SECONDARY school pupils have created a graphic novel which portrays Greek gods in modern-day Oxford.

Year 8 students at Cheney School have been working on the project since September of last year, and after months of hard work, their story is available to view online.

The project has seen them design, write and illustrate a graphic novel depicting the primordial Greek gods in 21st century Oxford.

Pupils learnt about the different primordial gods, explored the art form of the graphic novel, and looked at how ancient characters have been imagined in different settings.

See also: Churchill pub launches community kitchen to feed vulnerable

They then chose characters and storylines, and worked together as a group to decide how to plan the story and what to call it.

In the end, they settled on a compilation of mini stories, which they called ‘Primordial Soup: Tales of the Greek gods in Oxford’.

Primordial Soup, a graphic novel written by Cheney School students

Primordial Soup, a graphic novel written by Cheney School students

The back cover of the book reads: “Long before Zeus and his gang took over, the primordials were running the show.

“Overthrown and forgotten, somehow they’ve ended up living out their lives in twenty-first century Oxford.

“Cronus owns a clock shop in St Clement’s and Gaia is running allotments up the Cowley Road.

“Oceanus lives in a boat on the River Cherwell and Memnosyne has a cafe nearby.

“Nyx and Erebus are warring over night and day in the backstreets.

“Meanwhile several others are living in a tower block incognito, until an unwitting human moves in next door.

“Explore the unexpected tales of the primordial Greek gods as they hang about, plot and squabble in modern-day Oxford.”

The back cover of Primordial Soup

The back cover of Primordial Soup

The students worked with the Iris Classics Centre, which is based at the school.

Lorna Robinson, director of the centre, said: “We are fortunate to have been supported in this project by Ahmed Alameen, a Kuwaiti author who has created a graphic novel based on characters from the epic Gilgamesh.

“We were also delighted to have been joined in this project by Oxford Brookes University artist Lydia Hall.

“Lydia worked with the students on the artwork for the story, and turned their artwork and ideas into a cohesive graphic novel.”

Cheney School students have written a graphic novel about Greek gods in modern-day Oxford

Cheney School students have written a graphic novel about Greek gods in modern-day Oxford

Page 10 of Primordial Soup

Page 10 of Primordial Soup

The Iris Classics Centre is a community learning venue for people of all ages to attend events, workshops, and exhibitions.

Founded and run by educational charity The Iris Project, the centre allows pupils to engage with the classics, while also providing a place for visitors of all ages from the local community to experience classics.

It is the first school museum to be awarded full museum accreditation by the Arts Council’s Museum Accreditation Scheme.

Read the book at: online.fliphtml5.com/uvadj/rbqh/#p=1