24-Stunden-Comic-Session

The 24-hour comic session takes place as part of the Nextcomic Festival.

The Drawing Club of the Merz Akademie invites you to the 24-hour comic session on March 29, 2025! In this special challenge, you will draw your personal comic for exactly 24 hours on March 29 from 3:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on March 30 at the Merz Akademie. Together with other comic artists in a relaxed, collaborative atmosphere. Curated by illustration professor Florian Bayer.

Everyone is welcome, whether professionals or newbies. Anyone who enjoys comics is in the right place here. The theme of the comic session will be kept secret until the start, so that you don’t come with a finished script and finished characters, but rather unprepared in the tradition of 24-hour comics with plenty of room for spontaneity. Rest and sleeping rooms are available at the Merz Akademie, please bring a sleeping bag and sleeping mat.

The format of the 24-hour comic goes back to the comic artist and theorist Scott McCloud, who devised a set of rules for it in 1990.

We stick to it loosely as follows:

24 comic pages or 100 individual images (e.g. for webcomics) are created in a 24-hour period.
The development of the story and character sketches should only be started when the session begins.
We will reveal the theme at the start of the 24-hour comic session.
If you don’t finish, the comic can be finished after 24 hours as a shortened version with a suitable conclusion. But it’s also okay to continue working on it later until the specified length has been reached.

If you like the pressure and the challenge, then the 24-hour limit will make you productive – but the session is also for anyone who needs more time and doesn’t want to be stressed. Organize the session according to your needs.

The Merz Akademie has workstations available for you and, of course, rooms where you can relax.

Further information on the 24-hour comic session

Topic:
At the start of the session there will be a topic. It will be a keyword that gives you a lot of space, but is also an opportunity to discuss ideas together and to inspire each other on how to deal with it.
It will be kept secret until the start, so that you don’t come with a finished script and finished characters, but rather unprepared in the tradition of the 24-hour comic with plenty of room for spontaneity.

Jump-start:
We can help you get the story rolling. If you have a block or difficulties getting into the story, we are there for you. However, it is not a fully supervised workshop, so feel free to talk to your fellow participants if you need help during the process.

Form/media etc.
We do not specify what your comic should look like. It is your project. We welcome a broad definition of comics, including collages etc.
All languages and media are allowed, without specifications. Please bring your own materials, whether digital or traditional.

If you need concentrated silence instead of a relaxed working atmosphere, you can use a quiet workroom.

Rights of use
You are welcome to share the event on social media! Please use the hashtag #merzillustration on Instagram and link @merzakademie
Your comics belong to you and you may take them home with you.
With your consent, we will document them for social media of the Merz Akademie and its facilities.
There will be a student film team documenting the event. Anyone who does not wish to be included in the documentary can let us know at the beginning of the event and the documentary team will be informed and will take your wishes into account accordingly.

Information about the venue
There are two rest/sleeping rooms, like the work rooms they are also heated. A few beanbags and a sofa are available, but please bring your own sleeping bag and sleeping mat if you want to take a break.
We value a relaxed, pleasant working atmosphere in which you can exchange ideas and of course chat. If you need absolute peace and quiet to work, please bring noise protection. Parking is available for participants on the campus grounds.
Pets are welcome, but must be kept on a lead.

Catering
Info to follow