CASA – Cluster of Excellence at Ruhr University Bochum
Bits, Bytes and Picture Stories
A four-part comic series translates complex IT security research into entertaining adventures with animal protagonists
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What do a cookie-loving fox, an enthusiastic beaver builder and a rabbit with missing carrots have in common? They all dive into the fascinating world of digital security! For the CASA Cluster of Excellence at Ruhr University Bochum, we developed a four-part comic series that conveys highly complex IT security research through vivid stories. Our comics turn pages of source code into lively adventures – taking readers on a journey that builds knowledge and sparks enthusiasm for future technologies.
The Challenge
From Zeros and Ones to Animal Stories
IT security is a crucial topic for the future – yet for many people, the field remains inaccessible with its abstract terminology and invisible processes. That's exactly where the brief from the CASA Cluster of Excellence began: how do you make complex cybersecurity research understandable for a broader audience? How do you spark young people's interest in the field? We found the answer in the power of visual storytelling.
'Ellery brought our content to life with fun and a light touch'
Cornelia Robrahn, Senior Art Director, RUHR UNIVERSITY BOCHUM
Deliverables
What We Delivered
In close collaboration with CASA researchers, we created a four-part comic series: Whitfield the fox sniffs out cryptography, Paul the beaver dives deep into hardware security, Betty the rabbit hops through secure systems, and Maggie the chameleon explores questions of usability. Each comic combines an engaging story with a 'CASA Wiki' for technical terms, real-life examples, and references to scientific publications.
1
Narrative Concept and Character Development
Development of four animal protagonists with individual backstories, framing plots and a consistent series logic. Each character embodies the particularities of their research field and functions as a figure of identification for the target audience.
2
Illustration and Visual Metaphor System
Complete comic illustration across four issues with a consistent visual style that combines accessibility with seriousness. Development of a visual repertoire of metaphors for abstract concepts such as hardware trojans or anonymisation networks.
3
Editing and Scientific Text Translation
Creation of all text elements: dialogue, speech-bubble text, CASA Wiki entries and real-life stories, developed in close coordination with the researchers. Produced in two languages (English and German) with both scientific precision and narrative ease.
4
Editorial Design and Print Production
Complete page layout for four individual issues, prepared print-ready for multiple print runs. In parallel, production of digital flipbook versions and adaptation of the files for classroom sets in schools.
