The human brain is a complicated organ. Join comic creator and professional cartoonist Rachael Smith as she tries to decode her own in Wired Up Wrong Deluxe Edition. Smith uses her comic as a way to understand her depression and anxiety, and how readers feeling like this too can be less alone in the world. Overall, Smith delivers a powerful comic that is both hysterical and heart-wrenching, and will leave a smile on readers’ faces
Wired Up Wrong is the semi-autobiographical journey of Smith trying to figure out how her brain works. It means trying to put rhyme and reason into when she can’t climb out of bed or leave her house, or feeling an imaginary game show deciding a person’s feelings makes about as much sense as anything else. Throughout the comic, Rachael is followed closely by Barky, her mental health issue personified into two forms. One is more menacing and demonic, an obvious adversary and easier to confront. Her worst days, when Barky is at his most cuddly and largest, are crippling and self-destructive. Fortunately for Rachael, rounding out her cast of characters include her supportive partner Adam and cat Rufus, at least when there isn’t a box or plastic bag around. Who’s to say which I’m referring to…
This is a fantastic piece of work. It’s hilarious, honest, and at times incredibly painful to read. However, it’s worth it to power through Smith’s darkest thoughts. There is a lot to love about Wired Up Wrong, but perhaps the strongest is Smith’s voice and her story-telling style. Most of the pages act like diary entries, so there is no linear story line at play. Every passage ends with Smith’s commentary on her own work, and it’s often self-deprecating. Even one of the “Wheels of Feels” game show characters has a complete existential breakdown, proving to be more than a one-note joke about the wheel getting stuck on horny and confused. Though, that’s pretty funny too.
While it’s not the most original idea to, in Smith’s paraphrased words, visualize her mental health struggles through a black dog, it is extremely clever to have the more destructive image be cute and cuddly. It’s very understandable when people are in pain for a long time, they gravitate towards that pain versus making the terrifying choice to make a change. Really, who could resist the false safety of this suffocating cutie?
The artwork for Wired Up Wrong captures the tone very nicely. It’s not entirely appropriate to describe the art as fun given the subject matter, but they are. My favourite artwork is each panel depicting the struggle to get out of bed. As the comic progresses, Barky sits on her; in another, she has morphed into the bed; her bed is surrounded by hungry sharks. Each picture showcases how creative Smith is. My only nitpick is I wish Smith’s afterthoughts were slightly larger in size. Overall, the artwork makes this comic the charming piece it is.
Smith dispenses sound advice to readers: if you have concerns about your mental health, definitely see your doctor. Afterwards, do yourself a big favor and buy this comic. Wired Up Wrong is all kinds of right. Smith serves up a spoonful of comfort to anyone willing to open themselves up to it. It’s obvious this comic was a labor of exploration, frustration and ultimately love for Smith. Anyone contending with mental health issues, or even needs a good laugh and cry, should add this comic to their reading arsenal.
Have you read Wired Up Wrong Check out Rachael Smith’s works here, then sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!