FML by Natasha Natarajan

Published by Good Comics

It is not often that when reading a comic that one has a moment of recognition. But when the author of FML, Natasha Natarajan gives us her origin story (so to speak) I had just such a moment. She talks about creating her first comic, a cathartic description of some of those embarrassing moments that we recall with a cringe. She goes to a zine fair in Edinburgh run by a zine library which seemed to be based out of a bar. I remember seeing ads for that fair and considering going. But I decided it would be full of cool young art students who would stare at me in horror as I walked in the door, like one of those old westerns where the piano player in the saloon suddenly stops playing. So I didn’t go.

I got over myself and did attend some of these types of events later, and of course nobody gave a shit about my presence. And whilst there were a few ice-cool hipsters, their dungarees elegantly stained with oil paints, there were also some good comics. The event in question gave Natasha a fresh impetus that many comic con exhibitors may recognise. “I sat behind a small round table amongst maybe 10 others one Saturday with my comics fanned out in front of me. And I awkwardly watched while strangers sporadically scoffed at my embarrassing moments right in front of me. I loved it.” 

Confessional tales are not new to comics. The autobiographical scene that exploded in the 90’s with the likes of Joe Matt, John Porcellino and many others shaped a genre that had a big impact on comics. But it is the likes of Alison Bechdel and especially Julie Doucet that I was reminded of when reading FML. 

Natasha Natarajan has created a book that tells the story of five years of her life…the title FML (fuck my life) implies a tough time. I have to say that the tales of travel, creativity and sex didn’t seem like such a hard life to me, but I’m old, cynical and have been in lockdown for a year. And I also know that it doesn’t work that way. Our twenties are a time of freedom and experimentation but they are also filled with angst and a fair amount of poverty. 

The art style of FML is simple, with a ‘back of the school jotter’ style. But it develops and improves as the book goes on. The later scenes in London are much more accomplished than the earlier strips, with a thoughtful use of colour.

There are also some inventive panels. The depiction of the view from a Hebridean kitchen window at different times of the day was striking, with time and landscape captured in three panels which are at once identical and completely different.

FML is a bold and honest comic, but it also has a lot of charm and is very readable. Check it out for your fix of autobiographical comics 2021 style.

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FML is published by Good Comics and you can get your copy from their website.

Natasha Natarajan can be found on Instagram and at her website.