All We Always Wanted All We Always Wanted is a 70-page standalone comic story, told in three parts. For my thesis exhibition, I am presenting the first issue—a 20-page printed comic, created entirely in digital format using Procreate. The final work is printed in black and white with a full-color cover. The story was developed through sketchbook notes, character ideas, and research I’ve been building throughout my time in the MFA program—focusing especially on how I can connect my interest for science fiction and fantasy narratives with my interest for animals. I also aimed to connect animals with postcolonial ideas, trying to understand how postcoloniality affects other aspects of the world, such as non-human beings. I sought to address these issues using the animal as a conduit. In this comic, we talk about primates in a literal sense, but at the same time, we use them to explore themes of migration and the current political situation.Working digitally allowed me to control composition, timing, and detail while maintaining an expressive, hand-drawn pen aesthetic. The comic will be shown in print as both a booklet and in selected printed pages during the exhibition.The comic centers on Guillermo, a Latino immigrant working a night shift as a janitor in an animal research lab. He’s saving money to help his sick mother back home, and his only companion is Darwin—a strange ape captured in the South American jungle. Darwin listens silently as Guillermo talks through his loneliness and frustration. When conspiracy theorists target Darwin, believing his hand can grant wishes, the story shifts into a cautionary tale about the dangers of desire.This first issue sets up the emotional and thematic groundwork for the full story. Inspired by The Monkey’s Paw, the comic explores how humans can have dark and irreversible consequences. Key themes include the human-animal connection and the immigrant experience in the U.S.Visually, the comic is rendered in black and white to put attention in the drawing. The limited use of color (only in the cover and possibly in future symbolic scenes) adds contrast and emphasis. The drawing style blends realism with slight cartoon stylization, reflecting my interest in characters and quiet, eerie environments.This project is meant for young adult and adult readers who enjoy comics that combine science fiction, horror, and fantasy with social themes. It’s aimed at audiences interested in stories about cultural identity, migration, and animal/creatures — even in imagined or speculative settings.All We Always Wanted brings together the core research and creative exploration I’ve developed during my last two semesters MFA studies, including my interest in animal narratives and postcolonial storytelling ( my last two projects were focused on talking about this issue using animals to understand it through new perspectives). In this period, I’ve been thinking about how comics can be both critical and personal. While the full comic is designed to stand alone as a complete story, this first issue introduces readers to its world, tone, and themes—and serves as a strong representation of where my work is headed.Website: https://alberthchacon.format.com/Instagram: @pot_pourri.jpg Categories MFA Thesis 2025 Published on April 28, 2025