For 30 years, Zenica’s School of Comics has been not only an illustration school but a symbol of perseverance, cultural resistance, and lasting dedication to art.
Initially an escape from wartime repression and later a platform for expression and creativity, the school has trained around 200 young artists, some of whom are acclaimed even beyond the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The idea behind comics, as a liberating medium, remains the same, but the development of technology has seen an “elitist” turn in comic production.
The Zenica School of Comics was created in 1994, amidst ongoing war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Recalling its beginnings, Adnadin Jašarević, the school’s founder and the director of the Zenica City Museum, said that their primary goal to give children a creative escape from the harsh realities of war. Under these conditions, as he notes, comics were like Alice in Wonderland—an escape from hunger, fear, and shelling.
An average of ten students pass through the School of Comics every year. They learn how to translate their thoughts, fears, and hopes into dynamic sequences of frames and speech clouds. During the three decades of its existence, it has produced around 70 prominent young authors, whose works have left a mark on the domestic and regional comics scene. Some, today, are even internationally recognized artists.
Kenan Halilović, Biljana Šafaražik, and Zdravko Cvjetković are prominent names associated with Zenica’s comic school, which has been synonymous with quality and creativity within the domestic comic scene for years. Their internationally acclaimed work affirms that Zenica has a firm foothold in this visual medium.
Newer names like Filip Androniko, Milorad Vicanović, Senad Mavrić, and Enis Čišić represent the contemporary wave of comic artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina. They actively cooperate with renowned publishers from the United States and Europe, demonstrating that despite its underdeveloped infrastructure, Bosnia and Herzegovina has comic creators who stand equally alongside world authors.
Publications such as Horostop, ZE strip, EKO strip and SUV – Steps in Time were created at the Zenica School, which show its continuity and dedication to comic culture.
Looking toward the future, Jašarević states that he has “never stopped working” to ensure that comics remain a tool for expression and creative release. He explained that the students themselves choose the topics they work on according to their own interests.
Utilizing New Technology
Jašarević reflected on the technology’s impact on the comic industry, explaining that while comics used to be widely available to the masses, today, they are becoming a more elitist product, with more expensive integral editions and albums intended for a small but loyal audience.
Cartoon illustrator Zdravko Cvjetković is a former student of the Zenica’s School of Comics. Speaking about the impact of technology, he emphasizes that smart tablets have made drawing easier and faster for many artists without compromising the quality of their work. However, he warns that AI tools such as those for generating text and images pose serious ethical and aesthetic questions.
As he explains, the mass availability of tools that produce images and stories in seconds threatens to trivialize art and blur the line between creativity and automation: “If we all become artists just because we have a tool in our pocket, then nobody is really an artist.”
Many things about comics today, according to Cvjetković, are drastically different then before the war. “Comics are no longer accessible to such a wide audience, especially children. They’re too expensive and rarely found in newsstands,” he explained.
The Growing Bosnian Comics Scene
He also pointed out that children today reach for screens more than print media like comics or books, so publishers are targeting older generations who grew up with comics.
On a positive note, Cvjetković highlighted the growing number of comics festivals in the region, which also promote a culture of reading and drawing.
“Workshops and comics contests for children today are an almost mandatory part of every serious festival, and this is crucial in the absence of comics schools like the one in Zenica,” Cvjetković emphasized.
Comics culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina persists despite modest conditions, with almost no institutional support, major publishers, or specialized festivals. However, thanks to the enthusiasm of individuals, the scene is not disappearing. In fact, it is quietly but steadily growing.
Authors like Berin Tuzlić and Enis Čišić have been representing BiH on the regional and international comics scene for years. Tuzlić, known for his experimental approach and multimedia projects, combines comics with music and animation. Čišić, who also tried his hand at Marvel productions, represents a more contemporary, technically precise form of expression. Their works show that Bosnia and Herzegovina has talents capable of competing with global names.
Ismet Erdić holds a special place on the BiH comics scene, with his rare combination of historical storytelling and visual narration through comics about Kulin Ban and medieval Bosnia. His work has educational value and is often used in classrooms, which makes him one of the few authors whose comics reach the general public.
Despite unfavorable conditions for comic distribution, publicity, and marketing, comics culture in BiH is preserved as a niche interest by enthusiasts. Social networks, web-comics, and regional cooperation with authors from Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia are currently key to their survival. While the BiH comics scene is relatively small, it has an authentic flair and great potential, waiting for better times ahead.
