RUN SHEEDA RUN

Comic & Illustrated Series

Character-driven illustrated series expanding a mobile game universe

Character sheet for Sheeda with front and side views and various expressive facial sketches.

Overview

Led the development of Run Sheeda Run Comics during my time at we.R.play, a game development studio. The project focused on expanding the universe of the Run Sheeda Run mobile game through narrative-driven comics and visual world-building.

Worked closely with the CEO and a cross-functional team to take the project from concept through to ongoing publication.
ROLE:
Creative Lead
SCOPE:
Story development, storyboarding, character and environment design, illustration, content strategy, social media, website design, print coordination
Cartoon boy smiling at a rooster inside a circular blue frame with floral accents and Run Sheeda Run Comics logo.

Challenge

The goal was to translate an existing mobile game into a rich narrative format, expanding its world through characters, environments, and storytelling that could engage audiences beyond gameplay.

Disclaimer: The RSR mobile game screens shown below are only for context and were not created by me.
Game start screen with a butcher, caged chickens, a boy running, and buttons labeled Friends and Shop.
Video game scene of a character running down a street with signs for mosque, bazaar, zero point, and park.
Game screen showing a character, score 55 new best, coins 11, and options to shop, map, and run.

Approach

The project was developed as a character-driven narrative rooted in local culture and lived experiences. The visual and storytelling direction drew inspiration from the culture, architecture, and everyday life of Lahore, Pakistan.

Working from the existing game concept, I expanded the universe by developing storylines, creating new characters, and refining existing ones. The approach combined episodic storytelling with ongoing content releases, allowing the narrative to evolve over time while maintaining a consistent visual language.

Visual System

The project was developed and executed across multiple formats and touchpoints:
  • Character and environment design
  • Story development, scripts, and storyboards
  • Short-form and long-form comic illustration
  • Weekly comic releases for social media
  • Interactive and campaign-based content
  • Website design and digital presence
  • Collaboration with illustrators, writers, and motion designers
  • Preparation for print production and distribution

Character Design

These are the characters I designed for the comics based on their descriptions. Barfi and Qasai ki Laadliyan were a couple of fun additions I made to the universe.
Pencil sketch sheet showing multiple cartoon-style character head and body drawings of a boy in various poses, angles, and facial expressions, including front and side views. Some sketches include basic head construction lines and notes such as 'Current' and 'Bigger head messy hair smaller body.' A colorful 'Run Sheeda Run' logo is in the bottom right corner.
Pencil sketches of cartoon children characters in different poses and expressions, including front and side views, on white paper with the "Run Sheeda Run" logo in the bottom right corner.
Character sheet for Sheeda with front and side views and various expressive facial sketches.
Character sheet of a cartoon chicken showing multiple poses, emotions, and a color palette.
Seven hand-drawn cartoon sketches of an elderly man, each numbered 1 to 7, showing variations in body shape and facial features, with the word 'Nana' written on the right side.
Seven blue pencil sketches of stylized elderly women characters, each numbered 1 to 7, with diverse facial features and clothing styles, showing different poses and expressions, labeled 'Nani' and featuring the 'Run Sheeda Run' logo in the bottom right corner.
Cartoon character Nana shown front, back, and side views wearing blue outfit and glasses.
Character sheet of an elderly woman with glasses, green scarf, and pink traditional outfit in multiple poses and expressions.
Cartoon character Ustaad Jee in front, side, back views with three facial expressions above.
A collection of various dog sketches and character designs showing different poses, expressions, and styles, including some colored versions and one black cat silhouette with yellow eyes, all arranged in rows on a white background.
Blue sketch of three cats on a white background: one cat walking on the bottom left and two cats sitting side by side on the top right, all with angular faces and long whiskers.
Sketches of slender cats with large ears and almond-shaped eyes in various poses, including sitting, standing, and lying down, alongside handwritten notes describing their features such as 'large eyes,' 'large ears,' 'thin face,' and 'thin, long skeletal body.'
Character sheet of animated dog Barfi showing side, front, and back views with a purple scarf.
Black cat character with yellow eyes in different poses and facial expressions on white background.
Character Barfi: brown dog with purple collar, fearless and loyal, rescued as injured puppy by Halwai.
Three black cats with yellow eyes sitting together against a red background with character info text.

