Reviewing Mercy & The Fade Out

It was in 2020 that I had my last in-person comics haul at Warp 1- the friendly neighborhood comics and games store at Old Strathcona -before pandemic restrictions set in.

Little did I know that a year would pass until I actually got to read the comics I had purchased, thanks to an onset of events like the pandemic, working from home, completing my doctoral studies, looking for employment, and becoming a father.

As my baby daughter slowly settled into a manageable routine, I found pockets of time to catch up on all the reading I had missed out on, starting with,

Mercy – Mirka Andolfo

Any surprise on the tone of the story is thrown out the window as Mirka Andolfo’s graphic novel begins with a bang. Monsters are on the menu, and they are on the hunt for humans. But, these monsters are unique as they are hosted by select humans and are fighting for their own survival.

The prelude sets the stage for the characters in the present timeline, many of whom are haunted by events of their past that may or may not have something to do with the origins of these monsters. Wracked by guilt, these characters spend their present lives trying to reconcile their feelings with their actions in the past.

On the opposing side, we have a potent mix of personalities between Lady Hellaine, the titular character with a secret that she must protect, and Rory, the innocent little girl who believes that Hellaine is her mother. Set within the streets and tight-knit community of Woodsburgh, a small mining town close to the Canadian border, Mirka Andolfo’s story treads the path of the gothic horror genre with the town being victimized by a heinous creatures killings its citizens. The story revolves around finding the connection, if any, between these disturbances and the engimatic Lady Hellaine who has just arrived in Woodsburgh.

While the plot is a little predictable, the art work and the glorious color palette make up for the flaws. Slap in some religious symbolism, and a greater focus on the monsters we confront in human nature as opposed to the physical monsters themselves, Andolfo’s story provides a surprising and refreshing ending that leaves one wanting for more. It is essentially a horror story that questions what it means to be a monster.

The six editions of Mercy have been collected into one volume Mercy – The Fair Lady, The Frost, and The Fiend available in stores and online. If you are a fan of Victorian gothic-horror, this is one series to check out.

The sequel Merciless is set to arrive in 2021, though there may be delays due to the global pandemic.

My personal rating: 8/10

Shifting from the Victorian gothic-horror set piece, and moving forward in time from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, our next story brings us to the streets of Hollywood in,

The Fade Out – Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips

I love film noir so I didn’t hesitate in picking up this title, and the graphic novel delivered in all departments.

Enter Hollywood, 1948. Our main character is Charlie Parish, a writer stuck in the sets of a noir film that is plagued by endless reshoots in the aftermath of an up and coming starlet’s death. It isn’t a normal death by any means and suspicions abound among the cast as to who is responsible.

The Fade Out is unlike the usual mystery plot and there is much more to it than the generic murder story. What I really admired about this graphic novel was the research done by the writer to capture the atmosphere of Hollywood in 1948. Real life background events such as the Red Scare, a widespread fear for a potential rise of communism, World War II, and the Pearl Harbor bombings continue to torment the American psyche and are described near perfectly through Brubaker’s characters. Film is instrumental in allowing the public to immerse in a happier world, and the plot unravels much like a film within a film.

We, the readers, get to indulge in the underbelly of the film industry and witness its darker sides. All of this through the literal and figurative glasses of the main character Charlie Parish, who is somehow connected to the death of the starlet. Charlie himself is unable to recollect his connection to the murder. Feeling morally obligated to get to the bottom of the mystery, and disgusted by the industry’s attempts to sweep the story under the rug, we follow our disgruntled writer on his journey to discover the truth.

What makes the story click is not the usual cliché of solving a murder mystery. Rather, it is the reality of how vulnerable and powerless the common can be facing against authoritative institutions that determine and are crucial to one’s way of life. Charlie faces this very obstacle, fighting against the industry that is responsible for his paycheck, and the decision he makes in the end confronted by this oppressive power leaves the reader stunned.

The Fade Out is one graphic novel you don’t want to miss.

My personal rating: 10/10

Living the DBZ Life!

For starters, if you don’t know what DBZ means, I’m referring to one of the most successful Japanese manga and anime series of all time: Dragonball Z.

DBZ was the first anime I actually watched on TV, and not at my home. Rather, it all went down when my family and I took a trip to Singapore. Long story short, my father had to pry me away from the TV in our hotel room to go on the tour when I would have rather preferred watching the anime instead.

