This comic is indicative of my mental state – NO I am not befriending neo-nazis. I mean I sketched it up on a whim but then sat on it for over a week because I was unsure what to do with it, before accidentally posting it as a blog post when I meant to just make a web page for it. (don’t manage your website before coffee, kids!)

Art is my life, but I feel all my hard work isn’t being properly focused. This is why I am planning to finally get some help – NO I am not checking into a psych ward (though I probably should). I am planning to take on an assistant, somebody to help me in my studio and manage my page. I know I could be a lot more effective in my efforts if I had somebody backing me up and taking care of things that, frankly, I am not very good at. I’ll keep you posted about how this proceeds, and hopefully it will translate into things running more smoothly around here.

I identify as a Taoist, and part of my practice as a Taoist is to follow my natural inclinations in order to sort through the confusion of living so much of my life as the wrong gender and find my “true nature”. This led me to learn in 2020 that I have ADD (they don’t often diagnose adults with the ‘H’). These two things translate into me constantly trying new things and pursuing many different projects – often too many.

One thing in particular I am trying out in 2021 is spending less time on social media. But I still want an outlet to write my thoughts down, as well as broadcast some of the many different things I get up to as an artist. So the obvious choice is to resurrect the blog format my site once followed back when I started it up back in 2015!

My big focus in 2021 will still be on my horror “graphic exorcism”, The Urban Animal, sequel to my previous horror story, She Never Came Out. Currently my plan with TUA is to complete and release chapters 2 and 3, before wrapping up the remaining 5 chapters to release leading up to Halloween 2021.

I am also spending a lot of time doing live streams, primarily through my twitch page. Sundays at 6 PM PST I host The Sunday Portrait, where I interview and draw a new guest each week.

Tuesdays at 6 PM I stream my attempts at toymaking on my show, Dollarstore Kitbash.

And on Thursdays (also at 6 PM) I run voice feminization workouts for trans people on Transgender Voice Training Time. Episodes get uploaded to my Youtube channel so trainees can go back to them to train alongside.

This Spring, my new graphic novel, and sequel to First Year Out, Coming Out Again, is being released by Signing Dragon Press. This story continues after the first book, but focuses on a variety of characters and explores various aspects of identity and how people’s identities can evolve over time. Look for it in March 2021!

Finally, I am opening art commissions once again! Pencil head shot sketches start at $10. Send me an e-mail at lifeofbria @ gmail.com to get a quote for your project.

I always have lots of arty things on the go, so be sure check back here every Friday to get a look at what I get up to in 2021!

– Previous –

I was hired this week to do a commission of a Shin Godzilla. The thing is huge; much bigger than my drawing desk. This makes it hard to photograph. But I did my best to document both the entire composition as well as a scan to show the fine details. What do you think?

Would you want a Bria monster hanging on your wall?

I’ve barely been bothering with updating the blog on here as much as I should because I’ve been focusing on building up my Facebook Page. And, let’s face it, that’s where the majority of the action happens. So you should definitely check it out if you’re worried about missing something!

But, with the new year comes a new season of my weekly podcast, Live With Bria. Season two kicks off with a one-on-one interview with Sophie Labelle, world famous author of the trans webcomic, Assigned Male. We’ll probably talk about trans stuff or something. I dunno, she’s kinda on vacation right now, so we mostly just stay up all night drinking boozy coffee and drawing.

Oh yeah, there’s a new comic up, it being Friday and all. Them comics are going to be coming at a reduced rate for the next few months, as I seriously need to get my butt in gear working on this graphic novel. Look for them every Monday, and probably Friday, if I have time.

But if you’re wanting more Bria content, consider becoming a financial supporter of Life of Bria through Patreon. People who pay a monthly subscription are ultimately what keeps this comic going, and those who are generous enough to do so are rewarded with extra exclusive content not available to the general public, as well as varied rewards, depending on how much you donate. So please consider signing up today, I promise you won’t regret it.

Support Life of Bria on Patreon and keep the site afloat!!

I’m slowly easing into a regular schedule of posting comics and updates again. It’s looking like only one or two per week is what’s feasible right now, but I will try to keep them coming on the usual days a comic would come out – Monday, Wednesday, or Friday.

I’m also still doing podcasts. This week’s is a special one. I’ll be having two of my most favouritest people on – Sophie Labelle of “Assigned Male Comics” and Jessica Nightmare of “Manic Pixie Nightmare Girls”.

All three of us will be in the same location broadcasting live this Sunday via strangelabel.com.

So, there’s a new comic up. I guess that means I’m not on hiatus anymore. Though, things will definitely be on a reduced schedule, most likely once a week. I’m recovering from my surgery well, but as I get more energy I need to be spending it on this graphic novel I’m supposed to be writing.

It’s frustrating, because with these election results in the USA, there is suddenly an entire galaxy of bull-crap that needs to have comics made out of it, but there is only so much one laid up cartoonist can do.

But whatever comes in these next four years, I will do what I can to call it out, and to try to fight these forces that are quite clearly massing against us.

They’re not going to win this. Because I’m on this team, and I don’t lose.

– Bria

Dear Reader,

Life of Bria will be going on hiatus for a couple of weeks while I recover from GRS. There will still be updates about “Live With Bria” podcast episodes each week, which I have pre-recorded and will go out as scheduled. There’s some really, really good ones lined up. And while I know that technically makes it no longer ‘live’, it’s that or nothing, so…

I just want to thank you all for taking the time to read and share my comics. It truly means so much to me. And also, in light of all the controversy and hatred that has been directed at our community both recently and all of this year, I just want to say how thankful and honoured I am that I get to be alive at this special time in history.

For all the scary things going on, I firmly believe this is the turning point for us. Every day we’re winning more and more, and we can all say we were a part of that. For every single day you’re helping our cause, whether by reading and sharing material by myself and others, by being politically active and informed and getting out and voting, and even just by existing, you challenge those who would try to erase us from public life. There has never yet been a better time in history to be trans, and the more I learn about my readers and our community, the stronger I realize you all are, and the more firmly I believe we have what it takes to claim our rightful, equal place in society.

Never before in my life did I ever feel like I was part of any kind of ‘community’. But now I finally do, and I couldn’t be more proud.

See you in a couple of weeks!

– Bria

 

I’m pleased to announce that this Sunday I’ll be talking LIVE with Julia Serano!

Julia is an Oakland-based writer, performer, and activist. She is the author of two books, 2007’s Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity (now in second edition), and 2013’s Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive. Julia’s other writings have appeared in over a dozen anthologies, and in news and media outlets such as TIME, The Guardian, Salon, The Daily Beast, Alternet.org, Ms., Out, and The Advocate. Her writings have been used as teaching materials in queer and gender studies courses across North America.

Learn more about Julia and her writings at juliaserano.com.

And tune in at 3:00 PM PST (6:00 PM EST) on strangelabel.com to listen to our live  discussion of her third book, as well as art, poetry, and being trans in today’s society.

 

 

There’s a new comic up, as scheduled.

 

But what all the kids are REALLY talking about, is the new Custom Cards By Bria Commercial! I drew it at the beginning of the Summer, but only just now put it to sound and uploaded it. Take a look, and consider your options for holiday gifts this year!

 

Order a custom card here.