We have all kept a diary in one form or another, but some diarists go a step further than others. 

Graphic journals have the uncanny ability to find hilarity in the banal and mundane. They say so much with very little words, taking on tough topics and shredding them down to seem effortlessly laughable. In this series, I’ll be interviewing three artists who have provided us with an oasis of joy with their heartwarming depictions of everyday life.

First up is Brittany Long, who illustrates Comic Diaries, a lighthearted cartoon journal that Brittany has kept since 2008. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into comics.

I’m 23 years old and was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I got into web comics as I grew up; the online art community was what really inspired me to start drawing when I was in high school.

What's the background to Comic Diaries? How did it start?

I started university in 2008 in a brand new town; I had few friends and was trying to get over a bad breakup with too much time on my hands and needing a way to cope. So I thought that I could make cartoons about what I was going through.

You learn from your comic that you served as a Latter Day Saint missionary in Japan; what did you most enjoy about the country?

I fell in love with the Japanese culture pretty quickly: the food, the fashion, the traditions.  However, as a missionary, I was able to experience what many tourists to Japan miss out on: the people. I was deeply impressed by how highly the Japanese value family. The Japanese people are universally known for being hospitable and professional, but because I worked with them so closely, I grew to truly love them and appreciate their kindness and honor.

As a Christian, do you feel that your work challenges stereotypes about your faith?

I feel like the majority of Christian stereotypes in the media today involve hot political topics like same-sex marriage, gun policies, government-regulated finance and education, etc. --things I don’t draw or even think much about. In my comics and in my life, being a Christian and a Latter-day Saint is about trying to be a good person and often thinking I should try harder at it. Whether that challenges stereotypes or not is up to my readers.

You recently posted the First Kiss comic, and said that you waited two years for it. How do you feel now that you’re dating?

This is the most comfortable, fun, and honest relationship I’ve ever been in. I directly attribute that to being friends for years before we started dating. Getting to date one of my best friends and start a new phase of our lives together has been an amazing experience so far!

I'm interested in the idea that anyone can draw; what is your opinion on that?

The saddest thing to me is when someone looks over my shoulder and says, “Wow, I wish I could draw.” My response is always, “You can!”