as they struggle with their mental health.
“Readers can expect some solidarity, I hope,” says Lize.
“It’s all about letting people in and how comforting it can be to find that – which I really do hope is the case for those reading. You can also expect some cute animals, dumb moments, and some pretty pages.”
Despite the sometimes sad and difficult subject matter of mental health, Lize’s illustration style and characters means that these topics can be covered with lightness.
Having only created zines for The Sad Ghost Club in the past, Lize admits that the process has been a challenge, but that it pushed her to think outside the box.
“It took a lot of edits and re-writes to make my rambling thoughts make sense and it really pushed me to think past the usual six panel comics I was making. A challenge, but I learnt so much so I’m really grateful for the push. And then, 243 hand drawn and inked pages later, here we are!”
The book tells the origin story of Socks the ghost. Image: Lize Meddings
The book, which is available at Waterstones, Amazon and the Book Depository, has been “surreal” to create, but has been an overall success; Lize is releasing a second Sad Ghost Club book in January 2022.
And the illustrator, who has been working at home instead of her usual studio at the Island, is prioritising her own mental health and wellbeing while creating the second novel, saying: “I hope all the sad ghosties are doing’ okay in this weird-ass time we are currently living through. Go easy on yourselves.”
Main photo: Lize Meddings
Read more: If I Knew Then: Lize Meddings
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