See You In Memories
Creative Team
writer/illustrator: PEN SO
publisher: NAKAMA PRESS
Imagine having writer’s block and no memory of who you are. See You In Memories, a psychological fantasy, created by Pen So, follows a young woman, Billie, a former internet singer-songwriter through an astral jaunt through her mind in search of her lost memories after her online career tanked because of negative feedback from wannabe critics.
From the beginning you’ll wonder what’s going on, but quickly realize, just like a dream, this story starts in media res. A technique that’s not new, but used poorly can make the rest of one’s story crumble. See You in Memories skates on that thin line until you realize we’re following Billie on an astral plane or a dream. This works due to So’s illustrative style.
Pen So is a writer/artist, but an illustrator first. In 2013, he attended the Comics Master Class presented by Hong Kong Arts Centre and started creating comics then. In 2022, he published See You In Memories, winning the Silver Award at the 16th Japan International Manga Award and many other awards. Pen’s artwork has been exhibited in many different countries which speaks volumes of his work which you can see with this book.
The graphic novel begins with Billie with no memories and a sketchbook. Filled with drawings of Hong Kong, she uses the sketchbook to go on a psychedelic trip to retrace the locations from these images to rediscover her past and identity.
This journey through is very dense and moves along as if we the reader are in a dream. The dialogue comes across as haphazard because Billie’s talking to herself and another, Baron Cheung. Baron, a manifestation, is Billie that took shape in her mind, and when they speak, it make sense one minute and the next it doesn’t; like transitioning through dreams with no connective tissue while also making sense.
Billie’s manifestation, guides her through her distorted memories and versions of her life, or rather going through a state of anamnesis. You may ask yourself, how could someone lose three years of their memories? And you may also say why not ignore these critics and chase your dreams. There can be many reasons, but one sticks out. There’s nothing more devastating than your parent(s) tells you to get a real job and quit your passion. The argument isn’t presented, but implied, to the reader but one can empathize and understand that was the root cause of her mental breakdown.
In order to protect itself, Billie’s psyche took it upon itself to erase the negative memories locking them up deep in the recesses of her mind. This event is very relatable to most because they’ve been in that similar position of rejection and then move on to something that’s not part of their calling, ultimately forgetting what they were passionate about. We grow up wanting to do one thing but we’re pressured to go to business school or you forgo your hobbies to make money because that is the only way you survive.
While readers continue through, they’d think about their own goals that were lost along the way as adult responsibilities is setting in; it’d be a reminder to not give up on one’s goals or dreams.
Billie’s tenacity to go deeper wakes your inner fire, reigniting your longing to get out that artistic freedom that’s always been there; and we see this with So’s line work. He’s able to demonstrate this with the way he draws, it almost looks as if he put photos to a scanner and printed them out, giving off the impression that the images show a time stuck in the past; a nostalgic memory. So’s art through the pages shows great love for his native home, it can be felt when seeing the images that come of the book. He’s the most free when he draws his home, in a few panels, you’ll see when Billies is transported in to the astral plane and its parts of Hong Kong in a dreamscape.
There are many single stories that have “re-read” value, and "See you in Memories" does have that, but probably not as much as you think. It’s not an action adventure book filled with drama and dread, but a simple story of ones love for their creative work. As a reader, you’d read this again to gain some inspiration, to power you through the tough times.
The comic remind us that, we’re human, we’re meant to fail, but we’re meant to never give up. You’d definitely read again to take in the beautiful details of his artwork and the story in order to regain that confidence that’s been missing within the reader. Reading through this comic really speaks to an individual when they’ve hit rock bottom, but to feel that there is hope for a better future.
The comic informs the reader to hold your ground when it comes to your passions. Even if you lost the the drive for that thing you love, in some way, shape or form, it will find its way back to you. Goals are attainable, but seems out of reach because of a negative critic, but here, the reader would understand it is, ultimately, the individual that’s in their way.
