For years, people have been asking me: “When are you bringing back Kids Comics Intensive?”

Kids Comics Intensive was our 3-month… well, extremely intensive course. It was designed to teach you the fundamentals of strong comics storytelling aimed at kid or teen readers. It was consistently our most popular offering (and while we can’t make any guarantees, it’s true that our alumni include a pretty impressive roster of students who went on to get agents and book deals!).

Kids Comics Intensive went on hiatus because our Intensive instructor is working on a hefty graphic novel of her own and hasn’t had time to teach.

But today, I finally have the announcement I’ve been waiting to make. This fall, we’re launching a brand-new, updated version of the program:

KCU Graphic Novel Bootcamp

It’s a focused, 13-week online course for people creating graphic novels for kids and teens.

And the waitlist is officially open! Woohoo, I am SO EXCITED!!

Maybe you have a graphic novel idea that feels BIG. “Big” as in:

“I can’t wait to share this with readers who are going to love it!!!”… 

… but also “big” as in,

“OMG how am I ever going to finish this thing 😩?!?”

Maybe you’ve already written a script, designed the characters, or started drawing pages, but you keep getting stuck somewhere between the story in your head and the finished comic you want to make.

You may have been drawing or writing for years and still feel like a beginner when it comes to bringing all the pieces of a graphic novel together.

And it’s incredibly difficult to maintain momentum when your day job, family responsibilities, self-doubt, and a dozen other ideas keep pulling your attention away.

You probably don’t need another general presentation about how comics work. I would guess that you need:

• A manageable project with a real finish line
• Deadlines and accountability
• A small group of fellow creators who are on the same page
• Knowledgeable feedback on your actual work

That’s exactly what we’re building into the KCU Graphic Novel Bootcamp course.

Over 13 weeks, you’ll experience the entire comics-making process on a manageable scale, culminating in a complete, polished short comic.

You’ll develop the story, thumbnail the pages, design characters and environments, work on pacing and panel flow, and move through lettering, pencils, inks, color, revision, and finished art.

In other words, this isn’t a broad “Graphic Novels 101” overview. It’s a deep dive into comics creation that revolves around you creating a finished piece that’s been developed and improved through multiple rounds of feedback.

You’re ready for the Bootcamp if you’ve made at least a little comics work already. You don’t need a finished script, a drawing style you’re happy with, or a professional understanding of how lettering works. That’s what the 13 weeks are for.

It’s also built for experienced picture book, animation, and illustration people who are strong in their own form and new to comics.

(I should mention that it isn’t a place to learn to draw from scratch, so if you have no drawing experience at all, it isn’t a good fit for you.)

Students come in at a range of experience levels, and critique groups are matched so you’re workshopping alongside people at a similar stage.

The Bootcamp will be led by Ira Marcks, the award-winning author and artist behind the Midnight Movie Adventures graphic novel series from Little Brown Ink.

I’ve watched Ira’s Skillshare classes, read his books, and seen how he gets to the heart of what makes comics work. He is amazing at conveying key cartooning concepts succinctly. His characters feel like real kids caught up in genuinely dramatic, heart-in-your-mouth situations.

Graphic novelist Cheyenne Smith will be our teaching assistant, offering written feedback and support in the course community. Cheyenne’s debut graphic novel Hell on Wheels will be coming out from Random House Graphic in 2028. She knows exactly what it feels like to be learning, improving, and working toward that next big professional step.

Each week, you’ll watch a concise recorded lesson from Ira, then apply what you learned directly to your own comic. You’ll receive support through live critique sessions with Ira and Cheyenne, Q&A in the private course community, and a curated small critique group of 3-5 people matched by experience level and genre.

You’ll be surrounded by fellow kids’ and YA graphic novel creators—people who understand the peculiar challenges of visual storytelling and who genuinely want to see one another succeed.

That cohort energy has always been one of the most powerful things about our courses, and it’s a huge part of our learning philosophy. You don’t just learn together. You encourage each other, exchange thoughtful feedback, form lasting friendships, and accomplish far more than you would if you were working alone.

And here’s the part I’m especially excited about:

The course will culminate in a printed student anthology.

In early 2027, you get to see your work published in a beautiful print anthology alongside the work of your classmates. (As long as you hit your deadlines!)

I want every student to finish the Bootcamp feeling proud of what they created, excited to share it with readers… and ready to move on to something even more ambitious.

KCU Graphic Novel Bootcamp begins on September 19th.

If it sounds like something you might be interested in, you should join the waitlist. 

Waitlist members will receive:

• First access when enrollment opens
• The lowest tuition rate we’ll offer
• An invitation to Ira’s free live masterclass
• New course details and case studies as we release them

Joining the waitlist doesn’t obligate you to enroll. It just makes sure you hear all the updates first, and receive access to the special waitlist-only tuition rate.