Comfortably Numb

Comfortably Numb is a webcomic series focused on Nova Schmidt as she navigates high school while transgender.

Publication information
Though it doesn't bear the insignia, Comfortably Numb is the first Karabear comic (all others created by Ave are decidedly pre-Karabear). It was posted intermittently online on Comic Genesis, mainly consisting of filler over actual content. Schoolwork and other life situations got in the way and it remains unfinished.

Story
Nova Schmidt is preparing for her first day of high school, having moved to (likely Redding) from a different area. She has decided to join the football team while also going out publically as a woman. She meets Janice King while changing in the locker room and encounters antagonism--because Janice, a cheerleader, doesn't believe girls should play football.

Nate Schmidt meets Chris Daly in the Boys locker room and the two have a "conversation" before heading onto the field. Nate acknowledges Nova as his "sibling", and still refuses to call her "Nova", opting instead for "No", much to Nova's chagrin. Janice, meanwhile, gets a flustered upon starting to enter the gym.

The future of the comic
With the football practice still not having started, the comic certainly hasn't actually gotten anywhere. However, there is a possibility it will continue, if only to at least tell the initially-intended story. This will involve dating, friendships and revelations about some of the characters.

Influence
Ave was highly influenced by Venus Envy, which she was reading at the time. The story was to hit similar plotpoints, but hopefully in a different way.

Characters
The characters are representative of characters in Ave's own life:
 * Nova Schmidt is an author avatar, going to far as being drawn the same way Ave drew herself in filler (and being horribly skinny, as Ave was in high school). Her male name is "Noah", juxtaposing Ave's also Biblical male name of "Abraham".  The "Schmidt" is to correspond to Ave's German last name of "Messer".
 * Nate Schmidt is a representation of Ave's older brother. She doesn't want to put his real name on here without his permission, but the name of Nate has reasoning behind it.
 * Janice King is named after Ave's first real friend in elementary school, and so is her appearance, though the gender for both has been changed. Her personality, however, is completely different.
 * Chris Daly is named after Ave's first real girlfriend, with his gender and race changed. Like Janice, his personality is completely different, though.
 * In filler, Ave put her little brother in for his obnoxious behavior, though he does not have a counterpart shown in the actual comic. There is also a filler-only character called Che, created by Che Munroe, the only confirmed reader of the comic, as well as a cartoony face labelled "Passerby", based on a gag, and a preview appearance of Pinball.  As well, Ave showed a Bookie fighter, a creation of her little brother's.

Creators

 * Ave Messer - writer, artist