Inspired by a true story

3 Years Tales from the Pandemic is inspired by the transmedia comic memoir of the same name created by Matthew Dyer. While pursuing his Master’s degree in Communication Leadership at the University of Washington, Matthew enrolled in the course Visual Storytelling: Comics to Transmedia, where the final project challenged students to create a transmedia storytelling experience.

During the course, Matthew analyzed the graphic memoir Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls and became inspired by the emotional depth comics can convey through visual storytelling. The experience showed him how comics can communicate memory, emotion, and lived experience in ways that traditional print media often cannot.

That inspiration led to the creation of 3 Years Tales from the Pandemic, a comic memoir exploring personal experiences and emotional realities during the pandemic years from 2020–2023.

As an extension of that project, Matthew created the online community 3yearstalesfromthepandemic to support and highlight creative individuals whose lives and artistic journeys were shaped by the pandemic. The project reflects his long-term passion for building spaces that connect creative communities through storytelling, collaboration, and shared experiences.