Inside the Course: Creating Comics with Purpose

We sit down with cartoonist, printmaker and educator Cathy G Johnson to talk about their work, the importance of comics as a medium and what you can expect from our Creating Comics with Purpose short course, starting this September.

Interested to start your creative journey? Find out more and book your place: Creating Comics with Purpose. (opens in new window)

Could you briefly introduce yourself and your work?

Hello! My name is Cathy G. Johnson, and I’m a cartoonist, printmaker, and educator based on occupied Wampanoag and Narragansett land in Providence, Rhode Island. I am an award-winning cartoonist whose published work includes the graphic novel The Breakaways, published by First Second. My newest graphic novel is titled Fox River Comics Camp, coming from Abrams Fanfare this October 2026. I’m also a printmaker, creating silkscreen gig posters for bands as well as personal art prints.

Everyone is different, but we can all understand one another with empathy if we try. That's how most of my stories start. What's important is trying all sorts of things and discovering what works best for you and your unique style.

– Cathy G Johnson

I have been teaching comics since 2012 through my personal education project titled Comic Art Ed!, and it is my greatest passion. I earned a master’s degree in Art Education from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where I wrote my thesis on the benefits of teaching comics in visual arts education. I am also a faculty member in the MFA Visual Narrative program at the College of Fine Arts at Boston University, the Center for Cartoon Studies, and RISD.

What was your first introduction to comics?

My first memory of comics is seeing my parents and grandparents read the funnies in the newspaper every morning. My favorite as a kid was Garfield, and I would borrow the same collections of strips from the library over and over again.

Why do you feel comics are such a powerful medium for telling stories?

As humans, we use both images and words to navigate the world. We rely on visual literacy every day. Comics are built from words and images, yet their combination becomes far greater than the sum of its parts. Comics can communicate complex thoughts and emotions in a simple, accessible format. As cartoonists, drawing becomes a form of writing, allowing storytelling to flow naturally from us.

What I particularly love about comics is that you don’t have to be an exceptional artist to tell a great story! Some of the best comics in the world are drawn in very simple styles.

– Cathy G Johnson

When creating your own comics, where do you draw your ideas from?

I get my ideas from observing the world around me. I'm very lucky to spend time with many different people in my community. I also visit schools frequently and get to talk with teachers and students all the time. When I'm writing characters, I like to think about what their lives are like, and consider what is important to them and why they make the choices they do. Everyone is different, but we can all understand one another with empathy if we try. That's how most of my stories start. What's important is trying all sorts of things and discovering what works best for you and your unique style.

Could you tell us about the course you will be teaching with us?

In Creating Comics with Purpose, we will explore how to cultivate inspiration by drawing from our own experiences and the world around us.

We’ll learn the fundamentals of comics, work through cartooning exercises, and develop our visual literacy skills. Particular attention will be given to finding and researching important topics that interest us and crafting narratives that are informed not only by our own perspectives, but also by the world around us. Throughout the course, we’ll support one another through peer-to-peer feedback and discussion as we create comics with real purpose and impact.

It’s also important to explore through play. Drawing can be an important method of discovery and experimentation, and that spirit of play is something we will definitely cultivate during our time together.

– Cathy G Johnson

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start creating comics?

Don’t be shy! It’s important to throw yourself into your work and withhold judgment. Allow your comics to tell you where they want to go, rather than trying to control every step of the process. It’s also important to explore through play. Drawing can be an important method of discovery and experimentation, and that spirit of play is something we will definitely cultivate during our time together.