Characters

A comic panel from the graphic novel Sunny Side Down showing Sunny on a road

Sunny

Although Sunny is a reserved, helpful, and empathetic person at her core, she struggles with her insecurities and self-doubts, which she often tries to compensate for with outbursts.

Since trusting others is difficult for her, she expresses her thoughts through poetry and doodles.

In Pit, she meets a person who is able to see beyond her provocations and whom she can open up to.

Pit

Pit’s hippie past may not be apparent at first glance, but there is more to him than just a bitter old man.

After the recent death of his sick wife, Pit decided to bury her at the North Sea – against the wishes of her family.

Travelling with Sunny encourages him to make peace with his past and to start letting other people back into his life.

A comic panel from the graphic novel Sunny Side Down showing Pit in front of a forest

The story

After Sunny learns of the seriousness of her congenital heart defect, she runs away and joins a group of sprayers. At night, the band breaks into a small village store.

The reckless break-in goes off the rails and ends with an unconscious shopkeeper, a scattered group, and approaching police. Seeking shelter in a rusty pickup truck, Sunny bumps into a gruff, washed-up hippie Pit, who, to her surprise, helps her escape when he notices the approaching officers.

It quickly becomes apparent that Pit has stolen his wife’s coffin in order to bury her by the sea, against her family’s wishes. 

When their car is stolen along with Sunny’s medication, the unlikely duo is forced to work together. 

Before they know it, the two find themselves on a road trip. Followed by the authorities and confronted with bizarre situations, they develop an unexpected friendship.

A comic panel from the graphic novel Sunny Side Down showing Sunny and Pit in front of a junkyard