[DISCLAIMER: This post is more sentimental than usual, but I had a little gin with breakfast*]
I started drawing Cherita Chen last year…
“Chut up!”
“No, it’s true.”
Cherita is a character from the film Donnie Darko who, for me, is one of the heroes of the piece – and not just for demonstrating that earmuffs can be a valid lifestyle choice.
Throughout the film [particularly in the Director's Cut], Cherita experiences such heart-breaking abuse that it almost felt wrong to include it as text in this image.
Cherita is the film’s innocent. She is abused not because she is mean or invented pop-up advertising, but because she looks and sounds different from the majority. Cherita is bullied. Each time it happens, Cherita becomes more and more distant from the group – she stands away from them at the bus stop, she wears earmuffs to block out their voices, and she eats her lunch alone. She represents real life for too many people.
I think Cherita is a hero for just leaving the house, but what really makes her special [and my favourite character in the piece] is her ability to get on stage and dance in front of those same people. I would have completely understood were Cherita unable to do either of these things but, as a character who represents the bullied, I think she deserves hero status.
And so, to my point: I had this idea to create a series of short comic strips inspired by Cherita [but only inspired by, you understand? - I'm not a fanfiction fan, nor am I a "getting sued by Richard Kelly" fan]. She might have superpowers, she might not. She might have a costume, she might not. Her arch-nemesis might be Oprah, she might not. Ultimately, the plan is to create a character, inspired by Cherita and informed by people I know… so… if anyone, like me, was bullied for preferring astronomy to AstroTurf or Kylie to killing small animals, and would like to contribute their experience of same to a story, please get in touch.
One more thing: Jolene Purdy is the very talented actress who played Cherita. She’s very sweet and is well worth a follow on Twitter – link
*I didn’t really have gin with breakfast.
