About the Author

Shannon Sandford

E-Mail: shannon.sandford@flinders.edu.au

Shannon Sandford is a PhD candidate and casual academic in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Flinders University, South Australia. Her research background is in life narrative, with interests in graphic life narrative, ‘autographics’ and comics studies. Her thesis focuses on autobiographical webcomics – works that connect life writing, graphic representation, and digital media(s) – and posits this new, interdisciplinary form as a mechanism particularly suited to telling stories of trauma, illness, and loss. She is a member of the Flinders Life Narrative Research Group.

Contributions by Author: Shannon Sandford

“You Can’t Combat Nothing”

Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half and Reframing Mental Illness Through Webcomics

In late October 2011, Allie Brosh disappeared. For nearly two years, the writer, blogger, and cartoonist enjoyed public recognition as the creator of the webcomic Hyperbole and a Half, which first appeared on Google’s free Blogspot platform in 2009. [1] Gaining cult-like status amongst young adults online, at the height of its popularity in 2010, the blog averaged 200,000 views and between 1,000 and 2,500 comments per post.