Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá is my favorite book of all time. For evidence, just scroll up and look at this post’s thumbnail. I don’t really needs three versions of the same book, or do I? Daytripper is an award-winning (Eisner Award, Harvey Award, and Eagle Award in 2011) graphic published in 2010 by DC Comics/Vertigo. This isn’t a kid’s comic; it addresses crucial emotional and adult themes that we’re all going to face at some point in life. Daytripper is the type of literature that you’ll want to revisit over and over depending on which chapter of life that you’re on.

I first came across this hauntingly, poetic comic when I got stuck in Lower Manhattan in 2012 during Hurricane Sandy. Trapped inside with no power and no community for an unprecedented amount of time (hey this sounds like now!), I took solace in reading. At the time, I was in my early 20s and was a working partner at a startup with a very toxic investor. For example, the investor would helicopter around my co-founder and me, then berate us on our stupidity and for wasting his money. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy there. Then after 2 weeks in isolation during 2012’s most destructive hurricane with only my thoughts and an introspective book, I decided to pivot. When I finally got back to California, I left my startup and pursued a full-time career as a freelance photographer for the next eight years.

SPOILER ALERT (not really)

In Daytrippers, we follow the life of Brás de Oliva Domingos. We also watch him die over and over in every chapter. Brás perishes at different times in his life. We first witness his death at age 33, then somewhere in the middle at age 11, and the book continues to time skip. This form of storytelling gives us a bird’s eye view of his entire life: his past, present, and future. The writers make clever use of showing us the quiet moments Brás’s life to ask bigger questions.

The experience of reading Daytrippers is what the reader brings to it. On the surface, it’s a surreal, dreamlike story of a writer’s life. But if you’d like and are open, the comic unravel life’s bittersweet truths that will strike you in the heart.

Favorite Quotes for Reflection

Only when you accept that one day you’ll die can you let go and make the best out of life.

Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá
This page gave me the permission I needed to drop everything and go pursue photography as a career.

Life is like a book, son. And Every book has an end. No matter how much you like that book… you will get to the last page and it will end.

Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá
This panel has also grown as I continue to age. As I experience more in life, the more I’ve come to appreciate how beautiful fleeting moments are.

When you turn that corner, that future you have written and wished for is not always there waiting for you. In fact, it usually isn’t at all what you expected… Around the corner there is just another big annoying question mark. It’s called life.

Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá

Home is not a physical place at all, but a group of elements like the people you live with — a feeling, a state of mind.

I lived out of a backpack and hopped around the around in 2017. I was looking for where I belonged.

Jorge was his best friend, and that what friends do. They care. They find each other and stick together when things get rough. Friends are worth every effort. Friends matter.

This panel weighed more heavily on me during Covid-19. I’m sure I’m not alone in reevaluating my relationships and I act within them.

I can tell he’s not taking pictures because it’s his job or because he was told to. That’s who he is… It’s through his photos that he tells us his dreams.

As an artist and photographer, I’m always returning to this page to remind myself that what I create is a window to who I am and what I care about.

References

Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá

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