A graphic novel authored, created, and published by students at Ivy Tech Community College Northeast

W ith the year 2025 looming

on the horizon, the people

of Atropolis have found

themselves trapped in what was

once a thriving city with trees that

bore money and machines to do

all the work. But the people of

Atropolis had grown careless

in their lives of ease. The trees

began to grow bare, and the

machines they had relied on for so

long turned on them. The machines

destroyed the city, leaving fire and

ash. The air was thick with smoke

and disease, and the waters ran

black. Most scavenged, hid, and

lived out their lives scared and

defeated, with no hope of anything

better. Still, there were those who

wished for something more.

There were legends told of a

small ivy seed saved from the

first of the Ivy Trees. This seed

could once more produce wealth

from its limbs and start the line

of prosperity anew. But the seed

was lost in the wake of war with the

machines. The only glimpse of hope

for the people of Atropolis is that

the seed be found and planted,

allowing Ivy Trees to flourish

again. This story is about those

who stepped out to find this seed,

to control the machines, and to

bring prosperity and revitalization

to Atropolis.

This is a fictional story. It is not Affiliated in any way with real people or places. it is a story

written and illustrated from the imagination of college students. but, just think, what if…

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Now that we have finished our training, We can go look for the seed.

Can’t be much harder than the Helicopter. You are going to need

Someone watching YOUR BACK FROM THE

MACHINES While YOU GO LOOKING

FOR THE IVY SEED.

--oh, no...

I saw a BUILDING THAT I’D SWEAR WAS THE LOST CAMPUS. I just hope

the machines haven’t-

Does anyone know where we should start looking

for the lost campus?

tWO MONTHS LATER...

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TOLD YOU GUYS YOU WERE Going

TO NEED SOMEONE TO WATCH YOUR

BACK. our training is already paying off. .

LATEr...

IS THAT THE PLACE? I CAN’T Believe THE CAMPUS is Still

Standing AFTER ALL This Time.

THE MACHINES MADE SURE NO ONE WAS ABLE TO GET

TO it BEFORE...

Now that we can bring down the machines- we have a chance!

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HEY GUYS, I THlNK I FOUND

SOMETHlNG!

“THiS CHANGES EVERYTHiNG!”

“I HOPE WE CAN FiND MORE!”

“WE HAVE TO GET THiS BACK TO ANDORU. HE’LL BE THE BEST

PERSON TO GROW iT.”

“The lost campus is the perfect base while we look for the seed.”

and the weeks pass...

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“THiS CHANGES EVERYTHiNG!”

“I HOPE WE CAN FiND MORE!”

“WE HAVE TO GET THiS BACK TO ANDORU. HE’LL BE THE BEST

PERSON TO GROW iT.”

“After all this time, could we have

really found it?”

“I hope we can make it grow.”

The seed was just a start, but more, it was a shimmer of

something new: hope.

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meet the creators

Joey Avila illustrated the cover and “A Seed of Hope” on Pages 12 to 15. He is a visual Communications major who is currently working on a comic book. Find out more at joeyavila.com.

For more information about the Visual Communications program at Ivy Tech Community College Northeast, contact program chair Erin Salyers at esalyers@ivytech.edu or 260-480-4203.

Randall Goergen colored the illustration on Page 16. He is a visual communications major.

Kaila shoemaker wrote “Finding Ivy.” She is a hospitality administration major and works as an intern in the Marketing and Communications office.

LUCAS BAUSERMAnis a visual communications student who graduated in May 2014. He illustrated “The Ivy Tree” on Pages 2 and 3.

semir hozanoviciillustrated “Fetch” on Pages 4 and 5. He loves to draw and is working on a book of his own work.

colene smartillustrated the introduction scene on Page 1. She is a visual communications major and loves working with Adobe PhotoShop.

Danielle evansis a visual communications major who illustrated the conclusion on Page 16.

marvin mikesellillustrated “An Education” on Pages 6 to 9. He is a visual communications major who plans to earn a bachelor’s degree upon graduation from Ivy Tech Northeast.

shane wilkinsis a visual communications major who started at Ivy Tech Northeast in computer information systems. He illustrated “Training Day” on Pages 10 and 11. He likes turtles.

This project was a SPRING 2014 collaborationbetween THE IVY ART SOCIETY, AN IVY TECH NORTHEAST VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS STUDENT CLUB,

AND IVY TECH NORTHEAST MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE INTERNS AND STUDENT WORKERS.

JENNY SMILEYCRYSTAL MONHOLLENmarketing and communications office work study students who assisted with production artwork and editing.

special thanks to zack kruse.

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(888) IVY-LINEIvyTech.edu/northeast