Traces of Madness: A Graphic Memoir

Balius and Pellejer’s raw and revealing graphic memoir debut depicts Balius’s mental illness as a shaggy monster shadowing his day-to-day life. Looking back at his life from age 35, he describes the urgency he feels to share his story now: “It tugs at me violently, from within, in my guts.” Raised in Castile, he began having psychotic episodes at age nine, during which he heard voices. In his late teens, he felt “my sense of self begin to crumble.” He includes the perspectives of others who experience psychosis, covering how social and financial status affects the disorder, the ways in which mental illness adversely impacts the physical body, the challenge of getting a proper diagnosis, and effective medications. Friendships and humor provide vital lifelines throughout the memoir. Above all, Balius insists upon claiming an identity apart from one’s illness: “I didn’t know any ‘psychotics’ or ‘schizophrenics’ (I later realized there are no such things—there are only people).” Pellejer’s expressive art is dominated by blues and grays, with the shaggy monster appearing in yellow. It’s a searingly honest account and a valuable addition to the graphic medicine category. (May)