Sounds stupid in retrospect but cut me some slack, I was a 10 year old kid seeing anime for the first time. Little did I know then, that 20 years into the future I would LITERALLY live the DBZ life. So what do I mean by that?

Well, it all has to do with the circumstances of my life over the last few months starting from finishing my doctoral studies, then seeking a steady line of employment (continuing to do so), and most importantly, becoming a Dad. The latter is probably the BIGGEST influencer.

Being a Dad is no easy task (Moms have it even harder) and I’m yet to get used to the role. I still find myself gawking at the fact that there is another tiny human being in my life who loves and wants to be the center of my attention 24/7.

But all that cuteness comes with a steep prize. So, why not I list out how this DBZ Dad’s day goes.

1. Raging Ozaru = Sleep is Overrated

In my previous post, I spoke extensively on the value of sleep as a parent and how it is underrated. Yeah, scratch that. 6 months in, and I can confirm that at this point, sleep is overrated. At some point, you realize that your body just gets used to being awake at night, and starts functioning like a supercomputer, because you would rather lose some sleep as opposed to having your baby daughter cry.

WHERE IS MY SECOND BREAKFAST? I WANT TO PLAY! – The Ozaru transformation is just a small sliver of the power my baby daughter has. Its even easier because she doesn’t need a full moon to become this cute bundle of unbridled rage.

2. Milestones = Dragonballs

Babies absorb the world in their own way and it leads to all kinds of learning. Every now and then, my baby daughter will learn a brand new skill, and set a new milestone in her development. After each one, there would be something new to her personality. After a while, following along on her growth, I found that keeping track of these milestones was no different than seeking the ever elusive Dragonballs.

What would I wish for? Not unlimited power or immortality (as Vegeta would love to), rather that my baby girl continues to be as cute as she is now for like forever.

3. Skyping Kame House

Unwinding is important. Taking care of a baby is tough, no matter how cute they are, and that constant need for attention can become exhausting. That’s what friends and family are for. In a pandemic ridden world, my wife and I have found solace in getting our weekly venting sessions by skyping Kame House (collectively housing our families and friends).

#dbz from meezumaki
Never have I spoken or laughed or been teased as much by family and friends as I am now. Much like an island retreat, I now enjoy these weekly sessions.

4. Nursery = Hyperbolic Time Chamber

The hyperbolic time chamber refers to a location in the DBZ world where one year in the chamber is the equivalent to one day in the real world. DBZ characters would frequently use the harsh conditions of the chamber to train and become stronger.

To me, this is no different than entering the domain of my baby daughter, her nursery. It is a tense environment where one’s mental fatigue fluctuates between the rising need for more diapers, the occasional shrieks and screams, and a boatload of crying that tears one’s heart asunder.

Best Hyperbolic Time Chamber GIFs | Gfycat
But when all is said and done, and my baby girl is fast asleep or smiling in her crib, I get to walk out like this.

5. Training to beat Goku or at least Yamcha.

To keep up with a baby, you have got to train hard. Training here is quite different though, and you have got to learn along the way.

I can never predict what my baby daughter would do the next moment, and so, training to be mindful of her environment and her emotions have become crucial to tackle anything she throws (figuratively and literally) at me.

At the least, I do my best to get to the same level of badass that is Goku. The exact opposite extreme is Yamcha, and sometimes helping my baby daughter is trying to aspire between these two extremes.

For now, I can’t deny I’ve come off feeling more like a Yamcha after heeding to her calls, despite feeling like a Goku for myself.

6. Becoming a Z Warrior

Despite the sleeplessness and the constant fatigue, I can say that I have never lived this strongly in the present and that is among the best gifts my baby daughter has given me, besides herself.

It is also inherently characteristic of a Z warrior where the focus is not on who we can beat to a pulp, in highly relativistic fights, but dedicating oneself to a consistent regimen where we strive to be the best not only for ourselves but also for our loved ones.

Being with my daughter has helped me face my own personal challenges head on and with a positive attitude. In the process I’ve gained more strength to aspire for greater heights.

7. The Eternal Adventure

The best part of my day is when my baby daughter is blissfully asleep in her crib. I do not mean this in the sense that my wife and I can finally catch a break. Rather, it is in the spirit of the emotion I feel when my baby girl bids me goodnight, knowing that her father will always love her and how much more he is looking forward to the surprises she is ready to throw his way the following day.

