Heartbreaking and real, Madaya Mom is amazing.

“Today, our one meal was rice and bean soup … our bodies are no longer used to eating.” The poignant nature of this statement led to it becoming the first line of a new digital comic book, which is a collaboration between Marvel and ABC News.

The comic, entitled Madaya Mom, tells real-life accounts of a Syrian mother living & trying to survive in the embattled city of Madaya. It began on ABC News’s website in January 2016 as a blog project called “Syria Starving: A Family’s Fight for Survival”, and chronicles the real-life strife that has befallen this Syrian family (as well as the city of Madaya itself), as they struggle to survive.

Yes, these are real-life stories of one woman & her family. While she has chosen to remain anonymous for reasons of safety, this mom tells a compelling tale through the blog posts, which were published by ABC News after the mother began communicating with journalists & sending them text message updates on her & her family’s situations. One of them in particular, really struck a chord with us here at PCU:

Madaya Mom brings an insight to those who may not be familiar with Madaya, as it has not been in the headlines as much as cities like Aleppo. It provides a context to the daily life of the besieged city’s inhabitants, but it does it from the perspective of the mother, which is both unique & heart-wrenching. The art, done by Dalibor Talajic, meshes beautifully with the story, as Talajic’s smooth lines & heavy use of contrast are perfect for capturing the emotion of the scene. Evocative of photos from the region, Madaya Mom hits readers hard, and right where it counts.

In order to get the book created, it took not only a collaboration with Marvel, but the team of artist Dalibor Talajic, managing editor Xana O’Neill, and producer Rym Momtaz. In speaking with the NY Times, Ms. Momtaz said she hoped the comic format would help the story reach an audience who may not necessarily be following news of the (currently) five-year conflict.

In addition to the comic itself, there are several pieces of supplemental media. Two short documentaries on the project’s creation & execution, a profile on Dalibor Talajic, and even a teacher’s guide, so that students everywhere can learn about & be shown what the people in Syria have been going through.

Madaya Mom was released on Monday, October 3^rd, and can be read & downloaded for free on the ABCNewsGO website.