Digital art of Aran and Tao as younger teens, sitting at the curb in front of a local basketball court. It’s a warm early summer evening, behind them the sky slowly turns orange and purple and at the basketball court two guys are playing, a subway on high track trails is passing and there’s some nyc buildings and skyline
Aran and Tao after the timeskip, now 19/20 years old, older and taller, sitting at an electricity box in front of a basketball court. It’s a warm summer day and the colors are warm with lots of yellow and orange and red
Aran and Tao as young adults late at night at a bodega where Aran has his late night shift. Aran sits behind the counter while Tao sits on the counter and they are solving a crossword puzzle together. They are surrounded by bodega items and clutter. The view is a top view looking down in both, like from a security camera.
Aran and Tao as young adults at a laundromat late at night. Aran puts some clothes into a dryer, while Tao behind him leans at one of the folding tables and chats with Aran. Both are smiling and are in a casual and good mood. The colors are a bit cooler with some neon lights.
Wherever I’m With You (Putnam 2027), a co-created graphic novel by Suzanne Samin and me, follows two former best friends from the Bronx: Aran, a Syrian American teen, grappling with his mother’s death,
and Tao, a college basketball star, who have to face life and old feelings once Tao moves back.