I find this emotion be similar to the excitement and amazement I felt in watching DBZ and immersing in its world as a kid myself.

#baby pan from msdbzbabe
It makes it all the more awesome that I can feel the same with my baby daughter, in what I feel is an eternal adventure where I get to see my whole world anew through her life.

Just a friendly update passing by…

Hi everyone, just a friendly update. Over the last few months, I have been doing my best to routinely post articles on The Procrastinating Scientist alongside my continuing efforts to build a portfolio for science writing.

Whatever new post I made there, I would also share it here at The Pensive Reverie. Thanks to finding freelance stints with WatchMojo and PBS, my output of science articles has gradually begun to increase and the lineup of posts I have planned continues to grow.

As such, I felt that it would be best that I now begin to solely present these science posts on The Procrastinating Scientist alone, so that I may also maintain the theme of The Pensive Reverie where I wish to discuss my daily adventures as opposed to frequently reposting posts from the former.

I will keep up a link to The Procrastinating Scientist for any of my readers who enjoyed keeping up with the science posts. In the meantime, I will be back this weekend with my next on,

Living the DBZ Life!

See you all on Sunday!

Top 10 Things I Have Learned as a Rookie Dad from my Baby Daughter

Irrespective of the fact if you have a baby daughter or son, I’m sure rookie dads all around the world will find something in common to what my list has to offer.

I, for one, have learned much since my baby daughter arrived. These lessons have ranged from small pearls of wisdom to unexpected surprises. No matter the nature of my learning, the takeaway is the happiness I experience in its wake, in this moment, growing with my child and seeing the world through her eyes.

Let us get started.

1. Sleep is underrated.

This one is pretty obvious. I have had my fair share of late nights and the occasional all-nighter during my time at university. Going into this baby business, my confidence was right up there. I should be able to handle some late nights, right?

Yeah, not really. Never have I realized the value of sleep like I do now.

Not when these late nights become a regularity over several months. Never have I felt more tired! Squeezing in those power naps really became a priority so I could balance out with my wife on taking care of the little rebel.

What matters is that my baby girl gets her beauty sleep because a happy baby is better than a cranky one. It is a real power struggle.

2. There is a new boss in the house.

Power is a complicated thing. My wife and I got pretty good at this game. After having gone through various phases of our life together, we’ve learned to work as a team and function as a solid and cohesive unit. After all, team work is the best.

I think not.

That doesn’t really matter so much for our baby girl. In her opinion, you either take power or you don’t. She is the new boss of the house, and in being bossy, she makes us do all sorts of things, starting with absolutely nothing.

3. Doing absolutely nothing is awesome.

When you spend a good decade, jumping from one class to the next, doing assignments, prepping for exams, graduating from university, looking for jobs, and so on and so forth, you sometimes forget the value of just sitting down and doing absolutely nothing.

Sometimes, by doing absolutely nothing, you get a whole lot of something.

One of the best parts about being a dad for me is to look back at my day and realize I have accomplished practically nothing. That’s alright though, because that “nothing” is filled with doing everything I can to keep my baby girl happy and nothing is better than seeing her smile.

4. Inspiration is just around the corner.

As an aspiring writer and artist, spending time with my baby girl has become my greatest source of creativity and inspiration. Every day becomes an adventure!

I love the experience that is growing with my baby girl, and learning to see the world through her eyes.

Not only has it made me work harder toward my own dreams but it comes with additional benefits in kindling ideas for my stories and artwork. At this rate, my baby daughter will be a contributing author in my works. The main point is to be in the moment, and relish it.

5. Being in the moment.

As a dad, all of a sudden, there is so much to think about, from the then, the now, and the what comes after. It became quite stressful. But I’ve realized that with my baby girl, what matters is being in the moment.

Inner peace…

I have no idea what is going to happen in the future, and there is no point in worrying endlessly about it. I can learn from the mistakes I’ve made in the past but I cannot get overly critical of myself. What matters is the now, where there are so many precious moments to indulge in and relish.

And when the now gets to be too much, taking a break also comes in handy. Being in the moment helps with that too, and that has been a valuable lesson for a dad like me who often thinks too many things at the same time.

6. No need to go to the gym.

Having hit 30, for some reason, my brain must have sent memos to all my body parts stating that their warranty is over. Cue muscle spasms, shoulder aches, and all sorts of things that I have never had to deal with in my life. It was time to hit the gym again but with Covid-19 still going strong, I wasn’t too comfortable with that either.