GIF Animation

To bring the characters to life, I illustrated and animated GIFs that were eventually used on the Run Sheeda Run website.
Animation of a boy in yellow shirt and red shorts standing beside a brown rooster on purple background waving hello.
Animation of a chicken jumping and flapping its wings on a purple background.
Animation of a boy and chicken riding a decorated green rickshaw on a blue background.
Animation of a boy smiling with eyes closed, wearing yellow shirt, red shorts, blue sandals, dancing on purple background.
Animation of a boy doing squats and sweating nervously standing next to cheerful rooster on purple background.
Animation of a rooster skipping rope with determined expression on light blue background.
Animation of a boy in yellow shirt and red shorts holding a cricket bat and striking a red ball on purple background.
Animation of a boy with black hair running wearing a yellow shirt, red shorts, and blue flip-flops.
Animation of a boy in yellow shirt and red shorts running with a brown chicken on gray background.
Animation of a boy in yellow shirt and red shorts running alongside a flapping chicken on a purple background.

Environment Design

I designed key environments for the Run Sheeda Run universe from scratch based on real life locations and childhood memories.

Sheeda's Bedroom

Sketch of a cluttered room with an armchair, a bed with a blanket, a chair, a desk full of stacked books, a desk fan, a globe, shelves with books and objects, a backpack on the floor, and various papers pinned on the walls.
Black and white sketch of a bedroom with a single bed, desk, chair, armchair, and window with curtains; objects include a ceiling fan, wall clock, globe, table fan, backpack, shoes, cricket bat, books on the desk, framed pictures on walls, and scattered balls on the floor.
Hand-drawn colored sketch of a bedroom scene showing a side table with drawers, a bed with rumpled bedding and stickers on its wooden frame, and an orange plastic chair. Additional pencil sketches include a remote control car, a walkie-talkie, a globe, and handwritten notes listing items like remote control car, walkie talkies, small piano, small pedestal fan, water bottle, and globe.
Illustration of a boy standing in the middle of a cluttered bedroom with blue walls and a ceiling fan; the room has a bed with a sock hanging off it, a red backpack, and slippers on the floor; there is a desk with stacks of books and a fan near a window with blue curtains; an armchair with a rooster sitting on it, a shelf with books and a vase, and cricket and soccer balls on the floor; the walls are decorated with posters, drawings, a clock, and a globe on a shelf.

Sheeda's Playground

Sketch of a playground divided into four panels showing different equipment: top left panel has a spiral slide next to a large tree, top right panel shows children playing on a geometric climbing structure and monkey bars with one child hanging upside down, bottom left panel features a seesaw with multiple seats, and bottom right panel shows a swing set with tire and regular swings and a child sitting on the ground smiling.
Four sketch panels showing a park scene: top left, a circular fountain with benches and plants; top right, a trash can on a metal frame labeled 'USE ME'; bottom left, a person running away through bushes with another person’s head and hand in foreground; bottom right, two people peeking through bushes at the fountain and benches.
Hand-drawn layout of a playground and park divided into two sections: a kid's area with monkey bars, slide, swings, merry-go-round, seesaw, benches, and large banyan tree; and a grown-up territory with a track, benches, dustbin, fountain, and stairs to another side. The spaces are surrounded by greenery, random eucalyptus trees, and grills. Gates separate the kid's playground side from the grown-up side, including a double gate for grown-ups and a small gate usually open.
Top-down sketch map of a park divided into playground and grown-up territory sections, with labels for features such as a large banyan tree, merry-go-round, monkey bars, swings, slide, benches, dustbins, jogging tracks, a fountain on stone tiles, tall hedges, footpaths, gates, plants, and a grill fence around the park.
Playground featuring a yellow swing set with three swings including a tire swing, a red climbing frame in the background, a purple circular merry-go-round in the center, and a gray spiral slide with red railings on the right, all on green grass near trees and a fence.
3D rendered scene of a small park area with benches, trash bins, a fountain, a tree, a slide with stairs, and a character standing on grass near a sidewalk. Handwritten notes suggest keeping two sides at the same level with stairs added, making the fountain smaller for walk space, and needing stairs if levels differ. The Run Sheeda Run logo is in the bottom right corner.
The 2D and 3D versions of the playground shown above were created by different team members based on my art direction.

