In the 12 years that I wrote and drew Melancholy Greetings, the one question I was asked most often was whether the subjects depicted in my cards were based on real people. The short answer is no. But in actuality, I think the hapless individuals that comprised the bulk of Melancholy Greetings probably resembled someone you know.
Perhaps, in one of my hand-drawn, dun-colored epiphanies, you recognize a down-on-his-luck uncle, or a rattled roommate, or a disenfranchised friend. If so, perhaps this coincidental similarity may have inspired you to share your unexpected discovery with that uncle, or that roommate, or that friend.
At the end of the day, it's important to remember that "misery loves company" is not an excuse to indulge in schadenfreude. Instead, think of it as a call to empathize. Sending someone a greeting card won't save the world, but it's a terrific way of saying, "This folded piece of paper made me think of you."
A few hundred designs and many thousands of cards sold later, I finally retired the Melancholy Greetings card line back in 2018. Luckily for discerning Depression Enthusiasts, the cards now live on in book form, as a collection of 46 postcards called, fittingly enough, Blank Cards for Empty Lives.
You can learn more about the official postcard book here. But be advised, optimists: happiness sold separately.
Perhaps, in one of my hand-drawn, dun-colored epiphanies, you recognize a down-on-his-luck uncle, or a rattled roommate, or a disenfranchised friend. If so, perhaps this coincidental similarity may have inspired you to share your unexpected discovery with that uncle, or that roommate, or that friend.
At the end of the day, it's important to remember that "misery loves company" is not an excuse to indulge in schadenfreude. Instead, think of it as a call to empathize. Sending someone a greeting card won't save the world, but it's a terrific way of saying, "This folded piece of paper made me think of you."
A few hundred designs and many thousands of cards sold later, I finally retired the Melancholy Greetings card line back in 2018. Luckily for discerning Depression Enthusiasts, the cards now live on in book form, as a collection of 46 postcards called, fittingly enough, Blank Cards for Empty Lives.
You can learn more about the official postcard book here. But be advised, optimists: happiness sold separately.
MELANCHOLY GREETINGS related content and illustrations © 2020 David S.E. Zapanta. All rights reserved.
