Be Seen. Be Heard.Have Fun.
Cooley Comics began with a dream, literally. Chris Cooley dreamed of making a comic with his friend Tony Martin, inspired by their friendship and the challenges they had each faced.
At Chris's dining-room table, in under two hours, the two of them created a character called Catalyst who carried the values they shared. If they could do that in an afternoon, so could anyone.
What we believe
Everyone has a story worth telling. People who are having fun in a supportive space can do anything.
How we work
Facilitators guide each creator step by step, using accessible digital and AI-supported tools. The ideas always belong to the creator.
Who we are
A Rochester team of writers, artists and young facilitators. About half of our staff and participants are neurodivergent or part of the disability community.
Founded by friends
Chris Cooley, CEO and co-founder, leads our programs and partnerships.
Tony Martin, co-founder, is an artist whose own comic, TONY Vol. 1: Self-Elevation, started it all.
Our workshops are run by a growing team of facilitators and designers, several of whom first joined as participants.
Work with us