Photos by Rayne Klar

Graphic Novel Synopsis

Cartoonist Ezra David Mattes casts suitably serious actor Jeremy Strong to play him, as a fearful little kid, in a memoir comic. Special sites in Minneapolis become portals that transport Strong into Ezra’s memories, where he re-enacts horror after horror. When Strong concludes his role and departs for New York City to resume his work on Ezra’s favorite television show, he is unable to stop being Ezra. Only by journeying into a treacherous wasteland — the Zone from the 1979 film Stalker — can Strong hope to separate his identity from the cartoonist for good.

Keep scrolling to enjoy the 56-page first chapter of A Terrified Child Played by Jeremy Strong. This portion of the comic was completed between February and May of 2023, using prismacolor pencils on bristol paper, one white gel pen with miraculous longevity, and digital edits.

>Physical copies of this chapter are released in batches!<
>This comic also part of the Cartoonist Coop Bundle!<