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23 Relatable Comics Depicting The Daily Life Of An ICU Nurse By Kitty Moon
Interview With Artist
Most of the comics we know focus on humor and entertainment. However, some artists use their work to depict their own lives and address specific topics. Kitty Moon and their series ‘Nurse Katz’ provide a great example of this approach. Drawing from their own hospital work experiences, the artist uses animals as characters to illustrate common situations they encounter daily, such as treating and caring for patients, and portraying the feelings of those in need and their loved ones.
We reached out to the illustrator behind the series and asked what inspired them to start creating comics. We learned that: “I've been drawing for a long time (since I was a child). As a child, it was a way for me to express what I could not with words. As an adult, it has been a way for me to take a step back and reflect on my life and process my emotions. There is humor in the darkest of places. And where there is humor there is hope, an opportunity to see the potential in all things.”
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If you scroll through Kitty Moon’s Instagram feed, you will discover that the artist has created various series of comics so far. We were wondering if there are any recurring themes or motifs characteristic to their creative work. The illustrator told us: “The themes and motifs are a bit random. Usually focused on the problem du jour.”
“I think I consistently bring up the ideas of love and acceptance of self. I think this desire is something that is universal. One of the most popular comic characters I created was Wolfie and Turkey, and it focuses on this theme. Oftentimes when I create characters, it takes time to develop them and imagine how they would live in the world I've created for them.”
Asked to tell us more about the characters featured in their series, the creator of ‘Nurse Katz’ answered: “The characters are based off of real people (including myself). I think it makes the characters more relatable, realistic, and funny (to think this is someone). I like cats (they are so mischievous) and model some of the cat characters after my first beloved cat, named ‘Spot’.”
happens to me once, I ran into a Spanish friend I hadn’t seen for a long time and I started talking to him in French (i'm french), but louder... I bugged for a while seeing his head and before I realized what I had just done 😅
The artist shared with us how they come up with ideas for the new strips: “I started making comics when I went back to school to pursue nursing as a second degree (had a BFA). Initially, it was a way for me to cope with the stress of school and when I started working as a nurse it became a form of therapy.
The comics were a direct translation of my experiences both at work and in my personal life. It helped me deal with the constant suffering, death, and dying at work. Especially during the Covid pandemic when I was working in an ICU in NYC. I love comics because they are so immediate and accessible."
Gotta make sure them cheek pouches are full. Sneaky little buggers.
Kitty Moon shared with us some of their influences in the world of comics: “One of my favorite comic writers is the Perry Bible.”
The artist continued: “Though underrated, I think comics can be a powerful medium to hone in on a particular issue and present it in a different light. I also love manga for this reason. One of my favorite artists is Osamu Tezuka, the father of manga. He is known for Astro Boy and other great works but one of my favorites of his is Buddha. He is the master of story-telling and also interjecting light humor. I actually used his comics as a reference for some of the action scenes and compositions in my comics (though not as masterfully... lol).”
Finally, Kitty Moon said: “Also, my dad is pretty funny, so I credit him for passing that trait down to me (though I am funnier).”
I think the problem begins with the cat looking after that bird - the wolf just makes things worse
Sometimes it's the ones who *aren't* interacting with you , who need a look over
Maybe call for support? You're probably good, but are you able to work miracles?
I can't help thinking that the most important part of the body is whatever isn't working at the time.
The trouble is, most people have never been taught to explain their pain, so they can't reliably help you help them. It's like, "On a scale of 1 to 10..." but maybe they've forgotten what a 10 felt like - and, they're maybe panicking anyway. Some answers may be helpful but not that specific, even as a trend over time.
Germs are smaller than you can see. This is a surprisingly difficult thing to deal with
Don't worry, it's OK, I have experience, I used to be in the Artillery . . .
