Comics & Narrative Practice
Use words and images to tell stories that captivate.
Learn how to tell powerful stories and create characters that leap to life from the pages of your comics and graphic novels. You’ll explore that, and more, in CCAD’s Comics & Narrative Practice program, as you develop a voice and a style that’s uniquely yours—and gain industry skills and knowledge, from pitching a story to crafting publisher-ready scripts to marketing your work. You’ll elevate your skills by learning to ink, color, and letter your comics. And you’ll do it under the guidance of our Comics faculty, who work with superhero powerhouses Marvel and DC; the iconic, creator-owned Image Comics; major children’s book publishers like Random House; and indie comics legend Fantagraphics.
In addition to all you do in the classroom, you’ll join a comics community that thrives on imagination—our hometown, Columbus, has the world’s largest comic book collection, at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum and hosts an annual convention with the who's who of the comics world at the annual Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC).
You’ll also shape your creative career with regular weekly workshops led by industry titans from Marvel and DC, indie comics legends, and even manga-ka from Japan! Throughout your time in the Comics program, you’ll hone your craft among the best of the business, ensuring that by the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to tell the stories you’ve dreamed of.
Comics & Narrative Practice Student Work
The last Voyage of Jules Verne
Fletcher Griffith
The Dollhouse
Eleanor Hauck
WOESOFA TEENAGE ROMANCE
Danny Gomez Rodriguez
Dear Diary
Swearingen Gillian
Black Gold
Jagger Stutzman
Boxerbob's Megaton Punch
Jonas Clagett
Over
Lucky Christiansen
Remains Forever
Megan Zalenski
Refuge
Skye Berggren
A Story Ready To Be Told
Tessa Luicart
The last Voyage of Jules Verne
Fletcher Griffith
2024
Digital
The Dollhouse
Eleanor Hauck
2025
Digital
WOESOFA TEENAGE ROMANCE
Danny Gomez Rodriguez
2024
Digital
Dear Diary
Swearingen Gillian
2025
Digital
Black Gold
Jagger Stutzman
2023
Digital
Boxerbob's Megaton Punch
Jonas Clagett
2024
Ink/Digital color
Over
Lucky Christiansen
2024
Digital
Remains Forever
Megan Zalenski
2023
Digital
Refuge
Skye Berggren
2024
Digital
A Story Ready To Be Told
Tessa Luicart
2024
Digital
Publications
Spitball: A CCAD Comics Anthology Spitball is the award-winning comics anthology made yearly by our students in the Comics Practicum class, in partnership with professional comics writers. This book is drawn, marketed, designed, and published entirely by the students, who then take their finished work to comics conventions across the country. Students have turned their experience as part of Spitball into professional opportunities, and notably, some of these Spitball stories go on to be books of their own.
Spaces to Make
Our campus has the tools and the spaces to help you make your vision real.
Faculty
Meet the people who will help you along your creative and professional journey.
Adjunct Faculty
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Christian Casas[email protected]
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Eric Clift[email protected]
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MJ Damsen[email protected]
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Marina Harkness[email protected]
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Holly Kimbrell[email protected]
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Patrick Lay[email protected]
Course Spotlight
Comics Anthology Practicum
Team up with a professional comics/graphic novel writer to create illustrations for our annual comics anthology, Spitball. In addition to publishing, students will learn to market their work, both online and at comes and publishing trade shows and conventions.
Comics & Narrative Practice First Year Experience
Academic Year
Total Credit Hours
Freshman Year - Fall
Course Title |
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2D Creative Practice |
Systems of Drawing |
Collaboration |
Mod Contemporary or Historical Art History |
Writing and the Arts |
Freshman Year - Spring
Course Title |
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Intro to Comics |
Drawing for Entertainment Design |
3D Making with Care |
History of Comics and Illustration |
Liberal Arts Self and Society Course |
Comics careers
After earning their BFA in Comics & Narrative Practice, our graduates leave ready to take on such roles as:
- Artist
- Character developer
- Colorist
- Comics illustrator
- Letterer
- Publisher
Recent employers
- Andrews McMeel Publishing
- BOOM! Studios
- DC Comics
- Freestyle Comics
- IDW Publishing
- Image Comics
- Marvel Comics
- Milkfed Criminal Masterminds
- Oaktree Comics
- Oni Press
- Random House Publishing
- Ten Speed Press
Comics & Narrative Practice News
When it comes to making great comic books and graphic novels, there are few people who have accomplished more—or know the industry better—than Shelly Bond. Check out these expert tips from the master herself.
Student Success
Partnership between CCAD students and Veterans highlights the healing power of the arts
How can the arts help Veterans heal? Can sharing one’s story be transformative? These are some of the questions explored during the spring of 2020 through a creative learning project between Columbus College of Art & Design and the Veteran Arts Initiative of the VA Central Ohio Healthcare System.