My name is Angelique and I've started this campaign for my sister Nicole/Nik, an illustrator, suffering from debilitating chronic fatigue and severe pain due to Endometriosis and PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) who needs surgical intervention by an Endo -specialist.
Okay look I don’t think you guys understand. Nik Virella is one of the sweetest people I know.
We’ve been mutually following each other on Twitter and Instagram for maybe a year or more by now, and we’ve had a few casual conversations (while I freak out because my favorite Marvel artist follows me back what).
Ever since December, I’ve been working on my new comic Dragons Keep, making it a habit to draw a page a day. I was on page seven when I got stuck and couldn’t get unstuck. I didn’t know why, but the page itself was wrong and I didn’t know how to fix it.
Not many people know this story, but Superbowl Sunday I was in the kitchen trying to figure out the solution to my problem. Then it occurred to me: I needed a professional comic artist’s help; someone who dealt with these issues all the time and would know what to do! And who better to ask than someone who mutually followed me?
So I tentatively sent Nik a message on Twitter, asking her if she could look over the page and give me some help when she could, not at all expecting an immediate response. But no more than five minutes later, she not only responded, but said she would and gave me her email!
In a total state of disbelief, I emailed her the page and explained my problem. She asked a bunch of questions and I answered; we went back and forth like this throughout the entire day. By the end of it - on her end - she said: “Let’s discuss more later today I’m about to go to bed. But we can skype if you like and I can break it down and show you” and gave me her skype ID.
I couldn’t believe it; not only had I gotten my favorite artist’s email, but her Skype too!!!
The next day, we called each other and talked about the page. She broke it down on how to fix it and even suggested a comic I could read that would help me with my panels and texts. Then we spent two hours talking about politics, travel, comics, our families, and video games. It was incredible, and those two hourse remains one of the most precious memories I have.
The thing is though, is that Nik helped me out when she really didn’t have to. She was crazy busy that day, and she called from across the country, in a state that’s three hours ahead of me. Both on email and on the phone, she was very professional and kind to me: a fangirl who admires her, and wants to be in the same profession as her one day.
But she didn’t treat me like a dumb kid she could have brushed off: she treated me as an equal - as a friend. A month later and that still blows my mind.
Nik loves her work, but her illness hinders her and as a fellow artist who also loves working, I can’t even imagine what she’s going through and how awful it must be. She gave me 1872 and Return of the Living Deadpool - my absolute favorite Marvel comics. She gave me advice, patience, a better page for my comic, and most valuable of all, her time.
This time, it’s my turn to help. Please donate what you can and spread the word so we can help Nik.
TL; DR: Nik Virella is an incredible person who needs help to pay for surgery for her endometriosis! Donate what you can and spread the word!
snowghoul
titsay
yousharknotpass