Exercising and physical health is important when a baby is around.

Funnily enough, my baby girl has facilitated this: from regular walks in the neighborhood, and lots of action around the house from bicep/tricep curls, sit-ups, squatting, all of which can be done while entertaining my baby girl. No need for a gym membership. Exercising also keeps my mental health primed.

7. Thinking on your feet.

And that is important, because with my baby daughter I’ve learned the importance of thinking on my feet.

Expect the unexpected eh?

My baby girl is quite the explorer so what may hold her attention now may no longer interest her a few minutes later. This can get annoying, but that’s where patience comes in.

8. Patience is a virtue.

It truly is. Babies are fun but god they are also extremely difficult. I love my baby daughter, but every now and then my wife and I would feel overwhelmed with what she is throwing at us.

Patience really helped in seeing the bigger picture.

Its something I had to drill into my head because babies can be difficult in different ways every day.

Why? Because they are learning so much every single instance. If I can get overwhelmed just by having to do two or three activities at the same time, I cannot imagine the information input my baby daughter goes through everyday.

Plus, it really helped my wife. And on that note…

9. Moms are amazing.

Truly. Seeing what my wife does, night in and night out, I am at a loss for words at the pure energy (fueled by love, frustration, lots of fatigue, and just a relentless will) she displays in taking care of our baby girl.

When I expressed my amazement to my wife, her response was, “I know I’m awesome.”

Much respect for all the moms out there, especially during these tough times. It is in that amazement that I’m also driven as a dad to do my best, if not better, to not only make my baby girl happy but also my wife.

I’ve learned that I don’t have to think too hard about it. A small bucket of ice-cream, and tagging in with the baby girl, goes a long way.

10. Life, Love, and Laughter.

Which brings me to the greatest and best lesson of all.

Learning to take in life as it is, sharing all the love you have to offer, and laughing as much you can.

That really is the secret recipe. Both my wife and my baby daughter have taught me this and it has made my life all the better. Not to mention, it is extremely motivating in whatever I do and has made my experience as a dad all the more enjoyable.

And that’s it for my list. Now, seeing that it is my turn to tag in, I shall bid adieu to you my readers! I will be back with another post very soon!

This is the Way…

It has been an exhilarating summer. A sleepless one as well, especially over the last month, as my wife and I have swung from one all-nighter to another taking care of our lovely little baby daughter.

On a positive note, the experience has bestowed upon me the gift of patience. I put it to good use, facing a hectic schedule when I had to complete my doctoral defense (which was a success) while balancing my freelance gigs, and a healthy dose of job applications.

Opportunities have come accompanied with many customary rejections but I continue to hold my head high. It wouldn’t be any fun if it weren’t a challenge to get to my goals. On that note, science writing keeps on rolling as I churn out one script after another for WatchMojo Unveiled and PBS Spacetime so keep a lookout for The Procrastinating Scientist who will be visiting very soon.

Since completing my doctoral studies, my days have revolved around diaper session and playtime. Interestingly, spending time with my baby daughter has been a wholesome source of inspiration. Just as she has begun to settle into a sleep schedule, I have found an equal opportunity in making the jump to finish my graphic novel script.

It has been nearly six months since I touched the drafts. The extended break, I hope, will serve me well in providing new perspective as I compile the final version of the script. Supplementing this project is the fact that I have also registered for the Story Artist Mentorship program which promises to be one heck of a ride.

Last year’s Lightbox Expo was instrumental in helping me find inspiration toward a career in art and illustration. We are off to good start so far with my baby girl giving me the high-five on committing to a hellish schedule of writing and art work. Either way, she intends to act upon a 24/7 availability for my wife and myself, so why not use that time to get some work done as well.

Now that we are all caught up, I must now leave, as my little one seems to be chewing on something a lot more suspicious than the teether I left her with, while Mommy is taking a nap. I will be back very soon with a new post!

Turning 30 and all that comes with it!

The Big 3 & 0

A few weeks ago, I finally entered the big leagues, welcomed by a mini-pantheon of close friends who had beat me to the 30s. My wife, on the other hand, relished the moment as she is still in her 20s. For now, I’m letting her have the fun, though the countdown has begun for her remaining months before she joins the gang.

