It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth

Zoe Thorogood, a cartoonist, recorded six months of her life as it fell apart as an attempt to put it all back together. I can't say whether or not this worked for her but it was certainly helpful to me. This story chronicles her struggles with mental health, her family, and her art as the endless wave of day-to-day trials and tribulations make these struggles easier or harder to keep a grip on. Though some parts of this story are silly and we may occasionally get off track that is part of what makes this such a real and moving story: Zoe takes us on side quests, and tells jokes, and at one point literally starts the story all over again, but that is what brings the warmth and extreme honesty to this book. She also manages to skillfully combine several artist styles and even photos in a way that moves with the story and adds to the other elements. If you are an artist or you struggle with your mental health or if you're just a little strange sometimes, then this book is definitely for you. Recommended By Aster A., Powells.com

A provacative graphic memoir perfect for fans of Allie Brosh's Solutions and Other Problems

— Thorogood is the winner of the 2023 Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award
— Nominated for two 2023 Eisner Awards in the Best Graphic Memoir and Best Writer/Artist categories
— Winner of the 2023 Ringo Award in the Best Graphic Novel category
— Included in Forbes' "The Best Graphic Novels of 2022" list

The 2023 Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award winning cartoonist, Zoe Thorogood (writer and artist of The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott, artist on Joe Hill's Rain graphic novelisation), records six months of her own life as it falls apart in a desperate attempt to put it back together again in the only way she knows how. It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is an intimate and meta-narrative look into the life of a selfish artist who must create for her own survival. A poignant and original depiction of a young woman's struggle with mental health--through the ups and downs of anxiety, depression, and imposter syndrome--as she forges a promising career in sequential art and finds herself along the way.

Select praise for It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth:

"Thorogood elevates the dark material with her expressive use of the comics medium and the urgency of her voice. One to watch for the 2020s." — Forbes

"This has the force of a fist punching through the page." — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Thorogood taps into sensation and the way that it is experienced in a way that is unlike anything I've seen before. It's astonishing." —AIPT

"Tragic, funny and disturbing." — Connecticut Public Radio/NPR

"Unflinchingly stark and personal." — The Guardian UK

Zoe Thorogood is a comic creator from the UK. She debuted in 2020 with The Impending Blindness Of Billie Scott. She has also illustrated Haha and most recently Joe Hill's Rain. Her multiple award-winning auto-bio-graphic novel is It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth from Image Comics.