The Artist-Writer-Thespian Whose Zine Has Been Wowing Readers for 23 Years

Narratively contributor Ayun Halliday muses on her longrunning zine “The East Village Inky,” and on what inspires her unique creative process.

Ayun Halliday’s hand-drawn comics and illustrations for Narratively are rife with slapstick comedy, raw vulnerability and undeniable camp, garnering giggles and gasps from start to finish. Readers who enjoy those are bound to react similarly to Ayun’s other work. A Northwestern graduate with a background in theater; a prolific graphic novelist; a mother of two; and the purveyor of an award-winning mini-magazine, or zine, The East Village Inky, Ayun is a master of doing her own thing.

Since The East Village Inky’s first issue way back in 1998, Halliday has chronicled her meandering journey as a mother and native New Yorker with her signature zany sketches. She talked to Narratively about how learning to embrace what makes her a misfit ultimately helped her find her creative voice.