Wednesday Webcomics: A Journey of Healing and Peace in “BLINK”

In the webcomic BLINK, the world literally stops for Mia. She now spends her days searching for any sign of life, waiting for time to move forward again. But a horrifying beast lurks in the least of places, its shadows eager to devour Mia. Every day becomes a test of survival and a question of whether she can escape this purgatory existence.

Mia — lonely and failing at school — goes home to overhear her abusive and emotionally unavailable parents fighting again. Overwhelmed with depression and anxiety, she has nowhere and no one else to turn to… until time stops. At first, it seems like everyone but her in New York City has gone still. She can steal, use a gun, and sleep in penthouses. The world is hers to claim, the possibilities are endless. However, the thrill only lasts so long, and Mia becomes bitter and hopeless when confronting her parents frozen mid-fight. When she finally spots a living crow, and then a dog and its homeless owner, her relief dwindles as the beast appears to snatch them away from her.

BLINK depicts the metaphorical journey of finding healing and peace while coping with mental illness. Right before time stills, Mia screams to drown out the sound of her parents fighting. Her release washes the city in gray and sweeps the noise of traffic and people away. Finally, there is silence, but not the one she expects. Instead, the landscape has manifested her fear of being trapped. She doesn’t want to end up like her parents, but she knows she can’t leave without the support and resources to nurture her well-being and safety. Now she has the freedom to do what she wants without consequences, but it only makes her feel worse.

The art style, from the coloring to the fluid character movements, reflects Mia’s mental state throughout her personal journey. She’s a teenager unsure about her future, contemplating whether it’s worth living another day. After time freezes, she has one-sided conversations with the inert people in the city, which doesn’t help uplift her mood. The handling of mental illness in this webcomic is impressive. Mia’s journey and the story’s end feel realistic on an emotional level. Her story is one of facing your demons head-on, of carving your own person instead of letting your past define you. Of course, Mia’s story doesn’t end after the last panel. She’s just beginning to get up and move forward.

BLINK has been created by REX OGLE and Eduardo Francisco. The webcomic is available to read on Tapas.

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 each night with his partner. For The Geekiary, he writes about webcomics and SFF media.

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