cooklin vs. google maps
Ace of Hearts release week post #3
Good morning, and…
HAPPY ACE OF HEARTS RELEASE WEEK!
In honor of the release of my debut graphic memoir, which details how my asexuality has shaped my love life, I am making a series of posts this week that give insight into this work that can’t be seen anywhere else.
For this post, I am comparing depictions of locations in the book to those same locations on Google Maps.
You’ll notice that there are some pretty noticeable differences between reality and my drawings, which is something I do not see as a shortcoming. With the exception of my Los Angeles example because it was just so detailed, I didn’t really use reference images. I relied mainly on my flawed memory because I found it to yield much more interesting drawings. As you scroll through these, I hope you come to see what I mean!
Please enjoy, and make sure to come back every day for the rest of this week for more goodies!
New Concord, Ohio
The town I grew up in, where about half of the book takes place. This is Glenn Highway, the main road running past my neighborhood. Looking at these two side by side, I think I made my hometown look far nicer than it really is…
Los Angeles, CA
(More specifically, the San Fernando Valley!)
One chapter of the book takes place here, during the me and Eric’s 3-year stint in a massive city neither of us liked very much. We lived in walking distance to the very busy intersection of Ventura Blvd and Sepulveda Blvd, and here is my loose rendering of it.
Vancouver, WA
This is where I’ve lived since I was 25, and where the final chapter of the book takes place. This is the Interstate Bridge as seen from Vancouver’s Waterfront Park. My rendering is dated, but so is the Google Maps image, because as locals well know, this area is being developed a lot.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Last one!
Oops, more Vancouver! Can’t help it! I love it here!
This is a historic site, and one of my favorite places in the world. The final scene of the book takes place here, and it’s also where Eric proposed to me last September!