Sheeda's School

Black and white sketch of a three-story modern public school building on a street corner with a large tree and bushes in front, showing multiple windows and a sign that reads 'Public School'.
Black and white sketch of an empty classroom with multiple wooden benches and desks, large windows on both sides, ceiling fans, and a boy standing near the front whiteboard.
Empty classroom with wooden desks and benches arranged in rows, a teacher's desk with books, a large blackboard on the wall, colorful posters including a solar system and animals, a clock showing 12:05, and a ceiling fan.
Classroom with green and wood desks arranged in rows, books and notebooks on desks, a teacher's wooden desk and chair, a trash bin with crumpled paper, ceiling fans, posters on textured beige and blue walls, and a chalkboard displaying 'THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX' alongside a drawing of an open box.
The 2D and 3D versions of the classroom shown above were created by different team members based on my art direction.

Alien Chicken's Den Concept Art

Digital illustration of a large tree with hanging vines and green leaves in front of a peach-colored wall, with a blue and red rickshaw parked under a purple awning to the right.

Short-form Comics

The release of Run Sheeda Run Comics started with weekly single-panel short comics and evolved into long-form and print.
Woman advised to make tea wears gloves and goggles but uses toxic chemicals, giving bad tea to a green-faced woman.
Woman overwhelmed by chores imagines cooking, ironing, studying, then relaxes watching TV with drink.
Comic of a boy calling another, waiting for a match, showing increasing wait times and eventual disappointment in bed.

