“Power Bear” is the first comic by Lukasz Majcher
Max is a civil servant by day and a superhero by night. Image: @max_the_powerbear
Illustrator Lukasz Majcher fulfils a childhood dream with his comic “Power Bear”. More volumes are to follow.
Max is an ordinary civil servant and lives with his partner in Berlin. One day he develops superhuman powers and becomes a superhero. That is the premise of the comic strip “Power Bear” by Lukasz Majcher.
The illustrator grew up reading superhero comics from the US, but they were mostly thin and clean-shaven. “There weren’t many characters who were bears,” Lukasz tells MANNSCHAFT. His protagonist Max is bearded and hairy and is modelled on Lukasz’s partner.
With “Power Bear”, Lukasz Majcher is fulfilling a childhood dream. (Picture: zvg)
Lukasz also drew inspiration for Max’s relationship from his own partnership. “His relationship with his partner is very similar to ours. We don’t lead a crazy gay life in Berlin, which doesn’t mean we despise it,” says Lukasz. “We’re just normal guys and that’s what my comic focuses on as well.”
However, “Power Bear” is not only about love and superpowers but also about Max’s mental health. “Currently, gay comics are heavily eroticised or we are portrayed as always smiling, unicorn-loving guys. We rarely talk about how traumatised we are. We often carry sad experiences with us that are reflected in our everyday lives,” says Lukasz.
Image: Lukasz Majcher
He himself has struggled with panic attacks for years, and his partner was diagnosed with depression. “I decided to fill this niche. Moreover, not only people from the LGBTIQ community can identify with such problems. So my comic is aimed at everyone.”
Max doesn’t understand his superpowers at first and is totally confused. In the upcoming volume, which Lukasz is already working on, the superhero will develop further. “Max will better understand the nature of his powers and what he can do with them,” Lukasz reveals.
“Power Bear” is available exclusively in printed form. Lukasz sells his comic for 10 euros in English and German on his website, where he also sells T-shirts.
