MADE Collaborative – It’s the Made Collaborative’s mission to give kids a voice through the magic of storytelling and creativity.

We develop original comics and creative content with the participation of after-school programs and youth. And we've created this virtual platform so that you can participate in this collaborative process by sharing your own creative ideas and input.

The Back of the Yards comic book series, a Made Collaborative production, was born in collaboration with participating urban youth on the West Side of Chicago. With this virtual creative studio platform, we will continue those collaborations with interested parties everywhere, building new comic content on the foundation of those original collaborations in the West Side of Chicago.

Behind the the comic scenes, Made Collaborative is an immersive virtual studio experience. Our Studio Cards facilitate collaboration with you by providing: (i) context for topics and concepts used to develop our comic (“Source Cards”), (ii) context for the comic characters that we develop collaboratively with you (“Character Cards”) and finally, (iii) comprehensive opportunities for you to collaborate on the comic (“Action Cards”). Just click the back of any card to begin your own creative journey.

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Source
Cards

Law Enforcement
And Community Relations (LK)

Source Card #5: Law Enforcement and Community Relations (LK)

What

This collaborative series is a peek into the issues facing law enforcement and community relations within our urban communities.

When

We will begin Part I of this collaborative series with a snapshot of the early origins of modern day policing, setting the stage for a deeper dive into the present day issues in Part II of this series.

Who

This Source Card overview begins with a look at a man named Robert Peel who may not be a household name to many of us, but as it turns out, in many ways he may well be the founding father of today’s modern day police force as we know it.

Why

To facilitate a collaborative process that promotes just a little more understanding from all sides on a complicated set of issues facing our country’s urban centers. And along the way, with your help and input, incorporate some of these themes and issues into our Back of the Yards comic series.

Character
Cards

Who is…
Big Earl?

Studio Card #10 – “Big” Earl Perkins

Summary Traits

Big Earl is a big man with a big heart. Beloved by all in the neighborhood, everybody knows his name and has heard a story or two about this gentle giant.

Core Personality Traits & Values

Earl was the neighborhood football hero before an injury pushed him to the sidelines. And undiagnosed dyslexia prevented him for excelling in school. But Earl’s kind soul and balanced nature granted him resilience through life’s toughest struggles.

Primary Archetype

The Everyman

Motto

“If I didn’t get hurt, then I would never have found me.”

Collaboration Background

Big Earl was developed by Jimmy Briseno and Len Kody in 2015 as part of the initial Issue 1 scripting process.

Debut

Issue #1 of the Back of the Yards comic series

Action
Cards

And Action!
Create a Hero’s Journey

Action Card #3: Create A Hero’s Journey!

Collaboration Summary

Action Card #3 will challenge you develop your own Hero Journey storylines (based on concepts developed by Joseph Campbell) which you can use for own creative projects. You can also submit your Hero Journey storylines to us if you would like us to help further develop your ideas, and in some instances, include those storylines as part of Back of the Yards comic series.

Collaboration Background

At the heart of our project’s collaborative is the creation of Hero's Journey storylines. This all started as part of a supplemental art program in the West Side of Chicago where participating youth would help create the original characters of the Back of the Yards comic series, and with that, independent storylines for those characters, which we then synthesized into one integrated comic storyline. With this collaboration, we are simply trying to extend this same collaborative opportunity to others virtually.

This & That

Action Card cover illustrated by Andrew Dimmett. Content developed by Jimmy Briseno, Len Kody and … you? Learn more on how by linking to the QR Code above.