Comic Creations

Choose this exercise

Purpose: To explore varied interpretations of visual cues by writing and comparing alternative dialogue for cartoon characters.

Use it when: Use as a light creative break or warm-up to examine how people read emotional cues and context differently.

Skip it when: Skip when participants have severe visual impairments that make cartoon panels inaccessible, or when the agenda requires immediate serious technical output.

Group arrangement: Individual drafting, then clusters of 2 to 4 people for reading (clusters of 3 to 5 are fine for odd group sizes such as 5).

Timing: UWT suggested 15-minute pacing based on the open-ended Teampedia directions.

Materials and tools

• Comic strips with blanked-out speech bubbles (1 to 2 per person, plus spares)
• Fine-tip pens or markers (1 per person)
• Correction fluid, white tape, or image editing software (for facilitator setup)
• Scissors (for facilitator setup)

Before participants arrive

1. Select multi-panel comics from newspapers or open-access cartoons.
2. Use opaque white-out, correction tape, or digital erase tools to clear all text inside the bubbles.
3. Print or cut enough strips so each participant can choose from several options.
4. Place strips and pens in the center of the tables.

Say this to open

Pick up one blank comic strip from the table and grab a pen. Look at the characters and panels. Your task is to write original dialogue or thoughts into the blank speech bubbles. You can make it humorous, true to life, or connected to our project. For example, in a panel where a character stares blankly at a screen, you might write: 'Did I mute myself or did everyone leave?' Write clearly so others can read it.

How to run it

1. Choose comic strip 2 minutes

   Introduce the activity using the script. Invite everyone to choose a comic strip from the central supply and take a fine-tip pen.

2. Draft original dialogue 6 minutes

   Participants write new dialogue inside the bubbles individually. Encourage legible writing. If someone feels blocked, they can borrow an idea from a neighbour or simply observe character details. Anyone who prefers not to write may review available panels and act as a dedicated reader during the swap.

3. Circulate and read 4 minutes

   Form clusters of 2 to 4 people (or a single group of 5 if 5 people are present). Participants pass strips to the left, spending roughly 45 seconds reading each one quietly before passing again. Facilitator calls pass times so every strip circulates to all members in the cluster.

4. Debrief interpretations 3 minutes

   Reconvene the full group. Invite 2 or 3 volunteers to read aloud a favourite line they wrote or saw. Ask one debrief question to close.

Debrief questions

• How did the characters' expressions shape the words you chose?
• What differences stood out when you saw how others interpreted similar expressions?

Finished output: Completed comic strips with rewritten dialogue, or reader feedback from participants who chose not to write.

Remote

Set up a shared digital presentation or whiteboard with scanned comic strips whose text bubbles have been erased. Assign each person a slide or section. Participants use text tools to type dialogue into the blank bubbles during the drafting step. For sharing, give everyone 4 minutes to click through and read other participants' slides.

Hybrid

Prepare digital slides for remote participants and paper strips for in-person participants. Remote attendees share and read slides in a dedicated breakout room, while in-person attendees swap paper strips at their tables. During the debrief, ask for one remote volunteer to share their slide on screen and one in-person volunteer to display their paper strip.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may dictate their dialogue lines to a peer or use typed digital text boxes.
• Anyone who prefers not to write original text may participate as a reader and reviewer in the sharing round.
• Provide large-print comic panels for participants who need enlarged text areas.

If the session gets stuck

A participant cannot think of a funny line and feels stuck.

Remind them that strips do not need to be funny. Plain everyday speech or actual quotes from recent team meetings work well.

Speech bubbles are too small for someone's handwriting.

Tell participants they can write outside the bubbles and draw a simple arrow pointing to the speaker.

Terms used here

• Speech bubble: The enclosed rounded shape containing character dialogue or thoughts in a comic panel.