I have just published a new comic: la mort d’un étranger (alternatively: survivor’s guilt), available freely here and elsewhere and as a PDF on a pay-what-you-want basis starting at $1.00, the profits of which will be donated to charity. 50% will go to the Trevor Project and the remaining 50% will go to the CBLDF.

I chose the Trevor Project for many reasons. First, it’s a highly reputable organization. Second, as a queer person with many queer identified friends, the Trevor Project’s focus on preventing suicide in LGBT youths is a cause that’s dear to me. Third, the Trevor Project’s message of “it gets better” is one that I think everyone who is struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts needs to hear. People need hope.

I chose the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) because they too are a reputable organization that protects the First Amendment rights of comic creators and readers (and retailers and publishers and libraries) alike. As I am a comics creator and Rosaire was a fan, I think this anti-censorship organization that protects art is a fitting organization to support.

While I tried to type something up on the comic’s page, to be honest I really don’t know what to say about about it. About any of this. As the comic says, I have no words. A day later, I still don’t. Not really. When I first read the message, I was shocked. Still am. And then loads of weird emotions followed in the wake of the initial shock. I laughed (in the way only one can laugh when face with tragedy) at the morbid irony, one which I tried to express in the comic. I also felt a weird sort of survivor’s guilt: why this stranger and not I (I ask of a guy I never knew)? What could I have done? Maybe if I had known about him, we could have talked, I could have helped…

At least with this comic, I can do something. Maybe not for Rosaire, not any more, but my art brought him joy while he was still around; maybe with this comic my art can do some good in this world. For Rosaire.