Creating Comics and Much More is a youth program developed with NGO Tri, an organization dedicated to helping young people express themselves through writing, illustration, and comic book storytelling. The program highlights Serbia’s long comic book tradition, which has grown through a century of blending local creativity with strong American influence—ever since the U.S. helped popularize and formalize the modern comic book industry. Today, many Serbian artists work with U.S. publishers, and this course helps young creators develop the skills needed to join that global creative ecosystem. Through expert guidance and hands‑on work, participants will create their own short comics and present them publicly, opening doors to careers in Serbia and potentially the U.S. market.
The “Creating Comics and Much More” program is an eight‑week creative course designed to guide young participants through the complete process of conceptualizing, writing, and developing their own comic book or graphic novel project. Each weekly session lasts 120 minutes and blends introductory lectures, Q&A, hands‑on creative work, and guided feedback. The course begins with a comprehensive theoretical introduction to the history and evolution of comic books—particularly their American origins and their impact on the development of Serbia’s own comic scene. This opening module also familiarizes participants with the course structure, expectations, team roles, and the central creative theme of the program, Freedom250.
As the program progresses, the emphasis shifts from theory to practice. Participants are divided into writers and artists, or may choose to work across both roles, depending on their interests. Through a blend of structured lessons and interactive exercises, attendees learn the foundations of storytelling, narrative structure, character creation, dialogue writing, and world‑building. Writers explore how to transform ideas into scripts, outlines, and fully developed story beats, while also learning how comics uniquely combine text and visuals. The curriculum gradually introduces more advanced writing techniques, guiding participants toward shaping complete, short comic narratives with clear pacing, emotional depth, and coherent visual flow.
A key component of the course is the collaborative environment it fosters. Each session after the introduction includes a dedicated segment for reviewing the previous week’s assignments, allowing participants to track their progress, identify challenges, and learn from peer and instructor feedback. These discussions help participants refine their storytelling instincts, strengthen their communication skills, and think critically about how writing, art, and layout work together in the comic medium. Throughout the program, students gain experience pitching ideas, presenting their concepts, and revising their work based on thoughtful critique.
In the later stages of the program, participants are introduced to the broader possibilities of the comic art form. They learn how comics can serve as the foundation for adaptations across film, television, animation, and video games, and how a strong story can be translated into multiple formats while maintaining its core identity. These sessions help writers understand the role of comics within a larger creative ecosystem and encourage them to view their stories as adaptable, expandable narratives with potential beyond the page.
The program concludes with a final workshop focused on polishing each student’s comic, preparing a concise presentation, and learning how to introduce their work to audiences, publishers, and industry professionals. Participants are guided through the practical steps of promoting, discussing, and exhibiting their creations. After the final session, the course culminates in a public exhibition showcasing the students’ completed comics, offering them the opportunity to share their work with visitors, publishers, editors, critics, journalists, and the broader creative community. This exhibition serves as both a celebration of their achievements and a potential steppingstone into future creative endeavors.
Beginners friendly and open to all!
Visual was done by Jovan Ukropina.
This program is in Serbian language.
