These Comics Turned Life’s Messy Moments Into Big Hugs (49 Pics)

"I actually trained to be a childcare worker," Marlies says. "But once I hit 18, I was like, nope, I quit."

She spent a chunk of time as a cashier, but art was always her jam.

"Drawing’s my zen - it's how I chill and stay sane."

She even took art classes on the side, picking up the basics that later made her comics pop.

Then, in 2020, life took a wild turn when she moved to Lokeren.

"At 28, I moved for work. Me, my boyfriend, and a buddy started a web design biz that's actually doing pretty well now."

But hang on, there’s a twist.

"I was also battling a heavy slump - depression hit me hard with everything changing all at once."

Just before the big move, Marlies lost a close friend to cancer - she was only 24.

"Losing her hit me hard."

Since talking wasn’t cutting it, art became her voice.

"Go Nana's World started as my way to spill all those feels. I'm more about drawing than chatting."

She kicked off the project on Instagram during lockdowns, not expecting tons of people to vibe with it.

"It was just me venting creatively."

Now? It’s all about giving hope.

"I want folks to know they're not alone in the messy stuff."

Her comics? They’re honest about fear, doubts, and feeling low but still sprinkle in quiet hope that tomorrow’s a new day.

Her comics hit close to home: battling anxiety, setting boundaries, not comparing to others, learning to be kind to yourself, and celebrating little wins.

With cute characters and gentle jokes, she makes heavy stuff feel lighter.

Good news - she’s in a way better place now.

"My depression's in the rearview, thanks to great friends and family."

Then, 2022 brought a brand-new adventure: motherhood.

Motherhood added fresh warmth to her art, painting life’s little joys with more love.

What started as a personal project grew unexpectedly.

"I never planned to open a shop."

But a friend's idea changed that.

"They said, ‘Why not a webshop?’ Since we do web design, it made total sense."

So, meet GoNanasWorld.com launching July 1st! It’s got cool, sustainable clothes for all ages that match her designs, plus cards and custom art.