A story in three panels: contemplative snippets of rough sketches based on one of my father’s recollection from growing up during World War II in Norway. This particular memory was one he returned to again and again. I’m struck by how the shadow of those wartime experiences lingered long after the war itself had ended. This short story is heartbreaking, but it is also a simple reminder of the sacrifices people were forced to make then and of the sacrifices people around the world continue to make every day.
As I work through my father’s notes and archives, I’m reminded how much I inherited from him… not only a love of family record-keeping, but also the joy of research, journaling and visual storytelling. Roar Thorsen passed away in 2012, but his stories remain as does his presence – conversing with me, cheering me on.
My Norwegian grandfather (“Farfar”), Gunnar Thorsen (May 18, 1897 – April 18, 1970), was a pilot, lieutenant, and automotive inspector. My graphic novel project, Occupation: The Long Shadow, centres on his imprisonment as a POW from February 26, 1942, until the end of the war.