Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has been front and center as his country tries to repel Russia’s invasion.
Now, TidalWave Comics - a Vancouver-based multimedia production company that specializes in telling politicians’ stories - is telling Zelensky’s story in comic book form.
Michael Frizell is the comic book’s author. He explains why they decided to highlight Zelenskyy and his story.
“I think the practical concern about putting the book together was that we wanted to tell a story about a man under siege in extraordinary circumstances," said Frizell. "And what made him fascinating was that he’s not your typical politician. He came from an acting background. He was a comedian who was pretending to be the president on Ukranian television and then suddenly becomes the president.”
Frizell adds as he worked on the comic book, he found
Zelensky's background gave him a unique presence.
“There’s something about being on television and being interviewed - all of these sorts of things - that I find uncomfortable. And so when I started thinking about him (Zelensky), he’s a man trained to do that, to be in front of the camera and to have a presence. And then when the war hit, he started doing these things with his cell phone - like citizen journalism or something,” said Frizell.
The 22-page book is illustrated by Pablo Martinena and is available digitally and in print on multiple platforms.
A special hardcover collectible of the comic book will be available.
Delaware Public Media' s arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
