Kids Comics Pitchfest 2023 Showcase

The Only Creature That Doesn't Eat Squid

Sunny and Graupel are two best friend emperor penguin chicks in sub-zero Antarctica, who catch Crim, a young, lost hummingbird, stealing Sunny’s lunch. Sunny’s anger turns to empathy when they realize what Crim really needs is help getting home. To save him they must travel to the human settlement, far away from where the penguins have ever ventured. A lack of food and an abundance of deadly predators face them as they travel, and Sunny begins to see that good deeds have a price, but one she decides she’s willing to pay. A reluctant albatross, a colony of extroverted Adelie penguins, an unexpected marine mammal and the humans they hoped to avoid help them reach the boat to get Crim fed, warm and headed home.

My Why:

This story was born when I designed a card with an emperor penguin on it. I didn’t know how to draw penguins so I did some research. I learned that Antarctica, where the penguins are from, is a place with almost nothing except the animals that evolved there. So I began to wonder what generosity would look like in a place with so few resources. I like being silly with my characters, and love an adventure story, so I took these characters on a journey to explore this question.