Off Panel #547: It's Nice Down Here with Julia Wertz

In this deeply personal and candid episode of Off Panel, host David Harper interviews cartoonist Julia Wertz about her upcoming memoir, Bury Me Already, It's Nice Down Here, a raw and humorous exploration of her life as a new mother during the pandemic, her experiences with mental health, and the chaotic beauty of raising a child. Wertz discusses the emotional weight of revisiting traumatic events—like her brother’s mental health crisis and the challenges of parenting—while also celebrating the absurd, joyful moments, such as her son’s love for Tom Waits and the absurdity of 'long weekend' potty training. She reflects on her artistic process, the evolution of her style from stick figures to detailed drawings, and the deliberate choices behind her book’s structure, including the controversial back cover image of her nursing baby. The conversation delves into the tension between authenticity and audience expectations, the commodification of parenting advice, and the therapeutic power of autobio comics as both a personal archive and a form of emotional release. Wertz also shares her philosophy on creating for oneself first, breaking rules, and the importance of showing work freely to build community. Key takeaways include: 1) Revisit your life through comics not just to document, but to process and heal; 2) Authenticity in memoir—especially in parenting stories—comes from embracing the messy, unfiltered truth, not polished narratives; 3) The most powerful art often comes from making work first for yourself, then editing for an audience; 4) Stick figures aren’t lazy—they’re a deliberate, honest tool for capturing fleeting, funny moments; 5) Publishing is not a gatekeeping system—reach out directly, show your work freely, and don’t fear breaking the rules. Wertz’s journey underscores that life, like comics, is nonlinear, imperfect, and deeply human.