Laura’s Comic Strip Delivers Serious Message for Crisis UK

A comic strip story by a @S_ERC (SERC) art and design student has been selected for publication in an anthology to raise funds for homeless charity @crisis_uk

Laura Jane Morfett, from South Belfast, responded to a call from Obsolete Comics requesting short stories investigating themes of support in times of crisis. Laura said, “The publisher was especially keen for stories that included a blend of both old and new technology, so it was very encouraging for my comic strip, entitled Stay Safe, to be accepted for inclusion in a published anthology. It validates my abilities both to draw and tell a story in this format and I am thrilled that my work will help raise funds for Crisis UK and their campaign to solve homelessness across the country and directly help those affected to find permanent residences.    

Laura Jane, a mother of two primary school children, studies Level 3 Art and Design at SERC’s Lisburn Campus, added, “I am very family oriented and wanted to portray family relationships as both universal and fundamental, especially in dire times. 

Laura spoke about her love for comics and some of the misconceptions about them. “For those who have not been introduced to the medium, graphic novels and comics are so much more than children’s entertainment or superhero stories for teenagers. I love the wide range of styles and content covered by modern comics, and the way in which individual artists powerfully use sequential art to create moods and provoke emotion.  

She added, “I am fascinated by works that are the sole creation of one artist completing both the writing and illustration usually in a biographical or journalistic genre. In my opinion the very personal nature and style of artwork, in individual creations, elevates the content. It interests me how sequential art offers a different storytelling potential to both the artist and the author compared with text alone.   

Talking about her career goals and ambitions, Laura said “This opportunity has given me increased enthusiasm to go on to further, and potentially take on more complex projects, and perhaps more work in this same vein. Currently, I intend to work towards building up a larger portfolio of digital art both online and in print. I would love to create more short comics or even a longer graphic novel and perhaps some motion graphics. There seems to be increased popularity with animation especially in website logos and banners so that might be another avenue for my work.”  You can purchased the anthology containing Laura’s Stay Safe comic strip, due for publication this summer, and support the work of Crisis UK by clicking here 

Apply now for courses commencing September 2020. Visit www.serc.ac.uk to find out how you could be #BetterOffAtSERC

Caption: Laura Jane Morfett’s comic strip, Stay Safe, has been selected for publication in an anthology to raise funds for homeless charity Crisis UK. The South Belfast woman is a Level 3 Art & Design student at South Eastern Regional College.