Origin Stories: Topeka's Youth Comic Festival

At the Lois Curtis Center, something powerful is happening.

It doesn’t look like a traditional classroom.
You’ll see sketchbooks filled with characters, kids adjusting homemade costumes, teens filming short videos, and groups debating storylines like they’re building entire worlds—because they are.

This is Origin Stories, a youth comic festival produced by Innovative Impacts.

For many young people in Topeka—especially those navigating complex challenges—finding the words to express what they’re going through isn’t easy. But hand them a pencil, a costume, or a camera… and suddenly, they can tell you everything.

A quiet student becomes the creator of a hero who stands up to injustice.
A teen processing loss writes a story about resilience and rebirth.
A group of friends builds a world inspired by hip hop, blending rhythm, identity, and storytelling into something entirely their own.

Comics and fandom open doors.

They aren’t just about superheroes. They are about voice.
They are about identity.
They are about understanding the world—and your place in it.

From westerns to romance, from cosplay to short-form video, from Archie-style storytelling to deeply personal narratives—young people explore real issues through creative expression. Bullying. Belonging. Family. Culture. Hope.

And in doing so, they learn something even more powerful:

How to be heard.

Through Origin Stories, youth don’t just consume media—they create it. They learn to communicate visually and verbally, to collaborate, to problem-solve, and to build confidence in who they are and what they have to say.

But this kind of space doesn’t exist everywhere.

Without intentional programs like Origin Stories, many young people are left without safe, creative outlets—without a place to explore identity, build skills, or simply belong.

That’s why this work matters.

Your support helps provide:

Free access to workshops, materials, and mentorship
Safe spaces for creative expression and community building
Opportunities for youth to showcase their work and be celebrated
Pathways into art, media, and creative careers

Every dollar helps a young person discover their voice—and realize that their story matters.

Because every hero has an origin story.

And sometimes, all they need…
is a place to begin.