Supernatural Sky: A Youthful Story of a Seriously Ill Patient

Author: Li Meng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: I am not an expert, nor do I want to write any specialized reviews. I just want to show the public a different side of famous people through my comic style and writing, distinct from the dry textbook and biographies.
I have loved drawing since I was a child, especially character comics. I was particularly fascinated by the art of using simple lines to humorously portray people. Over the years, I never stopped doodling. In middle school, I always won first place in the school art exhibitions. I also received some small awards in the city and province. But I am not a professional; I only took a few days of lessons in line drawing and know nothing about professional painting techniques. I’m not good at sketching, nor do I understand color (I love Western art history and get excited talking about Picasso and Dalí; my theory is stronger than my practice). I can only draw with simple lines. Out of impulse, I drew the "Top 100 Famous People of the Century."
To ask why I chose this theme, it’s related to my personal obsession with biographies. I read a lot of books, especially biographies of famous people, because I feel only these real stories can move me. At any moment, I am inspired by famous people. Facing difficulties, I bravely challenge them! I admire famous people, especially giants like Gorky, Van Gogh, and Lincoln who achieved success through self-education, as well as giants like Roosevelt, Beethoven, and Hawking who overcame physical disabilities with determination. I deeply respect them. Currently, I have over 100 biographies of famous people at home. While others may find them dull and uninteresting, I find them thrilling to read. I can say that famous people and great figures are my teachers, and the "education" they give me far exceeds the "nurturing" I receive from schools and teachers.
It was this love for comics and interest in famous people that motivated me to combine the two and create this series. It’s my passion, and I also hope to achieve my dreams through it. In modern society, life is so fast-paced that people have little time to read. If my "Famous Person Comics" can be published, it will bring people a different experience, which would make me very happy. I’ve always liked this simple and humorous style since I was a child and disliked the dry and tedious introductions and serious photos of famous people in textbooks. So, I boldly "played" with these famous people in my own way.
I’ve never formally studied art or received any education. I’m just a "recluse" who tinkers at home. I can’t compare to professionals; these works are the result of long-term observation of their photos, watching their videos, capturing their actions and expressions, and multiple revisions. The backgrounds of the characters include representative buildings of their countries, their works or iconic elements from their works, or things closely related to their fields. The text is based on my memory of their biographies, supplemented by some research, written one by one. There is absolutely no fiction in what I write. I strive to make it unique, light-hearted, and humorous, but I also avoid mocking the famous people too much. Because I am not an expert, nor do I want to write any specialized reviews, I just want to show the public a different side of famous people in my own writing style. Especially among scientists and writers, I don’t analyze their scientific contributions or the value of their works, because everyone should know that in school. My level is limited, and I can’t write anything professional either.
Choosing the 100 people took a lot of effort. I tried to ensure they were all highly influential figures with distinctive traits that were easy to draw. The 100 famous people are divided into 10 categories: "Political Superstars," "Scientific Superstars," "Philosophical Superstars," "Business Superstars," "Military Superstars," "Literary Superstars," "Artistic Superstars," "Legendary Female Stars," "Athletic Superstars," and "Century Villains." Except for a few villains in the last category, almost all are outstanding figures who made great contributions. I tried to make the selection representative and comprehensive.
Perhaps some people will find the comics and captions of these figures funny and think I’m mocking or disrespecting them. But famous people are also human, both similar to and different from us. As for the funny things they did, they are not my fiction. No matter how crazy I am, I won’t twist history. I just hope everyone can see the adorable side of famous people, and that will satisfy me.
A guy who has never formally studied art and only has elementary school education creating a set of world-famous person comics and adding text that reflects his style—sometimes I think, it’s really not easy. Although it may not be perfect, I’ve at least tried my best.