SCAD Holds an Event for Free Comic Day with Fulton County Library

Scholastic Kid Reporter Sofi Cortes at Atlanta’s Ponce Library in celebration of Free Comic Book Day

On May 3rd, 2025, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) worked with Fulton County Libraries to host the Hissy Fit Mini Comics Fest in honor of Free Comic Book Day. Over 20 local storytellers from SCAD joined together at Atlanta’s Ponce Library to present their stories and promote the growth of the art and reading communities. This was done by displaying new ways of storytelling and creativity that caught the eyes of all ages. At the event, many different families attended, and the community was interested in learning more about new forms of art and reading such as comics. The event was fun for the whole family and included free sketches, coloring stations and a cartoonist sketch-off.

Finding Opportunities

The SCAD artists are majoring in Sequential Arts. In this program, students learn about visual storytelling, which uses a combination of images, videos, and graphics to tell a story. Alumni often work in the comic book industry at leading companies such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and DreamWorks. Events like the Hissy Fit Mini Comics Fest are great opportunities for these students to network and gain experience in showing their work.

Different Styles of Art

I was able to learn more about the purpose comics and comic book making hold in the community. While many students share a passion of storytelling, they had different introductions to comics.  Gray Moang is a current SCAD student who was at the event displaying her work. Moang’s pieces included hand-drawn picture books and stickers that she had been working on in her class. Moang explained her introduction into the Sequential Arts Program. Sequential Arts is a major that “includes comics and cartoons where you make a series of panels to do a sequence of art.”

Moang was always “interested in creating stories out of art,” and through this major, she was able to combine both her creative writing with art. Others, like Ayo Adebayo, sheared how he wants to find a different way to express himself and even dreams of going into cartoon shows.

Shadia Amin speaking to Sofi Cortes about using events such as the Hissy Fit Mini Comics Fest to help students succeed.

Planning the Event

At the event, I was able to interview Shadia Amin, a Colombian comic book artist who was one of the main organizers for the event. Amin shared how she has worked with Scholastic on graphic novels such as Shiny Misfits. She now uses her experience to support the SCAD students at the event.

Amina coordinates with publishers, library workers, editors, and her coworkers to give feedback to students and allow them to grow in the creative field. Amina shared how the process is “a beginning of a working relationship” that allows the students to succeed.

Gray Moang showing Sofi Cortes her art.