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In January 2023, a small group of us, comic authors, came together around a shared feeling: that something was missing in the way the Serbian comics scene recognized women and other underrepresented voices. We had seen too many brilliant works go unnoticed, too many artists working in isolation, and too little space for socially engaged comics. So we formed Stripotetke, a collective, a conversation, a gentle but persistent intervention.
The name itself, Stripotetke, carries a bit of irony and affection. “Tetke” (aunties) is a word that can sound outdated or even patronizing, but we chose to reclaim it. To turn it into something strong, inclusive, and full of care. Anyone can be a tetka if they share the values: solidarity, respect, courage to tell stories that matter.
From the beginning, we didn’t want to create just another project. We wanted to build something that lasts, something that could support emerging comic artists in Serbia, amplify feminist perspectives, and slowly change how comics are made, published, and understood. Our focus isn’t on making big headlines. It’s on showing up for each other, building networks, and keeping the door open for those who come next.
In our first year, we supported two important publications:
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Kod kuće (At Home), a collective anthology reflecting on home, labor, and vulnerability during the pandemic.
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Dosta je sa ćutanjem (Breaking the Silence), a rare collaboration between artists and intersex activists, giving voice to stories that had long remained invisible.
Both were deeply collaborative efforts, and both were received with warmth and recognition, not just as books, but as gestures of solidarity.
Stripotetke also organizes workshops, talks, and public events that invite reflection on practices, authorship, and fairness in the comics world. We talk a lot about visibility, but also about sustainability: How do we ensure that comics artists can keep creating? How do we resist the pressure to fit into ridiculous labels like “women’s comics” while still naming the structural inequalities we face?
We’re still learning. Still growing. And we know that real change happens slowly, through friendships, through shared work, through small, deliberate steps. Stripotetke is our way of taking those steps together.
