Chicago-based cartoonist Bianca Xunise turns close observation of everyday life into comics that can be funny, intimate, reflective and political. “I make comics about a little bit of everything, but mostly slice of life,” they say in a video for the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA Chicago). Their work ranges from personal stories to short syndicated strips, with a Black nonbinary femme’s perspective at its center.
Who is Bianca Xunise?
Xunise is a Chicago-based cartoonist whose official biography traces their interest in art to growing up in the city and encountering illustrated books. It names Sailor Moon and designer Paul Rand among their influences, and says they earned a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The biography also lists work for The Washington Post, Riot Fest, Vogue, Hello Giggles and The Nib, as well as a personal column at Shondaland. Because the page carries a 2020 copyright notice, that list is a dated snapshot, not a complete current roster. Read Xunise’s biography.
In the MCA Chicago video “TV for Your Body,” Xunise describes imagining a familiar kind of storytelling with a Black nonbinary femme at its center. That perspective shapes the work without limiting it to one subject or tone. Watch the MCA Chicago video.
How does everyday life shape Xunise’s comics?
Xunise describes a process of watching, absorbing and then drawing from life. In a University of Illinois Chicago Bodies of Work profile, they recall: “I am the youngest in my family so I always felt like I was watching the theatre of adults around me.” They also say, “I sit with life’s ups and downs, the chaos of the world around me, and then translate that into art.” Read the Bodies of Work profile.
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That attention to ordinary experience does not mean the comics are detached from larger pressures. Xunise has spoken of making work about life’s ups and downs, and their subjects include identity, mental health, politics, music and humor. Everyday observation is a starting point; the resulting comics may be personal, playful or direct in their social commentary.
What comics has Bianca Xunise made?
Xunise’s work spans different formats and approaches rather than fitting into a single category. Their autobiographical comics can explore lived experience and social issues, while gag and syndicated strips make room for concise humor and everyday situations. The available accounts also describe interests that include music and personal reflection. These modes overlap: humor and political commentary, for example, need not be separate parts of an artist’s practice.
A related book connection is How We Fight Supremacy: A Field Guide to Black Resistance, which Chicago Humanities lists as including a contribution by Xunise. It is a collaborative book, not a solo Xunise comic; the cited listing does not establish its edition or current availability. See Chicago Humanities’ listing.
What is “Say Her Name” about?
“Say Her Name” is an autobiographical comic about police brutality and social justice. Chicago Humanities reports that it earned Xunise the Ignatz Award for Promising New Talent in 2017. The recognition marks one significant part of a body of work that also encompasses lighter, shorter and more everyday storytelling. Read Chicago Humanities’ account.
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How did Bianca Xunise join Six Chix?
Xunise joined Six Chix, a rotating newspaper comic strip, in 2020. Chicago Humanities describes them as the first Black creator in the strip’s 20-year run. NBCU Academy discusses the milestone alongside other Black femme creators and the history of representation in syndicated comics. That distinction is specific to the strip and the attribution; it should not be expanded into a broader claim about being the first Black creator in newspaper comics. Chicago Humanities on Xunise; NBCU Academy on representation in comics.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about Xunise’s longer-form work?
In a 2021 interview with The Comics Journal, Xunise described wanting to shift energy toward a graphic novel and a deeper creative dive. The interview establishes that ambition at the time, but not whether the project was later published, its title or a release date. Read the interview.
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