Written by R. Hromek & C. Sesselego Art by E. Civiletti Designed by C. Sesselego & E. Civiletti THeracomics: the first step in! © 2015 Robyn Hromek & Blue Monkey Studio. Theragames 256 St. Johns RD., Glebe, 2037, Australia www.theragames.com Blue Monkey Studio Via XX Settembre 23/b - 16121 Genova, ITaly www.bemystudio.com Roy Thunder, Kathy Smart, Harper Goodjie, Madi Sanders and all the other related characters and concepts TM and © 2013 Robyn Hromek. KIller Koala © 2015 Blue Monkey Studio. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews Available from Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com, and other retail outlets.
THERATEAM
ROBYN - THE SCIENTIfiC MIND: B.Sc, Grad. Dip. Ed,
M.Psych (Ed) ROBYN HAS WORKED IN SCHOOLS AS A TEACHER AND PSYCHOLOGIST FOR OVER 30 YEARS. SHE CREATED THERAGAMES AND THERACOMICS AS FUN WAYS TO GET TO KNOW KIDS WHILE TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS. SHE HAS WRITTEN BOOKS AND SPOKEN AT CONFERENCES ON TOPICS LIKE EARLY INTERVENTION INTO VIOLENCE, EMOTIONAL COACHING AND EXPERIENCE-BASED LEARNING - AND BEST OF ALL, SHE REMEMBERS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A KID...
lAURA - THE MONKEY BEARER: B.A. in Decoration
with a specialization in illustration. SHe has worked on over 15 published books. she has 11 years of experience as an artist and Project Manager of cultural and artistic projects at interNational level. Apart from providing artistc advice, She does very little on the Theracomics project, but somebody had to take care of the monkey...
cORRAdo - THE MAD WRITER:
b.a. IN cLASSiCS, WITH A DISsertation on the comparative aspects of indo-european religion in Greek theatre. He has 15 years of experience in international projects in the fields of culture, education and training, and social affairs. He is currently authoring the “Public Domain Encyclopedia”, a multi-volume research work on copyright-free characters and comics. The ramblings you will find in theracomics are definitely his fault...
EmiliaNO - THE MUMBLING ARTIST:
Ph.D. in Design with a focus on traditional Italian food, Manga artist with a “puccioso” style, he is the mind behind the Theracomics characters creation, background design and storyboarding. an expert of fantasy, he dreams to be kidnapped by fairy queen Titania from shakespeare’s “a midnight summer’s Dream”...
C
! S C I OM
WHAT ARE COMICS? Comics have been a part of human culture since before the written word, if cave drawings meet the criteria and practically all cultures have had an experience of comics. McCloud defines comics as "juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer" (pg. 9, 1993). Comics can be viewed as a literary, artistic, cultural, and cognitive phenomenon that reaches across a broad range of genres crime, horror, sci-fi, adventure, comedy and education, to name a few. During the twentieth century comics fell into disrepute in western society, due mainly to the efforts of psychiatrist Dr Wertham to have comics subject to government regulation. Wertham accused comic books of promoting violence, racial stereotyping, rebelliousness, juvenile delinquency and illiteracy (1954). Research into the educational value of comics was effectively stopped until the 1970s. Gradually they made their way back into the classroom for reluctant readers until Art Spiegelman’s comic ‘Maus’ won a Pulitzer Prize (1992). This non-fiction comic was the first to be acknowledged as an artistically mature literate work.
COMIC THEORY At a fundamental level, comics are written in a visual language of sequential images combined (usually) with an aural language presented as text. Humans are innately programmed to learn languages, visual included, and quickly acquire the lexicon, grammar, symbols, cultural traditions and cognitive schema of visual language. This visual language allows comic readers to combine patterns into meaningful units with a hierarchic grammar that governs the combination of sequential images into coherent expressions (Cohn 2014). With the rise of screen-based technology like television, computers, iPads, iPhones and white-boards we are increasingly immersed in a visual culture that relies on visual language. Combining visual and textual media results in an intimate connection between readers and characters in the story (Versaci 2001).
