David Dastmalchian on Through

About this episode

David Dastmalchian discusses his new graphic novel Through and its themes of self-reflection and mental health.

To create is to submit. Here’s my story, this is me. Filmmaker, actor, and comic book writer David Dastmalchian returns to the podcast this week. He’s discussing his new graphic novel Through, made in collaboration with artist Cat Staggs and letterer Adam Wollet. It’s a deeply intimate story about an orphan who cracks her head and enters a fantastical realm as a result. There are direct allusions to Lewis Carroll and several other classics and not-so-classics. However, ultimately, Through is David Dastmalchian revealing a piece of himself to the reader, and hoping the reader finds a piece of themselves within, too. As with his films and the characters he inhabits, David Dastmalchian’s comics are acts of self-reflection. While telling an engaging, scary, thrilling adventure into wonderland, Through is also a chronicle of an anxious moment in Dastmalchian’s life. We’re grateful he was willing to join us for a thoughtful discussion about mental health and the pursuit of understanding via artistic expression. Not every creator wants to go there, but David Dastmalchian delights in the internal plunge. On the show this week, we discuss David Dastmalchian’s inspirations, how Through…

People in this episode

Hosts: Brad Gullickson, Lisa Gullickson

Guest: David Dastmalchian

Topics covered

• graphic novel
• mental health
• artistic expression
• self-reflection
• comics

Keywords

• Through
• Cat Staggs
• Adam Wollet
• Lewis Carroll
• Count Crowley

Sponsors

The Future is C

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Through

Books & works: Through, The Future is Calling, Count Crowley Comic Book Club, Final Round of Plugs

Places: Herndon, Virginia

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