Comics We’re Thankful For: ‘Ripple Effects’ Tackles Real Life With Superheroics

With the US Thanksgiving holiday this week, the bullpen thought it would be fitting to put together a list of some of the comics we’re most thankful for in our personal lives. There are a few that I thought of when I sat down for this piece, including The Goon and Harrow County, but there’s a book that has really hit close to home this year. That’s Ripple Effects, from writer Jordan Hart, artist Bruno Chiroleu, flatter Shane Kadlecik, and letterer Oceano Ransford. 

The book, originally run as a limited series back in 2020, is about a superhero with an invisible illness. 

In a world that is no stranger to superheroes, George Gibson is invulnerable to physical harm but fights every day to stay alive.  Suffering from an acute case of type 1 diabetes, his invincibility is offset by a defective pancreas that must be monitored and treated daily.  This incurable disease makes George’s body both his greatest strength and his eternal weakness.  

It’s a positive, person-first representation about life with a chronic, invisible illness. It’s also a superhero tale that touches on the difficulty of finding a work/life balance, the class struggles and economic inequality experienced by many in our nation, and the desire to help others during trying times.

I got to interview Jordan Hart and Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon about the book’s Kickstarter campaign for a deluxe hardcover edition (which has now ended) back in July. The experience was inspiring. Jordan’s testimony about how the inspiration for the graphic medicine series came from his own lived experience with a rare blood clotting disorder is incredibly moving. When he and Barbra further explained their upcoming fundraiser for Make-A-Wish, featuring children with their own invisible illnesses, I almost lost it on camera. 

My nine year old son has an invisible illness. He is a Wish kid. When I told Barbra and Jordan, they included him in the fundraiser, which paired professional comics artists with the children to produce original artwork to be auctioned off benefiting Make-A-Wish.  

When my 2020 Silverado was chosen to represent AirDesign at SEMA 2024, I had to choose a theme for the truck and the wrap. The vehicle’s ‘medical overlanding’ build was intended to create more travel opportunities for my son, whose own invisible illness requires electrical equipment and refrigerated medication. These requirements have meant that we are simply unable to camp or take long drives to vacation destinations. 

Ripple Effects seemed like a perfect fit for the theme, and Jordan was more than happy to help modify some of the series’ cover art to fit the side of the truck for a wrap. (The wrap hasn’t been installed yet due to some setbacks we encountered leading up to SEMA. I’ll update when the project is complete.)

I am incredibly grateful to Jordan, Barbra, Bruno, and everyone who contributed to the original series, the deluxe hardcover, and the Kickstarter campaign. I am thankful for Ripple Effects.