The luxury of having different methods to escape reality is something most people can’t afford. Whether financial, mental, or emotional, the burden of life gives people the illusion they can’t take a break while figuring things out. Taking a break from life doesn’t always mean taking some luxurious vacation or expensive spa day, but it could be as simple as reading a book.
For boys — especially boys of color — sports, games, and anime have allowed them to escape their reality and live in a world that is acute to their creativity. Being able to express your uniqueness can help people see themselves from a different perspective, assist with mental and emotional health, and help them decompress from life. But, another avenue is books. While most kids learn literature through short stories, and audio book; comic books and mangas can fuel their creativity.
“I was always into manga and Japanese culture, but I didn’t start writing until I was in college, and I realized it was a hidden talent of mine,” Tony Weaver Jr., the creator of “Weirdo” said about writing his first comic. “I was surprised that I wasn’t writing comics before because I was writing to express myself, but once I wrote my first comic, I knew this one I was going to make public.”
Weaver Jr. draws inspiration from different things such as his setting, people, culture, and life experiences that he feels are missing from stories.” I look around and read a bunch of literature, and it’s repetitive, so I wanted to tell the stories that are often forgotten or overlooked.” Weaver said. “As I embarked on this journey for answers, it led me to write about Werido, a novel that is first of its kind.”
“Weirdo” is a novel about 11-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. who loves comic books, anime, and video games and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he’s a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people’s expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self-love that will require him to become the hero of his own story.
“Weirdo” is a triumphant, witty, and comedic story for any kid who’s ever felt awkward, left out, or like they don’t belong. An adolescent survival guide that will give every reader the confidence to make it to the other side.
“I created this book to start the mental health conversion, among other things in the comic space because I felt like there was no representation of the problems and solutions for what Tony is going through,” Weaver said about his book. “ I want to help kids healthily disengage from their reality because everybody isn’t taught how to, and we see the results of kids and adults lashing out and hurting the ones around them when they can’t decompress.”
“Weirdo” is available for purchase at all major bookstores and retailers.
