| Brief | In the previous Studio Card, you took your first creative steps—bringing a character to life and exploring what makes them unique. Now, it’s time for their journey to begin. Every hero, from the first stories ever told to today, follows a path filled with trials, transformation, and discovery. Welcome to the Hero’s Journey! |
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| Scope | The first five stages of the Hero’s Journey form a Call to Action. We meet your hero, step into their world, and watch as a challenge disrupts the balance. Will they answer the call? Will they step onto the rocky road of adventure? Or will they cling to blissful ignorance? |
| This & That | The Made Collaborative has developed a storytelling template rooted in ancient methods intrinsic to human nature. We invite you to engage in the same process that urban youth and our cadre of professional collaborators have used to shape Back of the Yards. Join us in building a richer, deeper world—on the comics page and beyond. And who knows? Your story could become part of it. |
Welcome to the adventure, fellow travelers. As you’ll soon discover in this Collaborative Series, stories and storytelling are essential to human existence. The natural flow of a story—from beginning to middle to end—feels wired into our DNA. The stories we tell ourselves shape how we understand the world.
Across history and cultures, many of the greatest stories follow a pattern known as the Hero’s Journey. From Hamlet to Harry Potter, from Buddha to Spider-Man, this universal formula transcends time and place. Why? Because the Hero’s Journey isn’t just about how stories work. It’s about how we work. It’s a roadmap for life itself. Some stories are so powerful they don’t just shape our imaginations. They build nations, religions, skyscrapers and cathedrals around them.
The Hero’s Journey an ancient path that moves in flowing spirals, always renewing itself. It circling through stories, dreams and even the rhythms of our own lives. It offers clarity, but don’t mistake it for a rigid map. Not every tale fits neatly into its 12 stages, and that’s part of the beauty. Once you start seeing the patterns, though, they have a way of pulling you in, again and again.
Let’s take our first step into the labyrinth.
The hero is introduced to us in their ordinary world. The mundane, ordinary world is presented in stark contrast with the “special world” that the hero will enter when they accept their quest.
In Spider-Man, Peter Parker is introduced as a regular, particularly nerdy teen in the residential borough of Queens–quite the opposite of the New York-based superhero he becomes.
In our comic series, the “Ordinary World” is Back of the Yards, a fictionalized version of a real Chicago neighborhood with a community and a history all its own.
Every hero starts in a familiar world—safe, routine, or even limiting—before adventure calls.
In Back of the Yards, our heroes begin in a fictionalized Chicago neighborhood, rich with history and challenges. Their world seems ordinary—until change stirs.
Now, think about your hero’s world. Is it from your past, present, or a dream?
Describe your Ordinary World below.
This is the moment that sets the story in motion—a pivotal event that presents the hero with a challenge they can’t ignore. Their journey begins here.
In Star Wars, the call to adventure arrives through Princess Leia’s desperate message, carried by R2-D2: “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”
In Back of the Yards, Andre’s call comes on a fateful night when he ascends a translucent staircase to a mysterious craft hidden in a dark South Side alleyway.
A hero’s journey begins with a call—an opportunity, a crisis, or a moment of realization that changes everything. Sometimes it’s a whisper, other times a thunderclap, but it always leads toward something new. In your Ordinary World, what kind of call might set someone on a path to adventure?
The hero often hesitates before answering the call to adventure. Fear, doubt, or attachment to the life they know can hold them back. Sometimes, they don’t feel ready. Other times, they don’t yet understand the path ahead.
In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo resists leaving the safety of the Shire, uncertain if he has the strength to face the dangers beyond his home.
Mr. Castaneda’s journey reflects this hesitation in a different way. He traveled to Mexico seeking wisdom, only to be rebuffed by the cosmic being he sought. Unready for the knowledge he desired, his path forward remained uncertain.
Whether through fear, uncertainty, or rejection, the hero’s first instinct is often to turn back.
A call to adventure isn’t always answered right away. The unknown is daunting, and stepping forward often means leaving something behind. Fear, doubt, responsibility, or even disbelief can keep a hero from taking that first step.
Before the journey begins, they must decide: stay or go?
The hero encounters a wise mentor—often an older man or woman—who provides the guidance, tools, or knowledge needed to begin the journey. But while the mentor offers wisdom, they can only accompany the hero so far. At some point, the hero must step forward alone.
In The Matrix, Neo meets Morpheus, who presents him with a choice: take the blue pill and remain in the familiar world, or take the red pill and embrace the unknown.
At New City High, the enigmatic Mr. Castaneda serves as a mentor to gifted young creatives, offering them insight and encouragement. Yet, much about him remains a mystery.
No hero starts their journey alone. A mentor appears to offer guidance, whether through knowledge, training, or an unexpected challenge. Gandalf helps Bilbo find his courage, Yoda teaches Luke the ways of the Jedi, and Mr. Castaneda serves as a cryptic guide to promising young minds at New City High.
But no matter how wise or powerful, a mentor can only do so much. In the end, the hero must choose their own path
Every hero reaches a moment of no return—the point where they step beyond the familiar and fully commit to the journey ahead. Fear and uncertainty may linger, but once they cross the threshold, there’s no turning back. They must embrace the unknown and face whatever challenges lie ahead.
In Spider-Man, Peter Parker takes this leap when he catches the thief who killed Uncle Ben, realizing the weight of his choices: “With great power comes great responsibility.” In that moment, he is no longer just Peter—he has stepped fully into his role as Spider-Man.
Now, it’s your turn. Storytelling itself is an adventure, a journey into uncharted territory where you shape the path ahead. Just like the heroes in the stories we love, you stand at the edge of something new.
Will you take the first step?
Are you ready to take the leap?
The time for hesitation is over, dear storyteller. You’ve crafted your character, explored their world, and maybe even glimpsed the path ahead. But a hero isn’t defined by where they start—it’s the moment they step forward that truly begins their journey.
Now, bring it all together. Set the stage. Show us how your hero crosses the threshold and embraces the adventure that awaits!
Stories come alive through images. Illustrate a pivotal moment from the first five stages of the Hero’s Journey.
It could be:
• A single image capturing the Call to Adventure or meeting the Mentor.
• A comics page showing the journey from the Ordinary World to Crossing the Threshold.
What does this moment look like? Show us the turning point.
Strong submissions may be featured in Back of the Yards!
Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book. iPad/iPhone users, submit images from FILES (NOT from Photo Library).
Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.
UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW
Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.
UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW
Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.
UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW
Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.
UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW
Collaborate with professional artists by contributing some artwork of your own! Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.
UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW
