Emilia Strilchuk: Finding Voice Through Comics and Slavic Folklore
Ukrainian-Canadian comic artist and writer Emilia Strilchuk is gaining recognition for her deeply personal and culturally rich work. From her autobiographical graphic novel, Be Yourself! Oh, not like that, to her upcoming reimagining of Slavic folktales, Strilchuk’s art explores themes of neurodiversity, self-acceptance, and the power of storytelling.
Navigating Identity and Autism Through Art
Strilchuk’s graphic novel, Be Yourself! Oh, not like that, delves into the challenges of growing up undiagnosed autistic and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. She recounts feeling compelled to present a version of herself that was “uncomplicated to digest” for family, friends, and even therapists. The book, self-published in 2024, has been nominated for the 2025 Doug Wright Award for best small press book and the 2026 Zelda Award for best non-fiction graphic novel.
Strilchuk described the process of creating the graphic novel as “cathartic,” explaining that she felt compelled to share her story before moving on to other projects. She noted that sharing autobiographical work provides context for audiences to better understand her perspective and future creations.
The artist shared that a key challenge in confronting societal expectations was navigating the expectations of her family and learning to accept and forgive herself.
Reimagining Slavic Mythology with Oriana: The Forgotten Deities
Strilchuk is currently working on Oriana: The Forgotten Deities, a fantasy comic that reimagines Slavic folktales. Inspired by her Ukrainian heritage and a childhood fascination with mythology, she aims to bring these stories to a wider audience.
She was drawn to Slavic mythology because of the lack of visual storytelling in this area, compared to the abundance of Greek mythology adaptations. Strilchuk appreciates the freedom to create her own interpretations of these characters and stories, exploring their origins and how they might exist in the modern world.
The Power of Representation and Community
Strilchuk emphasizes the importance of representation in art, noting that reading autobiographical work by other creators, such as N.D. Stevenson’s The Fire Never Goes Out, was deeply impactful for her. She hopes her work can offer comfort and self-acceptance to others, particularly those who are neurodivergent.
Strilchuk will be appearing at Toronto Comicon from March 20-22, 2026, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.