ComicsDEC 10, 2024

Crow Time: 15 Whimsical And Adorable Comics By Isabelle Melançon

Isabelle Melançon is a talented French-Canadian artist who creates enchanting fairy tale-infused comics about crows. This artist has been making cartoons for a solid decade now, and besides Crow Time, the ones we feature in this post, she is also a co-author of Namesake webcomic, which she creates with Megan Lavey-Heaton.

In an interview with Bored Panda, Isabelle said that all of her comics share a very common idea: that “little stories, like fairy tales, matter." Regarding Crow Time specifically, Isabelle commented: "Much of Crow Time draws inspiration from the comics I loved as a child, like Moomin and The Smurfs by Peyo. Those whimsical stories, full of medieval fantasy and clever wordplay, shaped my imagination and continue to influence my work today."

She also wrote her thoughts on the first comic: "I think Statue is deeply about grief and how it feels—like love for someone that no longer has a place to go. It’s about those small, quiet moments that linger after you lose someone."

Without, further ado, let's hop into the creative universe of Isabelle to explore friendship, perseverance, and a little bit of enchantment.

Statue

Image credits: secondlina

Furthermore, Isabelle shared what initially drew her to the world of artistry.

“I've been drawing and reading comics since I was very young, as my parents loved comics (they were also trekkies and loved things like Lord of the Rings). They were always very encouraging that me and my brothers participate in a form of art or a sport. I was drawn to art because it was present and encouraged.”

Trinket

Image credits: secondlina

We were wondering about the creative process, to which Isabelle responded: “I don't really have a specific process to find ideas, mostly, I try to give my brain space to let ideas grow. I make sure to keep a sketchbook where doodles can be ugly around, so I can jot down an idea as soon as I get it, and so I can return to it and build on it. It's important to give yourself the space to think.”

Food Chatter

Image credits: secondlina

As for the audience’s takeaway, Isabelle wrote: “I get a lot of messages from folks telling me my comics made them happy on a bad day or that reading through the Namesake archive got them through a hard month. I think more than anything else, these messages make me feel like I'm doing something with value. I want people to feel moved and happy.”

Birds like shiny things

Image credits: secondlina

Lastly, Isabelle added: “I want to tell people, "Thank you for reading." Art is communication. The reader is what gives art its final layer of meaning or understanding. A comic being shared with friends or strangers completes it. I am so thankful for the people who take the time to read and support my work.”