Space Mama Piggy

A whimsical tragicomedy about motherhood, failures and belonging.

“SPACE MAMA PIGGY is an exquisitely beautiful, thrilling-yet-soothing graphic novel that meditates on existence from a distinctly female lens. Full of sharp observations, deep, rumbling compassion, and most of all, hope, SPACE MAMA PIGGY is the feminist “The Little Prince” for a new generation.”

— Jennie Egerdie, best selling author of Frog and Toad Are Doing Their Best

See here an interview/article about the project in Reykjavík Grapevine.

Space Mama Piggy suffers from separation anxiety after blasting her many, oh so many, babies off into space in a desperate act for survival. In their absence she rejects her worth and purpose and struggles to find value as an individual. Riddled with guilt and shame, Space Mama Piggy becomes haunted by her Shadow self.

Exhausted, codependent and self loathing, Space Mama Piggy climbs into outer space in pursuit of her children. With the help of her friend the Lonely Flower Petal, she embarks on a treacherous journey through her galaxy in hope of finding love, forgiveness and belonging.

Space Mama Piggy is my first graphic novel, a 200 page personification of difficult emotions such as shame, rumination, anxiety and self-acceptance. The proof of concept issue is available in my store.

Although Space Mama Piggy’s children are old enough to leave the nest, she is left riddled with guilt and shame for not having been a more ideal mother. She has given her sounder everything she has and then some, without healthy boundaries, without ever seeking help. When it breaks her, she experiences a complete loss of self.

Too exhausted to care for them, too ashamed to leave them, she journeys through her galaxy hoping for redemption. While Space Mama Piggy struggles to find her family, she inadvertently takes timid steps towards healing herself. Through her adventures she gradually rediscovers her individuality; gains new friendships; reconnects with her roots; gets some time alone to heal; and ultimately learns to love, forgive and accept herself unconditionally.

Space Mama Piggy is not the perfect mother of children’s books, but a flawed individual navigating her mistakes and doubts, her value as an individual, and her children leaving their nest. Space Mama Piggy is a comforting swine with empty ear-nests taking centre stage as an imperfect individual within an imperfect world. She does not have super powers beyond our means, rather, she is the tragedy we hide away. Vulnerable, broken, honest, riddled with shame. She is a gaping wound taking shaky six legged steps towards healing.

Space Mama Piggy’s story is inspired by folk stories and their vivid imagery, which guides listeners out of trouble and towards healing; self help books dealing with shame, codependency and trauma healing; and real life conversations about healing when facing depression, isolation and anxiety.

Although her six legs, ear-nests and trunk may not be familiar to most, her feelings, experiences, backlashes and pain are meant to provide a comic relief and company to all imperfect souls that are navigating change or lacking self-compassion.

Space Mama Piggy has been completed as a manuscript. The project is represented by The Seymour Agency. A thirty page comic version was independently published as a proof of concept and was available for a limited time at Desert Island Comics, Escape Pod Comics and Megabrain Comics in New York. All rights reserved. For more information contact hi at solaeva.com

Space Mama Piggy received a grant from both The Icelandic Visual Art Copyright Association and The Icelandic Visual Art Fund in 2021.