Fairfield Native Creates and Self Publishes his own Comic Book
Drew Morrison
The weekends are Drew Morrison’s sacred studio time. Often getting up at the crack of dawn, he goes to a room covered in pin-ups of his original art, shelves of graphic novels, and a flat-screen television he uses to detail his ink illustrations. Sitting at a drafting table once owned by his mother, he remains in his studio with focused intent.
Drew Morrison a native of Buffalo, NY. Moving from Brooklyn after a decade of living there, Drew has expanded upon his creative horizons while in Connecticut. Moving with his family to the Fairfield area, he has enjoyed 2 years in town.
Drew grew up in an artistically inclined household, with his mother being an artist and his father in the design field. After high school, Drew got a graduate degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. It was at Pratt that Drew fully realized his potential for life as an artist. It wasn’t until changing his major several times, and switching between industrial design, drawing, painting, and illustration that he honed in on his path. The experience at Pratt sparked his passion for art and it would be years later that Drew realized his potential as a storyteller.
“This is my first comic book, but I have always been making images and telling as much of a story as I can inside them. The storytelling angle of it was something that came much later on.”
Drew Morrison
“Brokenland” is the title of the comic book series that Drew writes, illustrates, and colors. As of March 4th, 2021, Drew reached his crowdfunding goal on Kickstarter to publish the third issue of “"Brokenland".” Drew’s resounding success of raising nearly $8,000 with 243 backers comes after previously crowdfunding and subsequently publishing issues #1 & #2 of his series.
The story of “"Brokenland"” is fun and introspective, one that bends genres and minds alike. The main character Meeso (named after the tofu found in Drew’s favorite soup), is a wide-eyed, genderless, and young soul traveling through the streets of everyday life to the depths of an ethereal landfill. In a city crowded by anthropomorphic creatures and lurking dangers around every corner, Meeso seeks out a mentor in ‘Old Man Moth’ (a supporting character in issue #2) who may be the key to unlocking a secret power within the pale main character.
Meeso’s story is one of narrative complexity and an inexplicable relatability. The child-like wonder in their wide, pupil-less eyes shows something familiar to readers of all ages. The resoundingly affectionate praise given to Drew’s character is a part of the inspiration and success of “Brokenland.”
“I started drawing strips and three panels in school around the same time I created [Meeso], but they were never long form. They were kind of one-offs, not really saying anything about society or anything deep,” Drew said with a giggle.
“After that, I put it down, and for years I was just doing these very detailed illustrations….and I would sell those and prints of them. Many people buying these prints with rough sketches of Meeso asked, ‘are you making comics? You have to make comics with this character. You should make a graphic novel.’ Enough people said that to me, and it formed a little seed in my mind. I gathered up all of my drawings and prints I had made and started to try and find the longer story from them.”
The design process behind Meeso and “"Brokenland"” is just as creative as the story itself. Drew utilizes many renowned and original artistic techniques in his independent publication. One such technique is using the 'nine-panel grid,' a visual storytelling device that divides the pages into three intersecting rows and columns.
“A lot of artists create very dynamic layouts and this works out sometimes. I set this framework up for myself because", as someone who is just getting into comics, I needed a set of rules to work within. “Watchmen” was the first book I read that made me understand the power of a nine-panel grid.”
Another decision Drew makes in creating his story is having a dialogue-free narrative. Drew’s process includes drafting thumbnails and sketches of the story with few notes written out. A style that lends itself to high definition illustrations without a necessity for word bubbles or text. Most contemporary comic books are crowded with word bubbles and text, but not “Brokenland”. Rather, Drew creates a strong emphasis on visual and illustrated storytelling, something he takes meticulous time to create.
Drew is most definitely someone who sees comic books as a higher art form. Once the audience removes preconceived notions of Sunday funnies and cinematic universes aside, stories like Meeso’s in “"Brokenland"” portray an endearing and personal tale. A tale that Drew hopes to share with a larger audience and community as his third volume reaches publication.
Drew Morrison
“It’s been very humbling. People from earlier in my art career have gotten on board with my books and have slowly expanded my reader base. It’s really encouraging.”
Although "Brokenland" #3 has reached its crowdfunding goal, Drew hopes to expand his fanbase in any and all directions. "Brokenland" is available for purchase on Drew’s website and locally at Rogue Comics in Bridgeport. Following the success of the series thus far, Drew will soon begin work on creating, funding, and publishing the final issue of Volume 1 of “Brokenland.” Fairfield native and creative storyteller, Drew Morrison, shows no signs of slowing in the pursuit of his aspirations.
Follow Drew:
https://www.brokenlandcomics.com/
All Illustrations by Drew Morrison
