Beyond the Issue | Bonus Studio Collaboration

Who is ...
Peaches?
Brief Peaches is one of the neighborhood's Elders in the Back of the Yards comic series, a Creative Commons project developed by the Made Collaborative Studio. Known only by his nickname, Peaches observes, advises and occasionally comments on the lives of the neighborhood's younger generation. But behind his familiar presence lies a rich and largely untold history. With this bonus Studio collaboration, we invite collaborators to explore Peaches' mysterious past, his relationships within the neighborhood, and the experiences that shaped him, helping imagine how his story might unfold in future issues of Back of the Yards.
Core Personality Traits & Values Peaches is the dignified moral compass the Elders. Even though he is very much a realist, Peaches tends to see the best in people and he encourages them toward a righteous path.
Primary Archetype The Mentor
Motto “Though our destiny is now our own, our search for that destiny has only just begun.”
Collaboration Background Peaches was developed by Jimmy Briseno and Len Kody as part of the initial Issue 1 scripting process.
Debut Issue #1 of the Back of the Yards comic series

Quick Introduction

The Funky Finger of Fate

Three wise-cracking wise guys man a permanent post around a pickle barrel in front of Kozlow’s General Store. They are Peaches, Dex and Big Earl. Although these distinguished gentlemen of the neighborhood are officially retired from whatever eclectic ventures kept them occupied (and mostly out of trouble) in their storied youth, the Elders, as we call them, continue to serve an important purpose in their community—and in our story!   

The intertwining threads of fate in Back of the Yards all intersect at the Elders’ humble pickle barrel, believe it or not. In ancient mythology, the Fates weren’t just observers and commentators but also tailors in life’s grand tapestry. Similarly, Peaches, Dex and Earl color the happenings of their Southside Chicago block with their piercing insight and cutting humor. They provide context, gravitas and perspective, reminding the reader and our younger characters that the world is big and history is long. 

Atonement With the Father

It’s the summer of 1974 and love is blossoming on the Southside of Chicago. Peaches is in his early 30s and he is maturing into his destiny. 

 
Peaches’ father is an influential preacher in the community. As he lies on his deathbed, Peaches must step up into a leadership role to his father’s flourishing flock of followers. As he does so, Peaches sees for the first time the damage that the Policy Kings are doing to his community. He decides to take a stand against it. It’s not an easy stand to take, as policy and its power structures are deeply entrenched in the community; it’s been that way for generations. 

Peaches' Forbidden Fruit

Things become personal for Peaches when he meets Stephanie St. Croix, a streetwise young woman who steals his heart. But her daddy ain’t a preacher. In fact, he’s one of the top dogs in Chicago’s policy rackett! The stage is set for a real Romeo and Juliet situation on the South Side. 
 
How will Peaches reconcile these opposing forces ripping his community (and his heart) in two? Can he? And will he finally get the acceptance from this father that he’s been seeking for so long?

The Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Peaches is a sweet old-timer, but not without substance. He is a source of both warmth and reason in the group, initiating many of their deeper conversations and keeping his comrades in check when he needs to.

As with all the Elders, his full backstory is too rich and mysterious to reveal entirely just yet. But it’s plain to see that Peaches carries himself with an unmistakable air of dignity. He expresses himself thoughtfully. Though rational, he is certainly not immune to passion, especially in matters regarding injustice.

Let's Collaborate!

Let's Collaborate

Before he became one of the neighborhood's respected Elders, Peaches was a young man caught between family expectations, forbidden love and the criminal forces shaping his community.

It's 1974 Chicago. His father's legacy weighs heavily on him, his heart pulls him toward Stephanie St. Croix, and the Policy Kings threaten everything he believes in.

What choices will shape the man Peaches eventually becomes?

With this bonus Studio collaboration, we invite you to explore Peaches' past, the relationships that define him, and the difficult decisions that may shape his future in Back of the Yards.

Table of Contents

Studio Cards Related to the Back of the Yards Comic Series Project

All Stories Start With

A Great Character!

04 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
With this collaboration, we're putting our original Create a Character process to work on an actual open question from Issue #3. You'll have an opportunity to help develop the young man's appearance, background, personality, motivations and history - and ultimately help us answer a simple question: Who does Dex see?
Background
Early in Issue #3, Dex Coleman encounters a young man he doesn't recognize. We know this character will matter to the developing story. What we haven't fully decided is exactly who he is.
This & That
Selected ideas and artwork may be featured through Made Collaborative and considered as we develop the character who ultimately appears in Issue #3. Contributors whose ideas are incorporated into the finished comic will be credited as part of its development.
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Who is…
Tamia Parker?

03 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
For Issue #3, we're opening the next stage in the journey of Tamia Parker - another character born from our earliest youth collaborations - to collaboration. As Tamia's dreams begin to blur with reality and she senses that something within her is changing, we're inviting you to help us explore what her transformation might become—and what it could ultimately mean for her.
Core Personality Traits & Values
Tamia is extremely bright, curious, introspective and creative. She is an artist at heart, with empathy that forms connections with others in ways that she even doesn’t fully understand yet…
Archetype
The Creator
Motto
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” - Leonard Cohen
Collaboration Background
Tamia’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
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Who is…
Andre Davis?

09 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
For our second Issue #3 collaboration centered on Andre Davis, we're opening the pages of his notebook - and inviting young creators, artists, and storytellers to help fill them. Earlier, we explored Andre's emerging abilities and what becoming extraordinary might mean for him. This time, we're turning to his creative side: What might Andre draw, sketch, write, or imagine when no one else is looking? Selected contributions may ultimately appear inside Andre's notebook in the finished comic, giving collaborators an opportunity to leave their creative mark on Issue #3 of Back of the Yards.
Core Personality Traits & Values
Andre is bright, inquisitive and self-reliant, always searching for the truth and a greater understanding of himself and others … but he may also be susceptible to the trappings of his newfound power …
Archetype
The Hero
Motto
“To dare is to do.”
Collaboration Background
Andre’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
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Who is…
Tamia Parker?

