Ariel Schrag
An American cartoonist who turned the raw, cringe-worthy details of her teenage years into groundbreaking autobiographical comics.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American cartoonist and television writer·Birthday: December 29·Generation X
Biography
Ariel Schrag didn't wait for adulthood to start telling her story; she published it in real time. While still a student at Berkeley High School, she created a series of annual comic books—'Awkward,' 'Definition,' 'Potential,' and 'Likewise'—that documented her high school experience with unflinching honesty about sexuality, identity, and social chaos. This early work established her as a pioneer of intensely personal, literary graphic narrative. She later brought her sharp, observant voice to television, writing for shows like 'The L Word' and adapting her own controversial novel, 'Adam,' which explores queer identity and deception. Schrag's work occupies a vital space where the intimate diary meets cultural commentary, capturing the fluidity and confusion of growing up with a specificity that resonates deeply with readers navigating their own complex lives.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ariel was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ariel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Ariel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created the acclaimed high school comic series 'Awkward,' 'Definition,' 'Potential,' and 'Likewise' while still a teenager.
- Published the novel 'Adam' in 2014, which was adapted into a feature film she co-wrote in 2019.
- Wrote for television series including 'The L Word' and the acclaimed Showtime drama 'Billions.'
- Her early comics were recognized with a Ignatz Award for Promising New Talent.
Did You Know?
She wrote and drew her first published comic, 'Awkward,' during the summer after her freshman year of high school.
Schrag is openly gay and has described her work as falling under the label of 'dyke comics.'
She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in literature.
Her comic 'Potential' was nominated for an Eisner Award in the category of Best Reality-Based Work.
“I drew my life as it happened, the mess and the confusion, in ballpoint pen on notebook paper.”