We conducted a small celebration at home, made all the more special by the presence of a lovely angel, my baby daughter, who incidentally also turned 3 months old. To top it all off, I finally got my FIRST EVER tasting of tiramisu cake!

And it was YUMMY!

It would later dawn on me that with my 30th birthday I had now spent a third (and a little more) of my life in Edmonton, having first landed in the city in 2009 for my undergraduate studies at the University of Alberta.

I would spend the night reminiscing upon my adventures since then, having accumulated 12 years worth of wonderful memories in this city. With a few more weeks to go until my doctoral defense, it certainly felt daunting that the years had flown by so fast. At the end of the day, I’m thankful to all the wonderful people I have come to meet over these years, and of course the enduring support of my wife, family, and friends!

Enduring a Heat Wave & Getting Vaccinated

Speaking of endurance, the first challenge of my 30th birthday would be a painful heat wave cooking most of Western Canada, for well over a week. My body adapted readily by recalling its prior memories living in the heat of Egypt and Sudan.

Unfortunately, the going would be tough on my wife and my baby daughter. What had once been the bliss of beautifully maintained sleep schedules and playtime hours would be overturned in a chaotic, sweaty, and tiring frenzy in keeping my two babies cool and safe.

Literally, the three of us for most of that week.

On a positive note, the occasion would demonstrate that we have a tough little girl in our daughter who would remain in great spirits despite how exhausted her parents were. The end of the heat wave would coincide with us successfully registering and obtaining our second dose of Covid vaccinations, getting us one step closer to being fully vaccinated.

Beware the Strong Baby

While I initially commended my body for adapting extremely well to the heat, the sudden plummeting and normalization of temperatures would be too much for my now 30 year old body, causing me to fall sick.

This would be further aggravated by a jaw injury imparted to me as a gift by the “gentle” fists of my baby daughter. In what had been a playful habit where I would I allowed her to punch my face, the repeated strikes upon my jaw, pronounced by her new-found strength (thanks to her weight gain) weight would inflame my jaw.

The amusing part of it all being that she absolutely enjoyed punching the crap out of my jaw!
Reality of life

All of which brings me to where I am now, after a week of painkillers and jaw exercises, nearly ready to jump off and fly away from the proverbial tree that is university, with my thesis defense looming in the horizon.

Setting aside studies, I spend my days joyfully alternating between my new responsibilities as a father, while maintaining a constant spam of resumes that I email out to relevant job opportunities. So far, I haven’t had much success, but hey, a journey ain’t no fun without any challenges.

All the while, I strive to persevere and keep moving forward. while preserving my inner peace as per the words of the great master himself,

It’s time to d-d-d-duel…in Egypt!

“It’s time to d-d-d-d-duel!!!”

The exclamation would be followed by a flurry of cards being swept onto the table with spectators joining the fray as two opposing duelists settled their wits on a classic trading card game that took the world by storm in the early 2000s. I was a shy, introverted personality back then, engaging dutifully in my studies at middle school at Cairo American College, while still getting used to living in Egypt.

The country remained very much a fantasy land to me during my family’s stay there. From its rich history to the diverse tourist venues that were available, Egypt was a plethora of archaeological and cultural mysteries to explore. For a nerdy kid like me, this was jackpot. Unfortunately, monologues about ancient Egyptian history or culture didn’t really receive much traction in middle school student life.

Yu-Gi-Oh! helped me in that department immensely. In retrospect, when I think about it, Yu-Gi-Oh! was my actual initiation into Japanese anime. Shortly, Yu-Gi-Oh! or “King of Games” is a Japanese manga series about gaming written by Kazuki Takahashi. Owing to its popularity, various spin-offs continue to be released to this day.

There is one additional series that came out in 2017 in Yu-Gi-Oh! VRains.

The original series (all the way to the left in the above image) that set the foundation for the various anime series was published as a manga in Weekly Shonen Jump between September 1996 and March 2004. The plot follows the story of a young boy named Yugi Muto, who solves the mystery of the ancient Egyptian artifact called the Millenium Puzzle. By doing so, Yugi awakens a gambling alter-ego or spirit from the Puzzle to assist in his conflicts using various games.

Millennium Items | YuGiOh! World
The Millenium Puzzle (the upside down triangular pyramid) is one of several others that are of great importance to the plot of Yu-Gi-Oh! with each granting diverse powers and abilities to their hosts.

