Skoltech ComixBook
Objective
Design a comic book based on the actual inventions and discoveries made by Skoltech’s employees and students. Show the way real-life scientists engage in their scientific pursuits, challenge the stereotype of boring technical schools and attract the attention of young scientists.
Solution
We had to both share the research in an easy-to-understand and entertaining way and showcase the different artistic takes on contemporary science, which is why each story in the book was done by a separate artist with their own unique style.
The book’s principal heroes were researchers from Skoltech, MIT, Tokyo University, University of Graz (Austria) and other leading international science centers.
Each of the stories included in the book is based on real-life research, with articles either already published in leading science magazines or being prepared for publication. The comics used easy-to-understand language and humor to talk about experiments and research in the areas that are closely watched by people all over the world. The book used examples of specific research to showcase connections between scientific knowledge and real life.
We created a visually stunning cover in the style of contemporary comics so that it would draw the attention of graphic novel fans. The cover brings together the stories about work that is being done at Skoltech. Each story refers us to one of Skoltech’s areas of interest. An attentive reader can find several easter eggs that we added to the cover’s design.
The comic book’s name – “Exactly!” – references the specifics of (exact) sciences that are the specialty of Skoltech. It is succinct, easy-to-remember and slightly provocative, quite in the style of contemporary Russian comics.
Result
The book of Skoltech’s science comics “Exactly!” was named among the top 3 groundbreaking projects of the year by the Fifth All-Russian Prize “For Allegiance to Science.”
Following the book’s publication, Skoltech received many flattering reviews from the readers. The project was enjoyed both by children and teenagers. The first print run was sold in just a couple of weeks, and an English-language version is already in the works.
“Exactly!” book of science comics was also named to the long list of the Enlightener Prize.
