Krakow, Poland, welcomes the first-ever Cool Story Con, hosted by the COOL STORY BRO studio on April 1st and 2nd, 2023, at the Małopolski Festiwal Komiksu – comic book festival.
The COOL STORY BRO studio was born out of the love for comics and creativity of Ihor Yashchenko and Oleksiy Nesmashny. Initially, it started as a comics studio, but the team gradually expanded their boundaries of creativity. Despite being in a country where the comics industry was in its nascent stage, they did not give up on their dream of creating their own stories and heroes. The COVID-19 epidemic and quarantine posed new challenges, but the team persevered.
In June 2020, the first studio and team were formed, with only four members. Soon after, dozens of people responded to their call for a team expansion, and the beginning of an ever-growing community was established. The studio’s dream was not just to create a single comic book but to create a huge international geek industry that would not be limited by styles, genres, and age.
During the summer of 2020, the team worked tirelessly to develop the first comic, and on September 16, the studio announced itself on the internet and social media. The first supporters of the studio appeared, and the first hero of the comic, the Voice, was presented to the audience. The team also worked on making animatronic glasses and a suit for the Voice, and the first photo sessions and clips with him were made. The project attracted a lot of attention, and the team began interacting with the media.
The project was officially presented in all its glory at COMIC CON UKRAINE, which led the founders to Helena Mankowska, who later became a part of the big COOL STORY BRO family, and Lady Demitrescu turned into Heilen Manhelm. New connections, contracts, and potential investors appeared, and opportunities opened up for the development of the project and the sale of film rights to Hollywood studios.
However, on February 24, 2022, a war began, destroying the dreams and lives of millions of people and becoming a more terrible test for everyone. The studio turned into a real family, became a large organism inside which everyone became something unified and integral. Life changed, and everything froze for a while, but it was during this time that they rethought the project, redesigning the style, improving colors, expanding the story, and improving the characters.
New directions and subdivisions, new projects appeared, and the studio became a full-fledged industry, the first in Ukraine, constantly developing and expanding. The team grew stronger, braver, and ready to declare themselves to the world.
The COOL STORY CON is the first-ever event of its kind, celebrating creativity and the love for comics, bringing together artists, directors, editors, musicians, and cool creators. The convention will showcase the studio’s latest projects, including their comic book, music, songs, and trailers. It is a chance for fans and enthusiasts to meet and interact with their favorite creators and celebrate their love for all things geek.
In conclusion, the COOL STORY BRO studio is a testament to the power of perseverance, creativity, and passion. The team’s dream of creating a huge international geek industry is slowly becoming a reality, and the COOL STORY CON is just the beginning. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for the studio and the industry.