12 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
For our second Issue #3 collaboration centered on Tamia Parker - and the final collaboration in this series - we're returning to a transformation that began much earlier in the Studio. Tamia has spent Issue #3 questioning her dreams, her perceptions and what is happening to her. Now we're inviting you to help us explore what she has become, what she finally understands - and what Tamia might say when she is given the final word.
Core Personality Traits & Values
Tamia is extremely bright, curious, introspective and creative. She is an artist at heart, with empathy that forms connections with others in ways that she even doesn’t fully understand yet…
Archetype
The Creator
Motto
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” - Leonard Cohen
Collaboration Background
Tamia’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
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Who is…
Dex?

10 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
For Issue #3 of Back of the Yards, we're taking a closer look at Dex Coleman - one of the neighborhood Elders whose sharp wit and colorful past may conceal more than anyone realizes. Dex has lived through decades of neighborhood history, including his connections to Darius King and Chicago's criminal underworld. As the past begins to intersect with the present, we're inviting collaborators to explore what Dex might recognize, who he might see, and what those encounters could reveal about the larger story unfolding around him.
Core Personality Traits & Values
Dex is a wisecracker, a sharp dresser and a straight talker. Even though his moral compass has evolved over the years into that of a respectable citizen of Back of the Yards, he’s still known to indulge in a few vices.
Primary Archetype
The Rebel
Motto
“I ain’t got time for dreamin’. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
Collaboration Background
Dex was developed by Jimmy Briseno and Len Kody as part of the initial Issue 1 scripting process.
Debut
Issue #1 of the Back of the Yards comic series
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Who is…
Nick Zomski?

06 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
For Issue #3, we're also introducing Nick Zomski - a veteran Chicago police officer whose past may hold clues to what is happening in the present - and opening his story to collaboration. More than thirty years ago, a younger Zomski crossed paths with Darius King and an investigation that was never fully resolved. As Zomski makes his debut in Issue #3, we're inviting you to help us explore what he remembers from 1994, and what he may recognize today that others do not.
Core Personality Traits & Values
Quiet, observant, and deeply pragmatic, Zomski values fairness, survival, loyalty, and maintaining order within systems he no longer fully trusts.
Archetype
TBD - [Tony to Determine]
Motto
TBD - [Tony to Develop]
Collaboration Background
Nick Zomski was developed by Tony Maldonado in collaboration with Eric Nyamor, Len Kody, and Jimmy Briseno as part of the Issue #3 pre-production workshops during the summer of 2026.
Debut
Issue #3 of the Back of the Yards comic series
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Introducing a New Hero’s Journey
Back of the Yards!

01 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
Welcome to the Issue #3 Collaborations! This anchor Studio Card introduces Back of the Yards, a Creative Commons comic series developed by the Made Collaborative Studio. Set on Chicago's West Side, the story follows a young man whose seemingly supernatural encounter leads him on a journey to discover what is real, what lies beneath the surface of his neighborhood, and how the lives of those around him are connected. With this Studio Card, we invite you to explore the world of Back of the Yards and help shape Issue #3 through a series of creative collaborations.
When
Our story moves between past and present, exploring how events, relationships and decisions from earlier generations continue to shape the lives of characters today. As we develop Issue #3, we'll uncover more of the neighborhood's history and the mysteries connecting its past to its present.
Who
Meet the students, neighborhood Elders, families, law enforcement officers and other personalities who inhabit Back of the Yards. From Andre Davis and Tamia Parker to characters whose stories have yet to be fully revealed, each brings a different perspective to the neighborhood and its unfolding mysteries.
Why
Every neighborhood has stories worth tellin g— and every person has something to contribute. Through our Studio Cards and creative Workshops, we're inviting collaborators to help develop the characters, places, artwork and story possibilities that may shape Issue #3 and the future of Back of the Yards.
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All Stories Start With

A Great Character!

08 | Issue #3 Collaborations

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Brief
For Issue #3, we're returning to our Create a Character framework - but this time, we're opening the halls of New City High and inviting you to help us populate them. From students and teachers to administrators, friends, rivals and unexpected personalities, we'll use the same creative process introduced earlier in the Studio to build the community surrounding Andre and Tamia. At least two of the characters created through this collaboration will appear in Issue #3 - with the possibility that others may return in stories still to come.
Background
New City High is filled with students, teachers and personalities whose stories are still waiting to be told. As we develop Issue #3 of Back of the Yards, we're inviting collaborators to create original characters who might walk its halls, form new relationships and help bring the school community to life.
This & That
Selected ideas and artwork may be featured through Made Collaborative and considered as we develop new characters that may ultimately appear in Issue #3 or future issues. Contributors whose ideas are incorporated into these new characters will be credited as part of its development.
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Who is…
Erihii Nyamor?

Who is Eric Nyamor?

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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.
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Who is…
Jimmy Briseno?

Who is Jimmy Briseno?

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Summary
Nothing to see here. Jimmy is ordinary ... check that, he's underordinary. Just made up a word to describe Jimmy. It's fitting.
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.
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Submit Your Artwork

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). 

Submit Your Artwork

Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.

UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW 

Submit Your Artwork

Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.

UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW 

Submit Your Artwork

Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.

UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW 

Submit Your Artwork

Some special pieces may be selected to appear in the Back of the Yards comic book.

UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES BELOW 

Submit Your Artwork

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