Webcomic Recommendation: “A Love Unafraid”

A reserved farmer’s scarecrow comes alive one day and experiences a complex and contradictory world. While the webcomic, A Love Unafraid by B.Quill, at first glance, is seemingly a story about what it means to be human, it becomes so much more than that.

Narratives involving artificial people — robots, clones, hybrids, etc. — often focus on what it means to be human. They often end up being portrayed as more human than the human characters. The fantasy webcomic, A Love Unafraid, however, explores beyond those concepts. It’s not about the scarecrow coming to life and learning about his purpose. The webcomic is also a meditation on forgiveness, patience, and what it takes to better yourself as a person.

Cole shoulders the burden of managing his late father’s farm. He does not own a cell phone (still uses a landline), thinks having TV is a waste of time, and would rather keep to himself. His only other comfort is the scarecrow he tends to every season. One day, that scarecrow, later named Terri, comes alive, and that changing Cole’s life would be an understatement.

At first, Cole acts hesitant about this sentient scarecrow, avoiding him and even shouting at him to stay away. His sister’s visit doesn’t help as she tries encouraging him to open up. When he lashes out at Terri following an incident, he reflects on how his actions are similar to his late father’s.

Meanwhile, Terri has his moments of reflection as well. He receives advice from the crow Corvus about choosing whether to forgive Cole for the way he’s treated him. As the story progresses, Terri worries over not expressing what he wants to say or do. His character arc involves seeking human connections, which is something Cole struggles with. At one point, Terri says that he’s meant to protect the corn, but asks himself if it’s okay that he just watched before coming to life. He wonders whether being alive is worth it if it means not always watching over the fields.

But the webcomic also contains fun and humorous moments as Terri observes human interactions and even sneaks into the nearby town to see a festival. Extending beyond the common artificial person narrative, A Love Unafraid is a gorgeous story about understanding the complexities and contradictions of our world. B.Quill does a fantastic job of building up relationships and conveying complex human emotions and dynamics.

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A Love Unafraid is an ongoing webcomic available to read on Tapas. Follow the creator on Instagram.

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For more great webcomic recommendations, check out our Wednesday Webcomics archives!

Author: Bradda M.

Bradda M. currently lives in Virginia. He teaches ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) at a public school and spends his free time reading and watching movies with his partner.

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