EDUCATIONAL COMICS While the debate continues about whether comics are art or literature or something else, they are finally coming into their own, according to Dr Glenn Downey, author teacher and academic from Oakville, Ontario (www.comicsineducation.com) who claims that everything he learned is from a comic. Teachers around the world are designing new ways of using comics as a way to engage students in creative thinking (www.teachingcomics. org). As part of the ‘edutainment’ genre, educational comics use the elements of the comic medium to educate and entertain their readers. A cast of characters is created to present a story in a sequence of drawings and scripts designed to teach practically anything from chemistry to creative writing, from earthquakes to obesity and from science to social skills. They are hugely engaging of young people and children. Carol Gray used Comic Strip Conversations (1994) to turn abstract situations like social interactions into concrete experiences. As well as being strongly visual in nature, these comic strip conversations used stick figures with speech bubbles to record what happened and allowed students with ASD to dissect social situations in a structured way.
THERACOMICS Theracomics use the many advantages of comics to teach social and emotional skills to kids. Being both visual and verbal they quickly present social situations from several points of view, inviting readers to develop perspective and understanding. Kids get to ‘try out’ different responses through the characters while making connections with their own challenges. When read with teachers, parents or therapists Theracomics allow guided discussion and reflection to take place. Theracomics tell stories about the things kids deal with and think about, like friendships, anxiety, anger management, bullying, resilience, success at school, happiness, character development. Each comic comes with a THERAGAMES boardgame to explore the concepts further or just for fun!
REFERENCES Cohn, N. (2014). The Visual Language of Comics: Introduction to the Structure and Cognition of Sequential Images, Bloomsbury Downey, G. Comics in Education www.comicsineducation.com Accessed 19.1.15 Gray, C. (1994). Comic Strip Conversations: Colourful illustrated interactions with autism and related disorders, Jenison Public Schools, Jenison Michigan McCloud, S (1993). Understanding Comics: the Invisible Art, Northampton, MA: Kitchen Sink Press The National Association of Comics Art Educators, www.teachingcomics.org Accessed 19.1.15 THERAGAMES:
www.theragames.com Accessed 13.2.15
Versaci, R. (2001). How comic books can change the way our students see literature: One teacher’s perspective. English Journal, 91 (2), 61-67. Wertham, Fredric (1954). Seduction of the Innocent: The influence of comic books on today’s youth, Rinehart & Company, Inc., New York
C
S D L R O W & S R ! E T C A R A H
EARTH
Well…if you are not an extraterrestrial, you should know by now…
AMAROO
Amaroo is Earth on a different vibrational frequency. On Amaroo, humans developed as they did on Earth. However at the beginning of the 18th Century, when Illuminism was dawning, they took a totally different direction starting to look “into people”. They discovered the secret of DNA 150 years earlier than Earthmen and started experimenting with it. In 100 years, they developed sophisticated techniques to genetically enhance people, animals and plants, radically changing the physical world around them and their spiritual beliefs. As of today, Amaroo’s society is based on the principles of “Shared Development for Common Good” a set of rules everybody looks at to improve himself and the world around him. However, as close as human achievement can be to perfection, there is always a flaw… Child education: “uncontrolled genetic reproduction” is not allowed. Each year, Amaroo undergoes a “social harmonization procedure”, which decides the number of children needed and how each child is genetically enhanced before birth.
The goal of this process is to keep a balance among the variety of human activities, (i.e. if laborers are lacking, children are enhanced to be laborers). At birth, each child is appointed a “Purpose” he has to follow for the duration of his whole life. Generations are now called “Batches”. Parental care is considered out of fashion and the main cause of unpredicted results. To solve the problem, the Amaroonians developed zoomorphs, genetically enhanced, intelligent animals serving as educational supporters and experts. These creatures are divided into 3 subgroups: Mentors who look after the education of kids; Tutors who nurse kids since childhood, providing physical and emotional support; Pastors who provide teachings in spiritual matters.
Elite-Kids: 150 years of uninterrupted experimentation in genetics, brought, less than 10 years ago, the Amaroonians to test the physical and mental potential of mankind, through the creation of Elite-kids. Programmed and Purposed to carry out incredible mental and physical deeds, Elite-kids are considered the peak of Amaroonian society and those who will bring Amaroo into a new world Era of human perfection and prosperity. …Or maybe not…
ROY THUNDER 7
th
Batch Elite Action-Kid
As a gentically enhanced “Action-Kid”, Roy has an almost perfect body. His strength, stamina and reflexes are 3 times faster than those of a normal human, he also gets tired 3 times slower. He excels at everything requiring physical prowess. He is the undisputed junior champion of waterfall jumping, snow-fly, fast current swimming and skyboarding (his favorite!).