Two anime adaptations would follow with the one titled Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, spawning a media franchise in a trading card game and numerous other video games. The game would have players utilize cards to “duel” each other in a mock battle of fantasy “monsters”.

YU-GI-OH! TRADING CARD GAME | Licensing Magazine

For a kid my age, what better way to spend your day than collecting cards of ancient monsters and “dueling” with your friends in a fantasy world of our own. While I didn’t get the chance to watch the anime series until many years later (manga and anime, in general were yet to hit their peak popularity in Western mainstream media), I would get to follow Yugi and his adventures on an episode guide at Yu-jyo.net.

Egyptian culture/history as shown in the series had no correlation to reality but for a nerdy kid like me it provided the perfect playground for imaginative pursuits. From the vast horizons of the desert to the dark tombs of the Pharaoh, the Millenium Items called forth monsters of a world beyond our own to be our guides in whatever obstacles that stood in our way.

The trading cards themselves were far too expensive to purchase and as such I would resort to making lists of my favorite character’s cards by order of appearance in the animated series (the episode guide helped me on this one). Weekend sessions at the library would be spent scouring images for these cards on Google which I would then print in black and white to make my over-sized paper deck.

Not having too many friends in my social circuit back then, “dueling” would largely be relegated to playing against myself or my little sister. I would eventually get my chance one day to play a challenge duel against an acquaintance at school using my over-sized paper deck. Winning or losing wasn’t the point, for in Yu-Gi-Oh!, what mattered was the excitement of the duel (albeit with greater stakes for the characters of the anime).

Much like Yugi Muto who would garner life-long friendships and rivalries, and find his own place in life, by playing the game, I would in many ways find a means to satisfy my nerdy personality and loneliness by playing the game.

Despite it being nearly 20 years since then, I’ve still held on to my original paper deck for it has become my own Millenium Puzzle. While it may not necessarily host an ancient Egyptian pharaoh’s lost consciousness, within it are many precious memories: countless duels with my doting little sister, long-lasting friendships, and adventures in life.

Speaking of friendships, I would find an ideal duel partner in my then girlfriend and now wife who is an avid Yu-Gi-Oh! fan. Now all that remains is to pass our decks on to our little one when she grows up to have her own “duels” someday!

While the original animated series came to an end in 2004, the episodes are largely available for everyone to enjoy on Youtube and most online streaming websites alongside several games available on various platforms. Yu-Gi-Oh! will always remain among my list of favorite anime just for its insanely campy and fun atmosphere. With its lore set in an Egyptian background, the show is also a massive bout of nostalgia taking me back to my adventures in Egypt, when at any moment of the day, it was time to d-d-d-d-d-d-duel!

Becoming a Dad

In my previous post, I mentioned that there was a bigger story to my absence from the blog over the last few months. I guess the title has already spoiled the mystery.

Yes! I am now officially a Dad!

I’m still getting used to my friends and family teasing me on my newly acquired status but it is one that I’ve long yearned for, and I’m all the more happy for my wife and for us in that we have made it so far.

Our little one has been quite the storm and apart from uprooting our sleep cycle, she brings the greatest joy in our life in everything she is. I have to applaud my wonderful wife who has been a champion throughout all the struggles and complications we had to face in the earlier laps of this new journey in our life. Leina, you are absolutely amazing.

Being a Dad has been a unique experience and one that I have enjoyed so far. I can’t wait to confront all the fun challenges waiting just around the corner. Every day means something special and new to discover with our little one, and the atmosphere altogether has only made me relish the surprises she will continue to provide us in the long run.

As such, my absence over the last few months can largely be attributed to keeping up with my little one and managing the final strands of my doctoral studies that I’m now set to complete over the summer. All the hustle and bustle had me set aside my writing and artwork so that I may solely focus on what is most important: spending time with my baby daughter.

Interestingly, I have found greater inspiration in her company and enough so that I’m brimming with ideas to keep up and execute in posts that I wish to share in the blog alongside artwork and writing that I intend to complete.

In the weeks to follow, I hope to build on just that with The Pensive Reverie and The Procrastinating Scientist. With that said, I shall now return to the cute little giggles of my beautiful baby daughter who I just can’t get enough of. (As diaper monitor, it is also imperative I’m at her beck and call.)

I will see you all soon with a new story to share!

