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Who is ...

Russell Patterson?

Summary Traits	Russell is a very shy and creative young man. He is a grade or two younger than the rest of our young principal characters.
Core Personality Traits & Values	Russell Patterson has an extremely vivid imagination and a very active dream life. He just may be the most talented and creative student at New City High, but he lacks confidence so he too often daydreams as a means of escape.
Archetype	The Dreamer
Motto	“It is okay to live a life that others don't understand”
Collaboration Background	Russell’s character was initially developed during the original Made Collaborative in-person classroom collaborations with youth in the fall and winter of 2013, as part of an after school program in the West-Side of Chicago.
Debut	Issue #1 of the Back of the Yards comic series

Let's Collaborate

There’s a magical time in a young person’s life, before the opposite sex becomes quite so interesting, when the diaphanous membrane between dreams and reality is at its most permeable. It’s a time when dreams can be shared easily between those with whom we’ve forged a special, life-long bond.

Russel and Draymond are cousins—but more like brothers, really—and they share a common dream iconography made up of interwoven archetypes and meta-narratives. Together, they intermittently inhabit a whole universe of stories that are both created and experienced by the two.

Related Studio Cards

All Stories Start With

A Great Character!

Studio Card #1 | Let’s Create a Character(s)!

Brief

Welcome to the Made Collaborative Studio! This Studio Card #2 represents your first step on a creative journey with us. We begin this collaborative virtual studio just as it began in a classroom in the West Side of Chicago years ago - by providing you with an opportunity to create your own original comic character(s).

Scope

As you might expect, creative collaboration is at the heart of the Made Collaborative Studio. We believe in sharing stories, intertwining ideas and giving a voice to participating urban youth and collaborators like you. ALL OF YOUR STORIES MATTER. And that's why we begin this virtual journey with the creation of your own original character, some of which may be including in our Back of the Yards comic series!

This & That

The most intriguing submissions to this and all of our Studio Card may highlighted on our website. We'll showcase them on our "This & That" blog. And a few of you may also be invited to take part in one of our regular Zoom workshop sessions to further develop selected characters.

Who is…
Carl Castaneda?

Studio Card #7: The Mysterious Mentor

Brief

Carl Castaneda is a comic character developed as part of the Back of the Yards comic series; a Creative Commons project produced by the Made Collaborative Studio. Mr. Castañeda is a mysterious teacher and mentor who guides our main characters on their road to realization. Glimpses at his own foggy past reveal that he embarked on a similar journey long ago.

Core Personality Traits & Values

He clearly knows more than what he is saying, but the best teachers do not give they answers but merely point the way.

Primary Archetype

The Mentor

Motto

“Your dreams are part of the same primal energy that brings all existence into being!”

Collaboration Background

Mr. Castañeda is a character developed by Len Kody. He is a way of tying the various narratives and characters created by the first wave of participating youth as part of an after school program in the West-Side of Chicago.

Debut

Issue #2 of the Back of the Yards comic series

Who is…
Erihii Nyamor?

Who is Eric Nyamor?

Brief

Erihii Nyamor (aka Eric) keeps things grounded and real while being one of the team’s biggest dreamers. His anime-influenced art adds both vibrance and credibility to the project. Since the launch, he’s played a key role in artistic and character development.

Core Personality Traits & Values

Eric combines his passion for storytelling with a strong belief in the transformative power of art. He’s both a visionary and a collaborator, using creativity to connect and inspire.

Archetype

The Creator

Motto

"No matter how hard or impossible it is, never lose sight of your goals."

Collaboration Background

Erihii has been creating dynamic art and characters for as long as he can remember. His recent projects include collaborations with the Nashville Black Market and illustrations for children's books across Tennessee.

Latest Work

Linked below you'll find Erihii's Instagram for the latest on work and appearances. Further info can also be found on his "I Can Draw" website. The Yas x Yen IG is a production journal of Nyamor's graphic novel in progress.

Neighborhoods
& Their Residents!

Studio Card #8: Neighborhoods & Their Residents

What

With this Source Card collaborative production, we examine the unique characteristics of our urban neighborhoods, including their unique histories, events and residents.

When

We will examine past, present and future states of these neighborhoods in attempt to gain a better understanding of how these neighborhoods originally developed and evolved through the years.

Who

As part of this collaborative series, we will also examine the residents of these neighborhoods, including early immigrants to present day inhabitants, and their corresponding influence and impact to our urban communities.

Why

In order to more fully understand some of the complexities of our urban centers, we must understand their neighborhoods, including the evolution of those neighborhoods and their residents. And, of course, we plan to incorporate some of these related themes into our ongoing comic series, Back of the Yards, with your collaborations.

Introducing a New Hero’s Journey
Back of the Yards!

Studio Card #3 | Our New Comic Series!

Summary

With this Studio Card production, we introduce you to the Back of the Yards!, a Creative Commons comic project produced by the Made Collaborative Studio. Back of the Yards is a story about young man in the West Side of Chicago that has what he believes to be a supernatural encounter and his subsequent journey to understand what is real and what isn't within his neighborhood.

When

We will examine past, present and future states of these neighborhoods in attempt to gain a better understanding of how these neighborhoods originally developed and evolved through the years.developed in collaboration with participating youth from the West Side of Chicago.

Who

Why

Who is…
Manny Dominguez?

Who is Manny Dominguez?

Summary Traits

TBD

Core Personality Traits & Values

TBD

Archetype

The Magician

Motto

TBD

Collaboration Background

TBD

Debut

Eric started working with Jimmy Briseno and Manny Dominguez in the very early days of this Made Collaborative project back in 2014, during initial meetings with youth in the after school programs of Chicago.

Law Enforcement &
The Community

Source Card #9: Crossing the Threshold Every Day

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.

Creating A Character (Part II)
Character Archetypes

Studio Card #3 – Creating a Character (Part II)

What

This Studio Card production is part of the Back of the Yards comic series, a Creative Commons project produced by Made Collaborative Studio, and features Carl Jung’s Archetypes of the Unconscious Mind. This Studio Card sets forth the 12 primary character archetypes which we hope help participating youth with their own creative projects and ideas.

When

These 12 character archetypes can be used by participating youth for their own independent collaborations, just as they have been used by others throughout the course of time, from the ancient Greek plays to modern day Star Wars trilogies.

Who

These character archetypes are important to understand because unlike character stereotypes, which are superficial generic generalizations, archetypes are said to have been deduced through the development of storytelling over tens of thousands of years, indicating repeating patterns of individual and group experience.

Why

Character Archetypes can help one gain a better understanding and development of literary characters and stories for not only our Made Collaborative comic publications, but also independent collaborations of any participating youth and others.

Who is…
Russell Patterson?