Old Parkland and the Master Thief Comic Book

Book Design

To say the campus of Old Parkland is filled with imagination and mystery would be a massive understatement. From priceless pieces of art around every corner, to hidden passageways and underground meeting spaces, it’s a place like no other. So when we were approached to help create a comic book with the campus as the backdrop, it was a no-brainer.

Created for and given away to tenants as a way to show appreciation, Old Parkland and the Master Thief was crafted to celebrate not only the campus itself, but also the people that work there each and every day. From the main characters, to the security guard; the party goers, to the bartender; each character drawn into the book is a real tenant at Old Parkland with great care taken to capture their likeness, even down to their fashion choices.  

Written by our friend Kevin Paetzel, the story follows a series of thefts throughout Old Parkland with an unlikely group of tenants banding together to solve the fantastical mystery. 

After the story had been fine-tuned, we started designing and framing each page based on Kevin’s story beats. We also partnered with Austin-based artist, Scott Staples to help perfect the comic book versions of each character, sketching from headshots and other reference photos.

We then scanned each pencil drawing and page layout into the computer and digitally inked and colored every detail. Ultimately, this final finishing phase solidified the style of the piece, which drew on the classic, silver-age of comics from the 1950’s and 60’s, with delightful imperfections and limited color palettes, bringing a youthfulness to the entire presentation.

In keeping with the trends of true vintage comics, we also designed period-specific ads for the inside front and back covers. Some are for fictitious products that reference the comic’s plot points, while others are for real on-campus amenities.

Each finished comic was placed into a protective sleeve and paired with vintage candies, sodas and even a small stuffed squirrel (a clue to the plot) and finally, hand delivered to each of Old Parkland’s 300+ tenants.