First Steps as a Science Writer

Hi everyone, it has been a while (there is a bigger story to this, which I will get to in my next post)!

Back in February, I published a post Getting Started in Science Writing where I discussed my efforts toward a career as a science writer. Since then, I have made decent progress, and had the gracious luck of finding a few opportunities to flex my science writing skills.

Today marked my first, very teeny-tiny step towards my goals as a science writer with my ComSciCon-CanWest submission being posted on their blog. The subject matter covers my own doctoral research: Mimicking photosynthesis in nature using metal nanoparticles.

The article is written in a manner that everyone can read it, regardless of their academic background. Hope you all get a chance to swing by and check in on the post and find out what I’ve been slogging on over the last four years of my life!

After a long and meaningful break, I will be back very soon this weekend. We have so much to catch up on!

Meeting Tintin at the Inn

Every now and then when I visit the nearby used bookshop in my neighborhood, Wee Book Inn, I am lucky enough to come across an awesome find. Amidst the crazy slog that was my thesis writing, it was equally important that I maintained my mental health. Taking a walk around the neighborhood helped a lot in that aspect, and of course visiting the bookstore (after a period of closure due to the pandemic) was an additional bonus.

This time around, my little adventure to the store, led me to a reunion with a childhood friend,

Image 1 - The-Adventures-of-Tintin-Vol-1-Tintin-in-Americ

My first encounter with Tintin followed his adventures on a TV screen rather than on print. On the occasional trip to Chennai, the capital state of my home state Tamil Nadu, India, we would transit at my parents’ favorite go-to hotel at one Hotel Maurya. (It is still there to this day!) This would provide my younger counterpart the luxurious opportunity to watch cartoons on cable TV (something that we lacked back at my home). It was on one such occasion that I got to watch an episode of The Adventures of Tintin TV series.

I was hooked! But, it wasn’t until a few years later when my family moved to Egypt that I got to read the actual comics as part of my French language studies during middle school. Given this history, it didn’t take much persuasion, on my part, to purchase this particular copy from Wee Book Inn which was very fresh in state, despite being used.

In the days that followed, my breaks from writing my thesis largely involved falling back into Tintin’s world. Among the three adventures in this book, I would have to say The Blue Lotus, covering his adventures in China during its period of invasion by Imperial Japan, was my favorite. Reading Tintin’s adventures as an adult has also provided fresh perspective on how the material has aged with time. Though there remains cultural and ethnic stereotypes that are glaring under the current atmosphere of societal norms, these stumbles are waylaid by the continued appeal I feel for Tintin in its primary themes of friendship beyond borders, loyalty, adventure, learning, honor, and compassion.

Tintin and Chang’s friendship is representative of camaraderie beyond borders. Chang’s character was indeed based on Chang Chong-Jen, a real life friend of Hergé.

The comic book medium also provides the reader the choice to build beyond the world provided by the writer/artist in their imagination of how they interpret the main characters of a work. While Tintin and his world may reflect the knowledge and views of Hergé during the era of the early 1900s, we as readers can build our own perspective on the famed protagonist while also learning from the maligned visions of the world he occupies. While one may also argue extensively about the political events referenced in Tintin’s adventures, the takeaway message from Hergé’s work is on the irreplaceable value of human compassion, the importance of friendship, and the honor in standing up for the afflicted and those who you love.

Reading Tintin as a kid widened my view of the world. Having experienced my personal share of racism and bullying, in my teen years, Tintin certainly was one of my heroes. While he seems ordinary at the outset, Tintin’s wits, quick thinking, honesty, compassion, kindness, and all-around good nature make him a hero of timeless values, and one that serves to be inspiration. I certainly was inspired by him as a kid. Still am to this day. His adventures, uncanny luck, and ability to solve mysteries is also something that I’m sure all readers would love to have.

Nor to forget, Snowy is that awesome and cute companion we all want!

I would later find out that this particular volume is the first of eight in a set, which is now in my wish list. While the complete set has a high price tag of $200, it is a must-have collection for Tintin fans. Alternatively, one could also go for the DVD Box Set collection of the TV series which follows the comics by the panel, and lastly, The Adventures of Tintin movie inspired by three volumes of the Tintin series – The Crab with the Golden Claws (1941), The Secret of the Unicorn (1943) and Red Rackham’s Treasure (1944) is an entertaining watch and available on Netflix and other streaming sites.