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About
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Who We Are
DrawSquad.com is dedicated to preserving and expanding the legacy of The Draw Squad, an extraordinary family of directed-drawing educational resources that continue to delight and ignite a creative spark in anyone who yearns to learn how to draw!
Launched at the dawn of the 21st century by the former CEO of Secret City/Mark Kistler Productions (after Kistler's departure from the company), DrawSquad.com began as the home base for mail-order sales of The Draw Squad Classroom Video (DSCV) series. This 44-episode multi-media curriculum stars TV’s beloved “Commander Mark” and is based on time-proven teaching principles and the “7 Magic Words” of perspective drawing, as seen on PBS in the groundbreaking series The Secret City (1985).
After many years of offering the DSCV series on physical media, DrawSquad.com eventually found itself unequipped to transition into the streaming era. By 2020 the original owner had begun considering the possibility of transferring the site and its catalog to new caretakers. In 2022, the founder of what would become Secret Universe emerged as a top contender and began discussions with DrawSquad.com about the future of the brand. Upon much thoughtful consideration, the original owner determined that a full passing of the torch would serve the legacy best—and in late 2024, the transfer was officially completed.
Today, under new ownership by Secret Universe, we are working to bring back rare and fan-favorite materials from the Draw Squad archives and beyond, while producing and developing the next generation of fresh and exciting Draw Squad edutainment!
Our Mission
At DrawSquad.com, we are committed to:
Preservation: Providing access to classic Draw Squad related learning materials, including high-quality reprints and digital releases.
Recovery: Revitalizing rare and out-of-print educational resources through carefully crafted Kickstarter campaigns.
Education: Honoring the foundational Audio-Visual Drawing Program (AVDP) created by Bruce McIntyre, the curriculum that inspired The Secret City, The Draw Squad, and much of Mark Kistler’s Imagination Station.
Community: Engaging the Draw Squad and Commander Mark fan community through newsletters, social media, and special events.
The Legacy of Commander Mark, Draw Squad, and The Secret City
The Draw Squad method traces its roots back to the Audio-Visual Drawing Program (AVDP), a perspective-based drawing system developed in the 1950s by former Disney animator Bruce McIntyre. Mark Kistler, one of McIntyre’s most enthusiastic students, brought this method to national attention in the 1980s when he starred as “Commander Mark” in The Secret City (aka, The ‘Original’ Secret City—TOSC) drawing show on PBS.
Building on the success of 1985’s TOSC, Kistler (together with TOSC alumna Edith Fine & Judith Josephson) co-authored the bestselling workbook Mark Kistler’s Draw Squad (DS88) in 1988, bringing these concepts to even more homes and classrooms across the country. A wide range of instructional materials followed—including the DSCV Series—making the Draw Squad system more accessible than ever!
While Mr. Kistler has since moved on to develop other successful brands (such as Imagination Station) under his own banner, DrawSquad.com remains dedicated to preserving the Draw Squad legacy. Our work includes archiving and reintroducing classic Draw Squad—plus related and adjacent—materials, ensuring that the core lessons of Draw Squad remain available to all those with a passion for boundless creativity and anyone who loves to draw, draw, draw!
What’s Next?
We are currently preparing a Kickstarter campaign to reprint a highly sought-after piece of Draw Squad history: the classic Learn to Draw with Commander Mark mail-away booklet, which was initially offered only through the early TOSC broadcasts. This facsimile edition—along with updated collector’s variants—will mark the first step in plans to revive many legendary Draw Squad resources.
Future projects include:
A collectors’ box set of The Secret City (1985), newly remastered from studio tapes.
Expanded educational resources based on the Draw Squad Classroom Video Series.
Exclusive artwork and retro tributes celebrating the Draw Squad universe.
The potential for all-new fun, fantasy, and adventures with comic books or animation starring Space Commander Mark and The Draw Squad in their New Secret City headquarters.
Our mission continues! Bold new adventures in the land of drawing are just beginning!
Welcome back to the Secret City—Explore, Discover, Create, and… Ad Astra Draw Squad!
Stay Connected!
Join our Secret Universe mailing list to receive news about re-releases, special offers, and behind-the-scenes updates. Subscribe to the Secret Universe YouTube channel for exclusive content, and follow Secret Universe on social media to be part of the growing community.
