Transcript:

This comic is made of four pages, each of which is rimmed by green bushes and purple flowers. The last page has a tall ever green tree.

The background of the first page in the first panel depicts a building labelled SAIC, with four students in the background and two in the front. The two in the front are huddled together, and one of them is showing off a sparkly comic. There’s a block of text under the panel that reads:

“The Undergraduate Program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago is expansive and encompasses a myriad of different practices. Among these is … comics!”

Under the text is three panels in a row. The first is a student showing off their comic with another student saying “Cool zine :D”. The next is a person saying “-uh oh!”, their pen having broke while inking a panel. The third is a professor teaching students with a presentation behind them that says “What is narrative? In comics”. A box of text under the panels reads:

“Through the efforts of comic artists who came before, the Painting and Drawing Department now hosts upwards of 13 different comic courses. ”

Under this text box is one large panel. In the top left corner is a portrait of Beth Hetland, wreathed in flowers. A quote from her reads:

“When I was a student there were four or five [comics] classes total. The department’s grown exponentially. I’m really jazzed by how many different kinds of classes exist now! – Beth Hetland”

Under this quote are students talking and working, with bubbles that show peeks of the comics they are working on. Below this is a box that reads “Now, SAIC is opening its doors for the new”, and in purple bubble letters, “Comics MFA!”

The second page has text at the top pointing to a graph below it, which reads:

“In a survey distributed to comics students at SAIC, only 60 percent of responders knew about the program.”

Another arrow to the right of the graph reads “Only 7% new how to apply!” There is a frowning face next to the arrow. Beneath the graph is John in 16th century dress, and Nat dresses as a which with a staff. Between them is a purple exclamation reading “What is it?”

There is another box of text under this that reads:

“The Comics MFA is a new program hosted by the Print Media Department includes several others:”.

Under this box is three panels in a row again, the first with papers being flung by a student. There is text that labels it “Painting and Drawing”. The next panel has a student with a pen, and a paper reading “Writing”, with a scroll underlining the word. The final panel is a student holding a computer displaying the word “Viscom”. Under this is another panel with Nat on the left, looking at a scroll that reads “Ye land of 280” and has a vague green map that really looks like two scraggly dinosaurs trying to fight each other. To Nat’s right is a text box that reads “Nicole Hall and Delinda Collier (the heads of SAIC’s graduate department) hope the program will allow students to navigate these departments in a way that is aligned with students’ specific interest in comics.

The third page has a header that reads “What is this program looking for in applicants?”

A portrait of Nicole Hall is framed in purple scrolls, reading “Narrative is a big one, [but] there’s a huge variety of approaches to comics… We want to stick with what SAIC has always done best: critical orientation, DIY ethos, Chicago-based dirty media away from big companies. We’re also looking for students who are interested in the interdisciplinary culture! – Nicole Hall”.

Another header under the quote reads “Whats the cost?” After this is three panels in a row. The first is two students looking worriedly at a computer; the second is a two graph bars at about the same height, and text that reads “$53,375”; and the third is two people chatting against a Chicago skyline, saying “Oh wow!”.

The next header, under this, reads “What resources will be provided?”

A framed portrait of Delinda Collier says “All MFA students get a studio, access to new seminars and one on one sessions with faculty. There’s more time and space and autonomy given to think through projects. – Delina Collier”.

The last header of the page reads, in purple bubble letters, “Who will this impact?”

Students under this header cheer with sparkles, and yell “Everyone!” A dome of text under this reads “This new program is now taking applicants!”, and under this are two boxes, the first reading “Apply here :3” with an arrow pointing to the second box, which is a purple QR code.

The final page starts with a box of text that reads “The MFA program seems to be gearing up to provide its students with a deeper knowledge of comics nad narrative. Alongside providing these resources, they will keep the heart:”, and under this, against a night skyline with buildings is purple bubble text that reads “Community”.

Under this is another portrait of Beth Hetland framed in purple. She is quoted as saying “I feel really Jazzed by how many comics courses are available, and I’m proud to continue expanding!” – Beth Hetland”.

Under Beth is a scroll that is as wide as the page, reading “Outside of SAIC, there is a vibrant comics community within Chicago. There are spaces where comics culture thrives, like Zine Fests’ (Including Chicago Zine Fest, Zine Not Dead, and Chicago Alternative Comics Expo) and Xerox Candy Bar, a student run anthology that publishes a new zine every semester. ***”

Under this scroll is an open book of comic panels, which are blank but different shades of brown, purple and white. To the right is a sleeping bunny and a person reading a book. Under this person is a final text box that reads “The SAIC comic community has come a long way, and it continues to grow and push the boundaries of what is and isn’t considered ‘Fine Art’”.