A series of four panel comics. In the first panel, Emily stands with her hands on her hips, glowing with sparkles radiating from her. The narration begins: “I felt like I did a pretty good job at keeping myself afloat this winter.” Emily says a quiet “haha yaaaay.” In the second panel, a large sphere looms over Emily, casting a shadow. The narration continues, “and as if to prove me wrong, seasonal depression walloped intimate this month, the with haphazard turn of the season.” Emily gives another quiet “haha yaaay.” In the third panel, Emily attempts to pull herself out from under the sphere which is now on top of her. The narration continues, “(or, maybe just normal depression? Eh, the details aren’t important.)” Emily, from under the rock, lets out a feeble “haha yaaay.” In the fourth panel, we see repeated frames of a figure pushing a rock up a hill, repeating more and more and getting smaller and smaller down the panel. The narration continues, “I’ve written so much about these waves, these highs and lows, and I’ve certainly used this imagery before, this allusion to Greek myth—“
Another set of four panels. In the first panel, we see a hand crossing a date off a March 2026 calendar. The narration reads, “one must, I suppose, imagine Sisyphus happy, still trying even when he fails again and again.” In the second panel, Emily stands on a street corner, bundled up in a coat and greeting a friend, who leans against a phone poll. The narration continues “how Sisyphus makes an effort to be present with the people important to him.” In the third panel, Emily tromps on the treadmill, anime music blaring in the background. The narration continues, “how Sisyphus does the work, the self care even when it’s hard, the toolbox overflowing with skills.” In the fourth panel, Emily sits at her desk talking at her laptop, looking tired and stressed. The narration continues, “imagine Sisyphus telling his therapist about the anger, the fury at the injustices of the world, the rage bundled up in his chest unable to even just budge the rock.”
Another set of four panels. In the first two panels, hands push against a large bolder, the bolder being as wide as two panels. The narration reads, “but imagine—no, remember—that Sisyphus was alone.” In the third panel, we see the rock and the sky above it, and a lasso flying through the air. In the fourth panel, we see Emily peeking out from the side of the rock, wiping her forehead of sweat and reacting in shock.
One final, full page panel. We zoom out and see Emily pushing the rock, now lassoed around its middle and being pulled by a sequence of friends further up the hill. Together, they make progress. The narration concludes: “but I’m not.”
on myth
