Virtual Walks
Details on how to participate will be announced after the opening ceremony of the conference!
Panel by Panel
A creative storytelling game [VIRTUAL]
About
Panel by Panel is a creative storytelling game where players build their own comic story using illustrated cards. Each card shows a different moment or situation. It’s up to you how you arrange them!
You can play solo or in a group, freely or with specific prompts, to tell, combine, improvise, and create new stories.
It's all free! You can download the files here, print them and play, create and modify whatever you want!
What’s in the „Box“?
23 illustrated cards – comic panels
Blank cards (special cards) for drawing your panels
Theme cards (27)
Genre cards (9)
Objective of the Game
Create a comic story:
- that makes sense
- has a beginning, middle, and end
- and is based on selected cards and a chosen game variant
What You'll Need
Printed game cards
Scissors
Pens, pencils, or drawing tools
Game Setup
Print the game cards according to the instructions:
Print in black and white –
Sheet A: print once, double-sided
Sheet B: print once, double-sided
Sheet C: print once, double-sided
Sheet D: print five times, single-sided
TIP:
For best results, use heavier-weight paper.
Cut out the printed game cards along the marked dotted lines.
If you prefer, you can use plain white paper instead of special (blank) cards.
Download 5 files in pdf
Solo Play
1. Free Creation
Choose any number of illustrated cards (recommended 4–6). Use them to build a story. You may include as many special cards as you like!
2. Start or End
Draw 1 card from the illustrated deck – this will be either the beginning or the end of your comic. Fill in the remaining panels however you choose, using special cards as needed. Your story must have at least 3 panels in total.
3. Prompt-Based Story
Draw 1 genre card.
Draw 2 theme cards.
Draw 2 illustrated cards.
Use all of the drawn cards in your story, in any order. Create a comic based on the given prompt. You can finish the comic with illustrated cards from a deck or with special cards!
Group Play (2–4 players)
1. Relay
Shuffle the genre and theme cards and place them face down as well.
Draw 1 genre card and place it face up on the table. Then draw 2 theme cards and place them face up. These cards form the prompt for your comic.
Shuffle the illustrated cards and place them in a deck face down. Each player draws 4 cards and keeps them secret.
The youngest player starts. They place any illustrated card in the centre of the play area to begin the story. The next player (clockwise) continues the story by adding one of their illustrated cards. The game ends when all illustrated cards have been placed.
2. Showdown (3–4 players)
Shuffle the illustrated cards and place them face down. Shuffle the genre and theme cards and place them face down as well.
The youngest player goes first. Each player draws 5 illustrated cards and keeps them hidden. Each player also takes 3 special (blank) cards.
The youngest player reveals the top genre card and two top theme cards. These three cards form the prompt for this round.
Each player must now create a comic story based on the prompt using their illustrated cards. They may use up to 2 special cards to complete their story.
Players place their intended comic face down, with the illustrations hidden.
The youngest player then reveals all submitted cards and uncovers the comics.
They choose the most successful or creative comic based on their judgment.
The author of the selected comic earns 1 point for the round.
All illustrated cards are then shuffled back into their respective decks (except special cards), and the next player in clockwise order becomes the judge.
The game ends when a player reaches 3 points.
Additional Modes and Options
Timed Challenge
You have 5 minutes to create your comic.
With Captions
Add speech bubbles or narrator text to the panels. You can cut them from the blank sheet of paper!
This comic game was created for the INSEA World Congress in Olomouc in 2025, and it is freely available for download, printing, sharing, and modification. Illustrations and text by Matěj Komínek. First edition.
Do you have suggestions for changes, improvements, or feedback?
Please send them to: matej.kominek(a)gmail.com
Thank you for your feedback!
Want to share your best creations?
Did the virtual workshop inspire you to create or think about something of your own? Share the result or your ideas on social media! Use the hashtag #UnexpectedTerritories
Let's connect.
Want to share your best creations?
Please send a photo of your comics to: matej.kominek(a)gmail.com or upload it directly to the Padlet site!