Long-form Comics

The single-panel comics evolved into a long-form as the characters, environments and storyline developed and expanded. Other than digitally publishing them, these comics were also printed out for distribution.
Four-panel comic sketch depicting a sick child lying in bed with a small bird character nearby. The child complains about having a high fever and not being able to go to school. A woman wearing a hijab opens a door in the second panel, then checks the child's temperature with a thermometer in the third panel. In the final panel, the woman points away with a stern expression as the child declares the woman is not yet a doctor and that his life is difficult. The comic is from Run Sheeda Run by werplay.com, 2017.
Sketch-style comic with three panels showing a boy running away screaming 'Bhaaaag Chicken!' while a chicken asks in Urdu about what happened and accuses the boy of being not a good enemy amid humorous dialogue.
Comic-style sketch of a cartoon chicken with speech bubbles in Urdu discussing different aspects of chicken, ending with the chicken saying it is not a chicken itself, while a cooked chicken sits on a table plate.
Four-panel comic of a classroom scene: 1) A sleepy boy called Sheeda with closed eyes and drooling at his desk while other students read. 2) A chicken with a headband lying aggressively on a desk, watched by two students. 3) The chicken throws a crumpled paper at Sheeda, while classmates laugh. 4) An angry teacher yells at Sheeda, who looks tired, with the chicken still nearby and two students observing. The comic features Urdu text describing Sheeda found in a small corner of Ajeebabad, his chicken, his many admirers, and many who fear him.
A four-panel comic showing a boy lying on a couch holding a phone, with a chicken nearby making 'URR!' sounds. The captions in yellow boxes describe the boy's closest friend as a chicken, a unique creation of nature with no equal in the neighborhood or world. It says no one remembers when or how the chicken arrived or how the boy and chicken became friends.
Comic strip of a chicken thinking all chickens are talking with speech bubbles saying things like 'Chicken mujhay parha do!' and 'Chicken, mera homework kardo na!' In the last panel, the chicken looks shocked pointing at a cooked chicken on a plate, saying 'Par ye ek aam chicken nahin!'
A comic strip with five panels showing a silhouetted boy and a rooster talking at sunset. The boy says he hasn't flown better despite many days passing. The rooster asks if he is short, fat, or has a big head. The boy retorts that the problem is he is a rooster. The rooster angrily asks why the boy doesn't understand. The boy walks away telling the rooster to stay alone and fly away if the butcher comes.
Comic strip with a red background featuring an angry rooster and a boy. The rooster looks annoyed saying 'Hmph.' The boy runs away in two panels while the rooster asks in Urdu, 'Phir se?! Kis se?! Ab kya kia tum ne?!' In the last panel, the rooster flaps wings angrily saying 'Qasai?? Halwai? Qasai ki billi?? Halwai ka kutta?!' while the smiling boy replies 'Kaafi ziada dushman nahin hain tumharay?' The strip is from Run Sheeda Run Comics.
Comic strip showing a boy chasing a chicken with a shadowy figure behind them; the chicken looks scared and is sweating, limping on one leg. The boy tells the chicken to run fast. The boy then mocks the shadow chasing them, laughing and pointing. In the last panel, the chicken and boy look suspiciously at the shadowy figure with a question mark above his head.
A five-panel comic strip illustrating a tense standoff: a shadowy figure stands on a street as a rooster and a boy shout 'What. Ever.' and 'Jo Bhi!' The man with a mustache contemplates with 'Hmm…' The rooster and boy face a large eye with their hands stretched toward the pupil, saying 'Sheeda aur chicken mein takraar…' (There is a clash between Sheeda and chicken), followed by a handshake glowing with energy captioned 'Yehi mera mauqa hai…' (This is my chance), and the man smiling with clasped hands saying 'Chicken ko haasil karnay ka…' (To win the chicken). The comic is from Run Sheeda Run Comics.
Comic book-style image promoting 'Run Sheeda Run,' a Pakistani game, featuring a boy running from a man wielding cleavers and crows; includes a smartphone screen showing the game, text saying 'The Most Pakistani Game Ever,' a 4.5-star rating, and over 1 million downloads, with app download badges for Google Play and App Store. The right side shows a boy and a rooster in front of Lahore's skyline with text 'Ajeebabad Ki Ajeeb Kahani' and 'Chapter #1,' under the logo 'Run Sheeda Run Comics.'
Two-page comic spread titled 'Sheeda ki Scrapbook,' featuring a scrapbook page with family and friend photos, doodles, and notes on the left, and a colorful comic strip on the right showing characters talking about a movie and a chicken that can bleed and fly with humorous dialogue in speech bubbles.

Social Media

I managed the social media platforms for Run Sheeda Run, including concepts, illustration as well as follower engagement. Weekly posts included interactive games and puzzles as well as events.
Black and white hidden objects puzzle with cats, knives, and various kitchen items in a cluttered room.
Black-and-white spot the difference puzzle with cartoon girl chasing a running chicken, a hand reaching in.
Angry man with cleavers chasing scared boy holding a chicken, surrounded by goats and cats, text says Eid Mubarak.
Cartoon group of diverse girls and women with text Happy International Women's Day on pink background.
Eid Mubarak greeting with colorful letters, crescent moon, and nighttime city skyline background.
Three cartoon circles show a boy with a chicken, expressing shock, laughter, and frustration respectively.

Outcome

The series was published as a weekly digital comic, completing multiple chapters and building an engaged audience through ongoing content and interaction. Print versions were developed for distribution, though they were not ultimately released.

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