ABOUT ME

Hey there, I'm Ilija Jakovljević, also known as EL JAKK. I'm a comic book author and illustrator hailing from Beška, born back in 1995 in Novi Sad, Serbia.

I got into the comic scene around 2016, drawing inspiration from alternative comics, manga, and 90s animation. I never went to art school, so I learned the ropes mostly online, studying other artists' works and honing my craft by putting out short comics in the form of zines.

In 2021, I was announced as a winner of a comics cross-residency contest between Serbia and France. I went to Angoulême, spending a solid two months crafting my series, "Big Rock Energy".

I've had my works showcased in a few exhibitions, like the "Horizons" exhibit in 2022 at the Angoulême Comics Festival, and the "Trois ans de Résidences croisées dans le domaine de la bande dessinée France-Serbie" in Paris in 2023.

My comics? They're a doorway to weird and wonderful worlds, following the escapades of quirky outsider heroes. These guys might not fit in, but they're all about shaking things up for the better.

I'm all about boosting the visibility of indie comics and young creators, showing off how comics can shine locally and online. For that purpose I started D.I.Y. Strip Fest, an event celebrating indie comics that's been a hit with loads of comic fans, bringing a fresh vibe to the scene.