Comics for Peace

The hearts of comic fans went out to them: Three days on the subject of comics were experienced by 70 participants in an educational series organised by the Adult Education Centre Bocholt-Rhede-Isselburg. Among others, the well-known comic artist Kim Schmidt gave insights into his work. But it was not only about drawing.

The series began with a lecture entitled "Comics for Peace". It was about the cartoonists of Superman in the early 1930s in America. The audience followed the traces of the young Superman with the speaker Dr Torsten Caeners. Interestingly, both Christian-Jewish influences and tendencies that made Superman a superhero for the American majority society emerged. Caeners used strongmen, travelling circuses and westerns to describe the genesis of the first classic superhero.

A look over the draughtswoman's shoulder

Pupils from Hohe-Giethorst School were able to see the up-and-coming comic artist Anna Aimée live at work. The basis for developing a character with personality is the construction of a proportionally correctly drawn body, Aimée revealed. Poses, facial expressions and different outfits - the pupils then took up the drawing pencil themselves. What superpower would I like to have and what special talents do I already have in real life were the questions that played a role in the further development of a character.

The workshop took place in cooperation with the "Verein der Freunde und Förderer der VHS Bocholt-Rhede-Isselburg".

Comic artist Kim Schmidt as guest

The third highlight was the workshop with the prominent comic artist Kim Schmidt. Among other things, Schmidt showed how different emotions can be put on paper.

The Adult Education Centre drew a positive conclusion from this series of events. "The participants gained insights into the power of comic drawing and useful tips from professionals for their own creative development. They also gained a differentiated perspective on the socio-political significance of superhero comics," they said.

About Anna Aimée: Born in 1995, Master's student with a scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg.

About Dr. Torsten Caeners: Born in 1976, he teaches linguistics and literature at the University of Duisburg-Essen. In particular, Caeners researches and teaches as a cultural scientist on popular culture topics.

About Kim Schmidt: Comic artist, author, children's book illustrator and North German. His themes are land and life between the seas. His comics are called Local Heroes, Öde, Kleiner Thor and Gorm Grimm. He draws illustrations and comic books for the well-known series "Drei ???-Kids".