Note down the details of your comic book world
Write down and organize details of your comic book world: create heroes, villains, settings, powers, rules, and a short origin story on paper.
Step-by-step guide to create a comic book world
Step 1
Gather your materials and sit in a comfy well-lit spot to get ready.
Step 2
Make six boxes on your paper by folding or drawing lines so you have room for each part.
Step 3
Label the six boxes: Heroes; Villains; Setting; Powers; Rules; Origin Story.
Step 4
Write your hero's name and age in the Heroes box.
Step 5
Write three personality words that describe your hero in the Heroes box.
Step 6
Write your hero's main goal or mission in one short sentence in the Heroes box.
Step 7
Draw your hero inside the Heroes box so you can see how they look.
Step 8
Write your villain's name and main motive in the Villains box.
Step 9
Draw the villain inside the Villains box to show how they appear.
Step 10
In the Setting box write where and when your comic happens and add two special places or landmarks.
Step 11
In the Powers box list each of your hero's powers one per line.
Step 12
Next to each power write one clear weakness or limit for that power in the Powers box.
Step 13
In the Rules box write three rules that everyone in your comic world must follow.
Step 14
In the Origin Story box write a short five-sentence origin story explaining how your hero began.
Step 15
Share your finished comic world on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
I don't have a large sheet of paper or colored markers—what can we use instead?
Fold a notebook page or use printer paper cut into a rectangle to make six boxes, and substitute crayons, ballpoint pens, stickers, or a free drawing app on a tablet to draw and fill the Heroes, Villains, Setting, Powers, Rules, and Origin Story boxes.
I'm stuck writing the five-sentence origin story—how can I finish it without giving up?
Break the Origin Story box into five simple prompts—where the hero was, the inciting incident, training or change, first challenge, and current mission—and write one short sentence for each prompt.
How can I adapt this activity for younger kids or teens?
For younger children, simplify by having them draw and use one-word traits and a one-sentence mission in the Heroes box and two simple rules in the Rules box, while older kids can add detailed power limits in the Powers box, extra landmarks in Setting, and a longer illustrated Origin Story.
How can we make the comic world more unique or turn it into a finished mini-comic to share?
Extend the project by turning each box into a colored six-panel page, adding speech bubbles and a short action scene for the Origin Story box, creating a small prop or map for the Setting box, and photographing the finished page to upload to DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to create a comic book world
How to Make a Comic Book
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How to Make a Comic Book
How To Make A Comic Book At Home (St Teresa's RC Primary School) | Mr Mckenzie
How To Make A Comic from Start to Finish
How to Make Your Own Comic | Toontorial | @cartoonnetworkuk
Facts about comic book writing and worldbuilding
✨ An origin story can be as short as a single sentence or as long as an entire comic issue or movie — both can be powerful.
🌍 Big comic universes like Marvel and DC contain thousands of named characters and many invented cities and countries.
🧩 Giving a power a clear rule or limitation makes stories more fun and sparks creative problem-solving.
🤡 The Joker first appeared in 1940 alongside Batman — some villains are as iconic as the heroes!
🦸♂️ Superman’s debut in Action Comics #1 (1938) is often credited with kickstarting the modern superhero era.
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