This is Chris of Durango, Colorado. Tevas adorn his feet, a Grateful Dead shirt clings to his belly  and cut-off jean shorts, faded and frayed, reveal a pair of knees that have weathered the storms of countless blowjobs. But beneath the tie-dye exterior and the subtle aroma of body odor, the man remained a tempest of uptight frustration.

Armando was twenty-four and already tired in a way that made him seem older.

He worked on a farm outside Hermosillo, where the days were mostly heat, dust, and the same rows of crops he had been looking at for years. His hands were cracked from the work. By noon, his shirt was usually soaked through.

In the dust-choked embrace of the African savannah, Adisa, a tribesman whose world is tethered to the pulse of ancient traditions, finds his existence unraveling with the arrival of relentless emissaries from the West. The air, thick with the scent of impending change, carries the metallic tang of uncertainty.

In this illustration, I have endeavored to capture my interpretation of the visage of Peter the Great, the notable historical figure. Adding a layer of intrigue to this narrative is the rumored romantic entanglement involving Peter's wife, Empress Catherine I of Russia, and a man named Willem Mons. The gossip surrounding their liaison eventually took a dark turn when Peter ordered Willem's beheading.

In this drawing, I have sought to capture my vision of Willem Mons, a historical figure entangled in the Russian imperial court during the reign of Empress Catherine I. Willem is said to have been romantically linked to Catherine I, a connection that ultimately led to a tragic and macabre end.

Luli worked nights in a brothel in Hong Kong. She hated the word “worked,” but there wasn’t a better one.

Mei runs a small hair salon in Hong Kong.

During the day, she cuts hair. At night, some of the rooms in the back are used for something else.