For years, Scott Wojcik has had a passion for storytelling, eventually using comics as his way of sharing his stories with the world.
Wojick, who has lived in Brantford his whole life, explained his early inspiration, a legendary fantasy writer, and eventually collaborating with his kids on a comic.
“I didn’t really read a whole lot when I was younger. I had a teacher who encouraged me to read a novel for the very first time, around Grade 11. I got into my first book, which was The Hobbit, and I was instantly pulled in. After that, I read just about everything by J.R.R. Tolkien. For me, I really love the idea of building worlds and building around characters that have a lot of emotion [and] I have spent the last 20 years writing and coming up with stories, but I never did anything with them,” he said. “It wasn’t until the pandemic that my kids found the first story I wrote, which was back in Grade seven. It was a project that we had to do, and it was called ‘Cereal Box Time Machine.’ I was the main character [where] I found a magic wand in a cereal box, turned it into a time machine, and traveled through time. My kids would then rewrite themselves into the story, which I thought was a great idea.”
From there, the budding comic creator realized his experience collaborating with his children.
“They were so fantastic when we started with the Cereal Box Time Machine. Our family would all sit down at the dinner table and talk about the different stories that we could tell. It was around 2022 when we started writing that one. They were very much involved. But they were still quite young…[and as we all know] how imaginative kids can be! My story originally had a dragon, but now it has become our cat. Our cat has now been the main villain in each issue of the series [and] our dog, for some reason, was the queen. But, it’s their imagination and it’s a story, so why not?” Wojcik explained.
He would also collaborate with others when developing Cereal Box Time Machine, including comic artist and character designer Leandro Franchino, as well as letterer/artist Andrew Thomas.
“I wanted to find someone who was very humble and down to earth, and who would have fun with the project and enjoy the story. What I did was I went on Facebook, and there’s a group where writers and artists can connect. And from there, I spent many hours just going through artists’ artwork [and] found Leandro there. From many of his posts, I could see the passion he had for creating comics, and I just saw something in his art style that I thought would really work. I started talking with him and sent him a script…he would quickly jump on board with the project. And through the three issues so far, you can really see the love he has put into the series,” he said. “The way I met Andrew was a little bit different. We met at Toronto Comic Con in 2022. I went there as an attendee, just to check things out. It was my first show [and] I took my sons with me. I would end up talking with Andrew and finding out he had just moved to Brantford recently [and] was living around the corner from our family. I would also find out that our two sons are very close friends at school. From there, I felt it was meant to be to work with him. I can’t say enough about Andrew; he has been the biggest reason for where I’m at now in my career in comics.”
However, the project wasn’t simply a creative outlet for Wojcik, but also a learning experience, setting the foundation for other comics he had in mind and for a chance to refine his skills.
“I wanted to shape my own identity in these comics that I created. I wanted to fine-tune my writing, especially my scripting. So, over the last few years, there have been little things that I started to realize every time I started on a comic…I made this mistake, or I made that mistake. And I think that’s really important for anyone who is making comics….to find out what you’re good at and what you can improve on,” he noted. “I had had quite a bit of stuff that I had written, but had held off on getting out there…because I began to understand that it was important to work on these stories and develop them as I learned more and more. It’s also about getting to do as many shows as possible, and meeting different people from the industry…and over that process, I’ve seen my own work considerably get better and found myself growing and learning.”
Along with creating his first comic, Wojcik also started his own business, CBTM Comics.
“One of my main goals has always been to create a [future] opportunity for my three children, who also enjoy comics and being involved in the process. As I was developing my first few books, I realized we needed to start our own small business. The primary reason for establishing this was to give my kids something [tangible] they could work on as they go through school and even after they are adults. Eventually, the hope is that they can create their own books and even take over the company title for their own publishing projects,” the Brantford native said.
Along with developing CBTM’s presence online, Wojcik has made an effort to get out to comic cons, including in Ottawa, in order to grow as a comic creator.
“As a creator, attending shows is one of the most important things you can do [because] it provides great opportunities to network and meet industry professionals, which has helped me improve as a writer. I’ve been fortunate to sit with artists like Mike Rooth and Dave Ross (Marvel), allowing me to understand their processes, and after I chatted with them, I quickly integrated their best practices into my own work,” Wojcik reflected. “There was another time, when I had a great conversation with Peter Tomasi, who writes for Ghost Machine. Peter graciously shared a copy of his Batman #1000 script, suggesting I use it as a learning tool. It was amazing to get to see the perspective of a seasoned writer like him [which] dramatically helped me improve my own scripting; it’s easily ten times better now. The knowledge gained at these shows has been indispensable.”
Another reason that Wojcik goes to these conventions as well as other events locally is to meet people, including readers who have enjoyed reading the comics.
“The most rewarding feeling is seeing kids come up to the table who have already bought my books or are picking them up for the first time—knowing that a child chose my book over every other book available is incredible. Locally in Brantford, the recognition has been unusual but deeply fulfilling. I never expected to reach a point where people would approach me, yet I’ve made so many friends just from setting up tables at places like Sobeys or the Brantford Comic Con. There are even instances where I’ve walked into Walmart and someone recognizes me, calling me ‘the comic book guy,’ he recounted. “Also, the friends I’ve made who genuinely love the work have been inspiring…I have one gentleman who owns literally every cover I’ve ever created, including all sixteen different covers for Cereal Box Time Machine. What is truly amazing, though, is that his ten-year-old daughter now wants to create her own comic because of my influence. Influencing young kids to create, to help them find something they love, is one of the most important things a creator can do. It is extremely rewarding to be part of a community that really supports its local talent.”
Wojick also had the chance to participate in the inaugural Brantford Comic Con held in May 2025, and explained the importance of this type of event in the community.
“Brantford truly needed an event like this. Comic Cons aren’t just about comics; they are a celebration of all things ‘geeky,’ covering everything people are passionate about—from Funko Pops and sports cards to cosplay and more. We all have something we love and want to share, and a Comic Con provides that perfect space,” he stated. “For the longest time, Brantford [had lacked] this kind of event, and now that we have it, we’ve been overwhelmed by how popular and well-received it has been. The reaction from everyone, including the vendors and attendees, was absolutely amazing [and] knowing that our community fully backed this event made the experience even more special.”
With a portfolio of 12 comics to his name, Wojcik has been working on a variety of other projects for the future.
“I have a lot of projects in the fire now. With Cereal Box Time Machine, three issues have already been released, and issues #4, #5, and #6 have already been written and slated for publication in the future. [While] I want to release more than one issue per year, it is challenging due to costs and the time commitment. I have worked on another project, with artist Eric Olcsvary, and we are collaborating on the sci-fi thriller called Blood Horizon, which we are finishing up our pitch to submit to several companies,” he said. “Additionally, I am working on a Western that I am scripting simultaneously as a comic and a film, a project rooted in my lifelong love for the genre shared with my father. I also have an ongoing Sherlock Holmes-style thriller/horror series fully outlined and broken down, though not yet scripted. Finally, Probed and Loaded, a comic we have pitched, received positive feedback from a few companies who are interested in seeing more development of the story before moving forward.”