Roy has a “Disaster Sense” which reveals the level of risk of any situation he faces. Flaw: he gets bored very easily and tends to jump into dangerous situations, without thinking in advance.
ROY SAYS: QUICK AND FASTER!
KATHY SMART 12
th
Batch Elite Wits-Kid
Kathy has 5th grade neuro-synaptic brain activity, allowing her to carry out logical processes 5 times faster than any normal human being. She is fond of everything that concerns science and technology and dreams of becoming the most prominent inventor of her time.
Kathy has an eidetic memory that helps her to remember everything she sees or learns Flaw: She is so in love with science that she might delve into experimenting on something for the simple sake of it.
KATHY SAYS: LET’S THINK IT THROUGH.
HARPER COODJIE Nerd Genius
from
Earth
Harper is a young boy of autralian aboriginal origin. A sort of boy genius, he managed to build his own lab in his school’s basement, developing inventions from scraps and discarded material. A good-hearted kid with a rational mind, he tries hard to fit in with his schoolmates with little success. A middle-class boy, Harper lives with his family in a suburb of Sydney.
Flaw: whenever he feels alone and unappreciated he becomes pessimistic.
Harper
says:
It
can be done!
MADI SANDERS Nature Girl
from
Earth
Madi is a young girl who loves nature and wilderness above anything else. A wonderful tree-climber, she is not afraid of animals and likes to talk to plants. Truly an orphan, she lives with her step-father, who works for animal protection, and a pack of 13 animals (5 dogs, 3 cats, 2 birds, a possum and 2 frill-necked lizards), each named after a famous hero of Celtic mythology.
She speaks very fast and often omits verbs, trying to imitate what she calls the “ancient languages�. She also talks to and understands domestic and wild animals. Flaw: Madi can easily become emotionally unstable.
Madi
says:
Hi, Madi
here, you be?
KOOKIE & MR CUVIER Amaroonian Zoomorphs
Kookie is a genetically enhanced Kookaburra, serving as a tutor for Elite-kids. she is enlisted in “a Quality Performance Scoring System”, measuring her pedagogical capabilities and ranking her ability to deal with Elite-kids. Her role is to look after them in all aspects of life, both materially and emotionally. Her brain cortex has been implanted with the “Good Advice Method”, a databank of educational best practices, she can access any time.
Mr Cuvier is a genetically enhanced ornithoid, serving as a mentor for Elite-kids. His role is to create the optimal conditions in which kids can exploit their full potential. to support his mentoring process, he has been surgically enhanced to access the “Grand Knowledge Database” via wireless connection. All zoomorphic mentors have French names to pay homage to the great Illuminists of the past, however those from the 1st batch are all named “Leonardo” from the Renaissance Italian genius.
All zoomorphs are enlisted in the “Quality Performance Scoring System”, measuring their pedagogical capabilities and ranking each creature’s chances to deal with Elite-kids.
SKETCHES!
T
C O A M R I E C H S!
FULL COLOR STORY
IN THERACOMICS #1
THERAWORLD PROJECT
THE THERAWORLD PROJECT AIMS TO BRING PSYCHOLOGY TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN AN ENGAGING AND EXPERIENTIAL WAY. CHILDREN ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO PSYCHOLOGISTS OR SCHOOL COUNSELLORS AND ENGAGING THEM IN THERAPY CAN BE CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO BE THERE. BY USING EXPERIENTIAL TOOLS LIKE GAMES AND COMICS, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS. SOON THEY ARE DISCUSSING THE ISSUES AND LEARNING ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL TOOLS LIKE COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY, OR RELAXATION, OR MANAGING EMOTIONS. THE theraworld Project WILL EXPAND TO INCLUDE IPAD 'CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE’ STORIES AND ANIMATED CARTOONS
www.theragames.com
BLUE MONKEY STUDIO
Blue Monkey Studio (BMS for short), is an Italian firm with writing, illustration and graphic design expertise. It operates at the international level in 3 complementary sectors: entertainment and cultural development, innovative new media technology for publishing, including mobile, and public/private financing strategies for education, culture and research in entertainment. It also promotes the employability of creative minds with a special focus on young people who are interested in pursuing a career in the cultural and entertainment fields, delivering distant, traditional and on-the-job training. We humbly believe in the necessity to steal ideas from the gods and bring them to Earth for the greater good of All!
www.bemystudio.com