Why am I still here?: A communication arts thesis on body dysmorphia and the digital self

• Main Author: Perez, Francheska V.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2021
• Subjects: Webcomics; Body dysmorphic disorder; Illustration; Visual Studies
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_comm/8; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=etdb_comm
• Institution: De La Salle University

Why Am I Still Here: A Body Horror Webcomic Thesis on Identity and Body Dysmorphia is a 20-panel pilot webtoon (in URL format for web submission) that tells the story of Hipolyta, a social media beauty influencer who is offered the opportunity of a lifetime to advance her career. However, due to unresolved issues from her past and the mounting pressures of her industry's expectations, she is consumed by her own insecurities that lead her to self-mutilation and psychosis.The project is composed of a complete production outline and panel script for three (3) chapters, and a fully illustrated pilot chapter to express and help visualize the creative direction and tone of the webcomic series. This story is inspired by my own personal struggles with self-identity and body image, discourses on social media influencers and authenticity, as well as, the growing public interest in the topic of body dysmorphic disorder. The visuals and narrative style are influenced by the works of Junji Ito, a horror mangaka, and the works of Satoshi Kon, a filmmaker. The project was composed by the proponent, then illustrated the panels using ProCreate and formatted the layout with Photoshop.