German comic artist Aisha Franz visited Gimnasio Campestre on September 26th to
work with a select group of gimnasianos, the newly created “Comic Book Club.”
Students from Third , Sixth , Ninth and Tenth grades had the opportunity to see Franz's
work and participate in a workshop given by the comic artist. Many of the members of
the Comic Book Club have a remarkable experience in the field of comic creation, either
in projects with the Art Department or their free time spent in Babel and Chatterton’s
Academy. During her visit, Franz praised the process that many of these students have
achieved over time and above all, she praised the existence of new spaces for interests
as diverse and exciting as the creation of comics. In C(h)áracter we have the conviction
that these students have demonstrated they can go beyond a simple interest. Their
questions, recurrent themes and continuous work gives us the idea of a new craft.
Gradually they have built a discipline, a work method and more importantly, a sense of
style.
Looking to respond directly to this process that begins its first steps, the Library along
with Chatterton 's Academy and Babel have been on the task of providing students
around the school with a space dedicated to comics and graphic novels . Supported by
a scenario that aims to be as comprehensive as possible (from Tintin and Asterix to
graphic novels such as "Palestine" by Joe Sacco ), this space seeks to promote reading
and the production of comics and graphic novels. We celebrate the opening of this new
space with the certainty that those called to bring a craft dedicated to comics will give its
meaning through creation.
In this new edition of C(h)áracter you will find the work produced by the Comic Book
Club during Franz’s workshop, a selection of stories written by Eight Graders in Laura
Mutis’ Spanish class, a section devoted to short stories in English based on the Percy
Jackson book series and a selection of detective stories and character creations in the
Detectives sections.
These students-creators remind us every day that to tell stories through panels or short
stories is as respectable and admirable as being part of the marching band or achieving
a victory at Copa Tradición. This new issue of C(h)áracter magazine is dedicated to
them.
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