Comics in the Circle is a local meetup started in 2020 for anyone interested in making comics. The group’s mission is twofold:
1. To bring local comic makers together for some fun.
2. To exchange comics knowledge within this new community.
The co-founders, Katie and Matt, are two aspiring cartoonists that are also CWRU alumni and have wanted to see a group like this get together for a while. They have collected small group exercises that they’d like to do in a casual setting.
So! If you’re also inspired by the awesome power of comics, manga, zines, graphic novels, and other forms of sequential visual narrative, and you want to make your own, come to a meeting! Recommended supplies include a pencil, a favorite pen, notecards, and printer paper.
The exercises are adapted from the following books:
Making Comics by Scott McCloud
Making Comics by Lynda Barry
The Silver Way: Techniques, Tips, and Tutorials for Effective Character Design by Stephen Silver
Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice by Ivan Brunetti
Whether you are a student, a long time Cleveland local, a comics novice, or a seasoned professional, please join us! Let's make some comics together!
(Updated December 2025)
Regular meetings
We meet in person every 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7 pm EST. Meet us at Superscript for in-person meetings (13361 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107). In-person meetings are on 2nd and 4th Thursdays as of January 2025. Consult this CALENDAR for current meeting types, events, etc, but please note that our calendar may be out of date. When in doubt, ask on Discord!
Discord link:
Special events
We also attend comics-related events including Free Comic Book Day (at Superscript), Genghis Con CLE, Lake Erie Ink Kids Comic Con, etc! Check out the calendar to see where we'll be and make some comics with us!
(Updated December 2025)
Discord
Keep in touch on Discord! We chat about comics, new meeting times and locations, local events, what we're all working on, and so much more! Link: https://discord.gg/Dsckppd8J3
Check us out on Instagram! We post art from previous meetings (with the artists' permission) and information on comics meetings/cons in Cleveland and Ohio!
**Discord is the best way to contact us. Instagram is not monitored as often, so messages to may go unanswered. **
Our email is comicsinthecircle@gmail.com, however please ask questions on the DDiscord, as our email is not actively monitored.
Discord
If you would like to contact us on Discord, please join us at the link: https://discord.gg/Dsckppd8J3 . You must be an adult to join the Discord. Thanks!
Goose Poop
Our free regular zine, Goose Poop, is available in this folder here! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fo5L5sF8hwylNKcwmnvHm6ImDS5fItZT
Updated 2/26/2025
I. Vision and Mission
A. Vision: A vibrant local community of people who make comics regardless of their technical skill or whether they’re doing so professionally.
B. Mission: The mission of Comics in the Circle is to bring people with ties to Northeast Ohio together to make comics together and to exchange comics knowledge. We are an unincorporated open collective of people who like to make comics.
II. Membership
A. Members must agree to mission and vision.
B. Members must be 18 years of age or older.
C. Members must have their name and one piece of contact info in the membership list.
D. Members have voting privileges and have access to the Discord.
III. Decisions
A. Decisions happen at Boring Business Meetings using Robert’s Rules of Order. This meeting is for all members, and when quorum is established, this group is considered the General Body of Comics in the Circle.
B. Boring Business Meetings have a quorum of three members.
C. Boring Business Meeting date, time, and location are set by the President.
D. Boring Business Meeting notes are coordinated and published by the Secretary to be accessible to membership. The secretary may delegate note taking responsibilities to any member.
E. The General Body at the Boring Business Meeting is the highest decision-making body in the organization. Officers and other members must comply with decisions made by the General Body.
IV. Officers
A. President
1. The President sets the date, time, and location of the Boring Business Meeting.
2. The President represents Comics in the Circle to the best of their ability in external communications (e.g. with Superscript Comics and Games).
B. Secretary
1. The Secretary is responsible for note taking at Boring Business meetings. They may delegate this responsibility.
2. The Secretary is responsible for keeping the Membership List up to date.
C. Discord Moderators
1. Discord Moderators shall have the role of Moderator in our Comics in the Circle Discord. They shall moderate the Discord according to any policy set by the General Body.
D. Meeting Coordinator
1. The Meeting Coordinator shall ensure there is at least one member tasked with running every Comics in the Circle in person meeting.
E. Calendar Keeper
1. The Calendar Keeper shall keep the Google Calendar up to date.
V. Elections
A. An election of officers shall be held by the General Body, the format of which shall be decided by the General Body during Boring Business Meetings in January, every February of the year. Elections may be carried out in any way the General Body chooses (e.g. by an online secret ballot system over the course of multiple days, or at a Boring Business meeting).
B. Officers shall be elected by receiving a simple majority.
1. Options for voting shall be all candidates running and "none."
2. The winning result will be determined using ranked choice voting.
3. If "none" wins, a new election shall be initiated for a later date following the format for replacing an officer.
VI. Changing the Bylaws
A. Members shall have the power to propose and approve changes to the Bylaws. Amendments to the Bylaws shall be announced to the members one Boring Business Meeting in advance of any vote. Changes may be adopted by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.