Studio Card #8: Extraordinary People in Our Ordinary Worlds

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.

A Quick Introduction

Ahh, Chicago.  A city of neighborhoods as diverse as the residents that inhabit the city.  And I would see many of those neighborhoods and residents when I first started this project taking those bus rides to and from those early after school collaborations.  

And it is that tapestry of people, personalities and life experiences that makes every city special.  The food they serve and eat.  The history that betrays itself through each neighborhood’s architecture. The people and their journeys, both personal and ancestral.

And it’s in that context that we wanted to facilitate this Studio Card collaborative series, Neighborhoods and Their Residents, working with urban youth to create comic content for our Back of the Yards comic series based on some of the unique characteristics of our urban neighborhoods, especially given that the participating youth are often at the very heart of those urban neighborhoods.

Within this collaboration series, we will examine different urban neigborhoods throughout America with a look into their residents, their histories and culture.  And with that context, perhaps there’s no better place to start this neighborhood collaborative series with a quick look into the real neighborhood that inspired our comic series’ name, the Back of the Yards

 

The Real Back of the Yards Neighborhood!

The real Back of the Yards neighborhood extends from 39th to 55th Streets between Halsted and the railroad tracks along Leavitt Street in Chicago, and was until the 1950’s the largest livestock yards and meatpacking center in the country.  Attracting the attention of novelists and activists alike through much of the 20th century.

And in many ways, the real Back of the Yards neighborhood is symbolic of so many of our nation’s urban centers. An influx of European immigrants looking for a better life, back when manufacturing jobs were plentiful.  Followed closely by an influx of African-American migrants from the rural South.  All creating a vibrant melting pot of cultures unique to our nation’s great urban centers.

But, of course, those once plentiful jobs would soon begin to disappear due to economic forces beyond the control of those early residents.  Steel would leave Cleveland.  The auto industry would soon begin to abandon Detroit.  A general exodus of manufacturing from Baltimore.  It was just a different version of the same story for many of our nation’s urban centers.  

And in the Back of the Yards’ case, it was the stockyards that would leave Chicago, leaving behind economic strain for those who could not also depart to the suburbs or elsewhere.  And with that brief introduction to the real Back of the Yards neighborhood in mind, we thought we’d share with a quick video …

A Short Comic Feature

We originally created the following little comic feature on the “real” Back of the Yards shortly after selecting Back of the Yards as the fictional setting for our comic series, the first of what we hope to be many more with your collaborations.  

And with that, we plan to do many more short comic features based on the neighborhoods of other participating youth as part of this ongoing Neighborhoods & Their Residents collaborative Studio Card series.  In our minds, you can’t really tell any comic story that set in an urban community without capturing some of the underlying elements and history of its neighborhood setting.  In many ways, the neighborhood is as important as any comic character.

So it was in that context we decided to put together a quick comic feature.  The writer for this comic feature is Len Kody, and the illustrator is Dan Dougherty.  Both very talented artists who have been early participants for this collaborative project.  

So, without further ado, just click to read the feature!

 

Chicago - A City of Neighborhoods

Before we conclude our tale about the Great Lager Riot of 1855, we thought we’d take a quick moment to appreciate just how far that little trading post town called Chicago has evolved. This video is truly eye opening in that regard as we follow drone footage hovering over this modern day metropolis that emerged from this not all that long ago:

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The Lager Riot of 1855

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Let’ s Collaborate!

Table of Contents

Related Studio Cards

Who is…
Russell Patterson?

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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
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The Hero’s Journey (Part II)
Initiation

Crazy Journey

Studio Card #5: The Hero’s Journey (Part II) – Initiation

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Brief
In the first part of the Hero’s Journey, the hero answered the call and stepped into the unknown. Now comes the real test. This stage—Initiation—is where the hero is challenged, pushed, and transformed.
Scope
The middle of the journey is where things get messy. The hero faces trials, enemies, and obstacles that test their strength and resolve. But they also find allies—unexpected friendships that help them push forward. Every challenge brings them closer to who they need to become, preparing them for the greatest test still to come.
This & That
The Made Collaborative has developed a storytelling framework rooted in timeless methods. Through this process, urban youth and professional collaborators alike have shaped Back of the Yards. Now, it’s your turn. Dive into the journey, add your voice, and your work could even be featured in a future issue of the comic
Read more

Who is…
Carl Castaneda?

Studio Card #7: The Mysterious Mentor

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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
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The Hero’s Journey (Part III)
The Return

Castaneda's Red Book: Part I, pg. 6

Studio Card #6: The Hero’s Journey (Part III) – The Return

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Brief
This Studio Card production was developed by the Made Collaborative Studio as part of its comic series the Back of the Yards. With this Studio Card, we present you with a summary of the Hero's Journey, which is a framework that helped many to develop their own creative projects through the centuries and with that, it is our hope this summary may help participating youth with their own creative projects.
When
The Made Collaborative Studio began as a modest grass roots project started by a ragtag group of participating artists in Chicago and was designed to provide a unique collaborative opportunity for after school programs and participating youth from our urban communities.
Who
This Made Collaborative Studio project technically started over 10 years ago as only a kernel of an idea in the mind of the project’s founder on one of his many bus rides home and through much trial and error over the years, evolved into the Made Collaborative Studio virtual model that exists today.
Why
The Made Collaborative Studio was created to help promote creative thought and provide a unique (and free) collaborative experience for afterschool programs and participating youth alike.
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And Every Great Character Has
A Hero’s Journey

The Journey Begins

Studio Card #2 | Creating Your Own Hero’s Journey!

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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!
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.
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Law Enforcement &
The Community

Source Card #9: Crossing the Threshold Every Day

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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.
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Creating A Character (Part II)
Character Archetypes

Castaneda's Red Book: Part I, pg. 6

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

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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.
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And Action!
Create an Illustration!

Action Card #4: Create an Illustration!

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Collaboration Summary
With this collaboration series, we will work with aspiring illustrators that may be interested in developing new illustrations that could ultimately be incorporated into our Back of the Yards comic series!
Collaboration Background
When we began this project, it was based on a simple premise that all of us have the ability to be creative. However, we also recognize that this creativity can come in many different forms and with that, some of you may actually be talented illustrators. So it is that with this Action Card collaboration series, we will present you with opportunities to submit your illustrations by providing you with possible comic scenes, newly developed characters and/or other comic settings to choose from, all updated regularly!
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.
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Who is…
Draymond Carter?

Studio Card#17: Who is Draymond Carter?

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Brief
Draymond Carter 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. Draymond is Russell Patterson’s fiery-tempered younger cousin. But the cousins are more like brothers ever since Russell moved in with his Auntie, Evelyn (Draymond’s mother).
Core Personality
Draymond’s extroverted and assertive personality is a stark contrast to Russell’s more gentle and introverted nature.
Archetype
The Sidekick
Motto
“You're going to lose.”
Collaboration Background
Draymond 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
Read more

Who is…
Tamia Parker?

Studio Card #5: The Back of the Yards Heroine!

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Brief
Tamia Parker is a character developed as part of the Back of the Yards comic series, a Creative Commons project produced by Made Collaborative. Tamia is a young African American high school youth who learns more about herself as she experiences the pain of betrayal and lost love.
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
Read more

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