Liminal State

44 pages, black and white.
2019

Liminal State is a memoir about dealing with post-partum and grief at the same time.
Winner: 2019 MICE mini-grant.

It’s based on my own experiences in 2016, when my beloved father died after a monthlong coma and I had my first child via traumatic birth, both within a year.

“Liminal State dazzles with its honesty, sophistication and truth.”
—Knowledgeable Cabbage Comics review

With this comic, I’m proud to be able to help those grieving, as well as those who experience birth trauma or post-partum depression or anxiety, to feel less alone. They are both heavy topics that can be so overwhelming and difficult to articulate, which makes them a natural fit for visual exploration with comics. Abstract markmaking was a big part of my visual storytelling here, and I made use of a combination of pencil, pen, brush, nib, ink, gouache, and marker to convey the tumult and overwhelm.

Liminal State made its debut at MICE 2019, where it also won a mini-grant. It was also reprinted in MUTHA Magazine in its entirety. It was first published under my Maria Photinakis pseudonym until 2022, and reviews and accolades before 2022 also reference my old name.

“A raw, gripping, and deeply personal exploration of grief and post-partum anxiety.” —Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE)