Interview with Łukasz, creator of the comic book "Power Bear"

Łukasz Majcher was born in Poland (city Bydgoszcz) and moved to Berlin in 2015. Power Bear is his first full comic and it was received very positively.

Łukasz Majcher

Gay45: Tell us about the inspiration behind your comic book.

Łukasz Majcher: I can say with full conviction that Power Bear is a mixture of all the inspirations that have so far sat in my head and waited for a good opportunity to finally mix and show the world. I am inspired by many things. When I create my comics, I always have full movie sequences in my head. I watch lots of science-fiction as well. My friends say I’m a good comedian, so my stories will always have a hint of absurd humour. There are also everyday experiences. The story of my partner who is struggling with depression was definitely a huge inspiration for me. In the future, I will also try to talk about my problems. Such opening up comes with great difficulty. It’s easier to write about others.

G45: “Power Bear” is not only about love and superpowers but also about Max’s mental health. Tell us more about that and why it was important for you to bring this issue to the comic?

Ł M: The topic of mental health is close to me because of my partner, as mentioned above. I myself have struggled with panic attacks for years. And surely, my past traumatic experiences have not made me feel better. Recently, I have met many people who seemingly led happy life. They are very often attractive men. It turns out, however, that they are not as satisfied with their existence as you might think. Many of them suspect they are depressed. Why is it that we act so late, or we only see the problems of others when it is too late? And we’re only talking about gays here. What about non-binary or transsexual people? It must be hard for them too.

Power Bear #2 cover, photo courtesy of the artist

G45: Do you think mental issue problems is not talked about enough in the LGBTQ+ community? If so, why is that?

Ł M: One of my readers committed suicide last year. If so, it may be that she has not received enough help. Perhaps a lot is being done in the field of mental health, but there is always more that can be done. And if my comic can help with that, then I’m very happy. The image of LGBT + people is very often over-coloured. There is a lot of talk about how cool it is to be queer, and I am very happy about it. But we shouldn’t be made into mascots. We are nourishing beings and we feel and suffer the same. And we need help very often.

G45: Do you think the bear community is underrepresented in the media and comic books?

Ł M: I am aware that there are a lot of muscular and sexy macho guys in the bear community. But even such silhouettes are not of interest to Hollywood film productions. And what about overweight guys? If Hercules ever appears in the MCU, I’d like a cute bear with the appearance of Jack Radcliff, a bear pornstar (haha).

Łukasz Majcher reading his comic book

G45: How do you find the gay life in Berlin, you say in an interview that: We don’t lead a crazy gay life in Berlin, which doesn’t mean we despise it. We’re just normal guys and that’s what my comic focuses on as well.”. How is the gay life from Berlin inspires your comic book?
Ł M: It’s no secret that Berlin offers a lot of attractions for gays and people with fetishes. Sex clubs are also nothing new out there. Some people like places like that and it’s okay. Many of my friends live in open relationships. My comic book is not focused on these topics, but in the second issue, I tried to introduce a bit of the club side of Berlin. What I really like about this city is the fact that you can go to the gay bar here and feel as free as anywhere else.

G45: What can you tell us about the upcoming number?
Ł M: The second issue will explain the secrets that appeared in the first instalment of Max’s adventures. How did he get his powers? What is he able to do? Who is the Monster? What’s up with the leader of a sinister political party? In addition, I will go even deeper into the psyche of the main character. We will get to know his past and understand better why he is in such a place in his life.