Brazilian Artist Creates Heartbreaking Comics Without Using A Single Word

Just a few days ago, a comic by Ademar Vieira was posted here. It explored two possible universes of having and not having a dog. This time, we’re posting more of his comics. What’s so different about these comics is that they don’t explore two different alternatives, and just like in life in general, there’s only one outcome. And like in real life, the outcomes sometimes are tragic.

Vieira’s stories are really touching, and explore really difficult themes of parenting, social injustice, economic inequality, the difficulties of quarantine, and death itself, especially in the face of the current pandemic. They’re truly realistic and heartbreaking, so set up some tissues beside you—it may squeeze a tear or two.

Looking at the stories, it’s no surprise that Vieira worked as a screenwriter. But what’s surprising is how talented he is at illustrating these narratives without using a single word. The fact that his silent narratives express a whole world of emotions, themes, and ideas is remarkable.

More info: Instagram

Pandemics

Image credits: ademar__vieira

Ademar gave Bored Panda an exclusive interview about his works and background in general. “I started making the strips unpretentiously, just as a way to exorcise my demons during a very difficult phase that I was going through in early 2020 and when I posted, I realized that many people identified with them themselves. I received good feedback and then I continued to expose the things I was feeling and the audience got bigger. When I recovered from the bad phase, we were in the coronavirus pandemic, meaning everyone was going through a bad phase, so I continued to explore the problems people around the world were going through. Now I have used the strips to express my opinions on some issues that I consider relevant, whether personal, social, or political.”

The Theater

Sometimes small actions we take can change someone’s life. Have you ever stopped to think about what kind of change your attitudes are causing in the world? Note: In Brazil, it is very common for children to help their families financially by selling treats on the streets, this boy is an example of this.

Image credits: ademar__vieira

Recently, he’s been enjoying some success over social media, and he shared his reaction to it. “I couldn’t believe it when a comic strip of mine went viral in Latin America in June this year. I received 100 thousand likes and gained 20 thousand followers in one week. Famous people and profiles came to talk to me and congratulate me and that left me in the clouds, but it also brought the weight of responsibility. Now, I was no longer making strips just for me and my friends, people from different countries were also seeing me. I was very happy that the public showed me a path to be followed as an artist and I want to follow that path to see what else is good.”

Mother

This comic strip is called “Mother” because it talks about the mother of all living beings: Nature. Today, in my country, Brazil, there is daily news of arson in the Amazon and the Pantanal, our two largest reserves of biodiversity. It affects us, but not to the same degree that it affects animals. Perhaps, through art, we can put ourselves in their shoes and try to see things from another perspective…

Image credits: ademar__vieira

What really matters

Image credits: ademar__vieira

Heroes of Health

This comic strip is called “Heroes of Health” and I dedicate it to all the professionals who gave their lives and continue giving to the fight against COVID-19.

Image credits: ademar__vieira

The Delivery Boy

This comic strip is called “The Delivery Boy” and I dedicate it to all the professionals who gained great importance during the pandemic, but don’t have guaranteed basic rights.

Image credits: ademar__vieira

Tears

Image credits: ademar__vieira

The River

For many indigenous cultures, a river is not a natural resource, but a living entity with a personality. In some cases, he is considered a close relative, so he is treated with respect. The indigenous’s connection with nature is so strong that he cannot exist without it. That is why this comic strip is called “The River” and at the same time it tells the story of a river, it also tells the story of several indigenous peoples in Latin America.