If Lawrence Lindell doesn’t have a fan, I’m six feet under
If Lawrence Lindell doesn’t have a fan, I’m six feet under

Imma say it again:
If Lawrence Lindell doesn’t have a fan, I’m six feet under.

Loosely based on the writer/artist Lawrence Lindell, We All Got Something is an autobiographical fiction graphic novel that follows the main character, Lawrence, as he moves back home to Compton after a traumatic car shooting, a breakup and a high risk career decision that didn’t pan out. Through community and some introspection, Lawrence goes on a journey of acceptance, reminding the reader that we all have something going on.

In Community We Trust

Seeing how Lawrence’s community impacted him was incredibly relatable. From his mom implying that he was lazy and frustrating to his friends and co-workers trying to create deeper connections, the judgement, love, and concern flowed freely from the page. And no matter the emotion, Lawrence’s community still finds ways to support him in their own ways. Let’s take the Venice Beach scene where Lawrence is venting to his friend about how “fucked up” life has gotten for him. While subtly holding him accountable, his friend gets Lawrence to laugh and tells Lawrence that he understands the “on the go” artist lifestyle. As the conversation progresses, you can notice the beginnings of a revelation in Lawrence, him noticing something is different. Community interactions like these seemed to help Lawrence understand the state of his mental health and eventual diagnosis. I feel like these conversations are always the beginning stages of anyone with a mental health concern or issue. Your family, friends, and random folks that talk to usually notice things you’d otherwise dismiss. Community is a necessity for everyone, especially those living with a mental illness.

Art and Emotion in Black in White

Lindell stays true to his cartoon art style, even in greyscale. In contrast to his colorful artwork in Blackward, the greyscale in We All Got Something serves as a reminder that a mood disorder doesn’t suddenly go away and you’re magically better. It’s still there, even through good moments. The greyscale also increases the emotionality of Lawrence’s darker moments , emphasizing just how much the main character is struggling.

Black Men Need Mental Health Representation

I wish the story went into more detail about how Lawrence found out he was bipolar. After reading the story, you can gather that after the car crash, he most likely had a manic episode and we are meeting him as he is experiencing a low phase. But for many who don’t have that understanding of mental health and mood disorders, this information may be hard to discern.

Also, it would have been helpful to see a Black man go through the journey of being diagnosed. Mental health is still stigmatized in the Black community and we need more vulnerable representation surrounding it. But let’s be clear, while the story could have benefited from more vulnerability, the fact that this story exists is still impactful and will definitely help someone.

We Are Not Alone

These stories desperately needed to exist when I was growing up. I grew up being told “it’s all in my head” or “you’re too smart to act this way.” I didn’t reach out for help and get a diagnosis for my mood disorder and accommodations until I was in my late 20s. My therapist actually told me that I was only able to go that long without a diagnosis because I had such a strong community around me. As a kid, it would have been helpful to have that reminder that we all do, in fact, have something and as long as we’re making accommodations and navigating the world in a way that doesn’t create harm for ourselves and others, everything can be okay. Black Mental Health Matters. We are not alone.

Related Articles