Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Thorn Kurtzhals. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Thorn, appreciate you joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

To connect to others as an artist, you must be vulnerable.

When you live your life vicariously through your art, this becomes second nature.

In fact, my art was the only place I could live my truth. Through the panels of my comics, the drawings in my sketchbooks, and written short stories: I could say the quiet things loud:

I am queer, I am trans, and I am hurting.

I think a part of me believed that in order to be a successful artist, you needed to have a compelling story. But now that I am no longer living in hiding, is there a story to be told?

No longer does my body feel like an air bnb with awful decor and broken appliances. My body is now a house that I bought. (In this market? Shocking, I know.) It’s a house that became an art project in itself, one where I painstakingly painted, furnished, and repaired from the inside out.

Unfortunately that time spent on top surgery, PTSD therapy, and coming out, consumed me and made art impossible for me to make. But as I settle into my new routines and compassionate heart, I stand on the edge of a cliff. Who am I? And subsequently, What do I have to say anymore?

When I lived my life as a cis woman, I was severely mentally ill in constant turmoil and destroying relationships left and right. Now I like to cozy up and read, watch horror movies, and educate myself on anything and everything I stumble upon. I’m more curious. More thoughtful. And more kind to myself and others around me.

I had many personal experiences to draw upon for dramatic conflict.

This plagued me until I received my most recent freelance art test. It was my dream job in so many ways, but the offer wasn’t guaranteed.. I had to create test pages and character art. I had to prove my worth.

But something strange happened: for the first time in my life, I didn’t have self hatred holding me back. I didn’t look at my art as a reflection of a broken person, I looked at my art as a reflection of a loving, quiet, curious individual who respected himself and the people he worked for.

I want to make good work, because I respect myself.

And although I no longer create a prison of my own making, life is still brutal and hard. Any time I go online I see people brutally denouncing trans individuals. I still struggle to accept myself as it relates to my family, and many times I feel like the outsider in any room I walk into.

My life is now difficult with a purpose.

I no longer fear the rejections that may come my way. If people don’t like my art, if I’m not the right fit for a project, Oh well.

I have faced my demons and they’re much scarier than any rejection ever could be.

So I submitted my work, and I got the job.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a comic book and sequential artist that specializes in melodramatic, chaotic, and thoughtful narratives. I value quiet moments between people and the connection we share. This sensitivity is highlighted through the comics I create. The genres I excel at the most are fantasy, slice of life, and romance. I am inspired primarily by horror, josei manga, and high fantasy.

As a trans man, the most ironic thing about me is the name of my very first success: Girls Have A Blog.

Girls Have a Blog is a auto biographical webcomic that I created with my best friend, Sarah Bollinger, in 2015. This webcomic was discovered in 2016 by Webtoon, and in June of 2017, Girls Have A Blog launched as a featured Webtoon. The featured series was a total of 83 episodes.

Link: https://www.webtoons.com/en/slice-of-life/girls-have-a-blog/list?title_no=1052

Girls Have A Blog recounts Sarah and I’s journey as graduates from art school, struggling with bills, personal conflicts, and more. Girls Have A Blog was then kickstarted into a graphic novel in 2021 by Rocketship, and can be purchased on the Simon & Schuster website.

Link: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Girls-Have-a-Blog-The-Complete-Edition/Thorn-Kurtzhals/9781952126444

Sarah and I also collaborated on a webcomic, Knight & Beard, a fantasy comic with themes of self acceptance. It features Knight, an angry young girl who wants to be a hero, and Beard, a sensitive guy who hates conflict. In this buddy comedy, Knight & Beard attempt to work together as guards in the big city of Newport, where there is magic, mystery and more.

Link: https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/knight-and-beard/list?title_no=42583

I’m honestly excited to see the future of my work now that I am returning to comics as the person I am now. There is so much freedom and new routes that I can take. This is only the beginning of my story.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Art as an act of resistance.

I believe that my purpose in life is to create art that is reflects queer and trans experience. My current project I am working on involves the ways the art of Drag liberates. Drag queens were a huge reason I discovered my identity as a trans man, and I wish to showcase that love through representing them in a romance comic. I want to show queer people feeling joy and being flawed humans who deserve to express themselves.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I believe that the best ways people can support artists and creatives is through talking about their art, responding directly to creators and telling them what it means to them. I think many people assume that if they can’t support a creative person through money, it means there is nothing else to do.

Sometimes a friendly and meaningful comment or share on a creators art can give them a morale boost that can go a long way.

As a webcomic artist, the people who commented on my work gave me so much joy. I looked forward to reading their comments every time we updated. Being seen and appreciated can go a long way.

Show artists that kindness!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://swordsofthorns.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/swordsofthorns
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thorn-kurtzhals-58071880/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwordsofThorns
• Other: Webtoon: Girls Have A Blog: https://www.webtoons.com/en/slice-of-life/girls-have-a-blog/list?title_no=1052 Knight & Beard: https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/knight-and-beard/list?title_no=42583 Gumroad: https://swordsofthorns.gumroad.com/