STAUNTON, Va. (WHSV) – Ryan Brosmer said from a young age he would look forward to opening newspapers like the Washington Post specifically for the comics, now he is publishing his own.
“I like to say I’ve been drawing comics my whole life, except for a small break between the ages of 10 and 32,” Brosmer said.
Brosmer said when COVID-19 hit in 2020, it allowed him to get back to a hobby he loved, drawing cartoons.
“Doodling, sketching, it was something to do at night to keep me busy after I was done with work. I didn’t really have anywhere to go, so I started posting some on Instagram and got a got a good response and saw people that were putting out comics and just kinda realized maybe I could do this myself,” Brosmer said.
During this time, Brosmer said he found his creative style.
“I draw everything by hand, color everything digitally. And kinda learned as I went along, and before I knew it I had my first comic book out,” Brosmer said.
Three years later, he is releasing his biggest work yet, ‘Doggy and Dew: Swap Meet and Other Stories’, a 92-page graphic novel partially inspired by a special member of his household.
“It features two characters I’ve created called Doggy and Dew. Doggy is loosely based on Artemis and my experiences as a dog owner. It is an all-ages story about these two characters who get into misadventures but always get back together with the help of new friends and adventures along the way,” Brosmer said.
Although Brosmer is now selling the graphic novels he hopes anyone who reads any of his work finds the kid in themselves and just has fun.
“Just gratifying seeing the smiles on peoples’ faces especially kids when they get the book in their hands and their parents tell me how much they loved it. I remember that feeling as a kid when I would find a book like that and to be able to give somebody that same feeling is truly amazing,” Brosmer said.
Brosmer will be having a book signing for his new release on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 12 p.m. at Secret Lair Comics in Harrisonburg. You can see more of Brosmer’s work here.
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