Introducing Alexi Conman

Enigma of a man, Alexi Conman has been kind of hiding in the background ever since Newcastle Science Comic became a thing giving endless support and and opinion. Alexi is the writing mastermind behind The Amazing Three Parent Monkey, working with scientist Sourima Shivhare, artist Tony Hitchman and colourist/letterer Paul Thompson.

Who are you?
Alexi Conman. I write comics sometimes.

What have you done / what are you doing?
I've scripted comics stories in various anthologies, you can see the full list here.

What excites you about comics?
Sequential Art is a medium that has almost limitless storytelling potential; its unique visual syntax (a synthesis of lexical and iconic and mimetic pictorial elements) makes it incredibly adaptable, potentially complex, yet naturally intuitive.

What excites you about science?
That it might save humanity from itself, an edifice up which we might climb to the stars.


Contact/Links
alexiconman.blogspot.co.uk
@alexiconman

Introducing Tony Hitchman

Tony helped us bring the The Amazing Three Parent Monkey to life with his wonderful illustration. Also on the team were Sourima Shivhare (scientist), Alexi Conman (writer) and Paul Thompson (colourist and letterer).

Tony Hitchman used to teach Primary Science by day and draw comics by night. Now retired he draws comics by day and tries to think of witty things to put in a bio by night.

He is the co-author of "Using Comic Art to Improve Speaking Reading and Writing" (title trips off the tongue doesn't it?) and has written for DC Thompson as well as cartooning for the small press. He is currently working, for no discernible reason, on a series of four page adaptations of Henry James novels - with added robots!

Tony is not sure what a URL presence is but thinks he was possibly screened for it when he turned sixty!

Introducing Sourima Shivhare

Sourima is the scientist behind our The Amazing Three Parent Monkey comic. This was one of our more challenging comics as the subject was so new to folks that we couldn't assume anything. Sourima worked with writer Alexi Conman and artist Tony Hitchman on this comic, with colours and lettering by Paul Thompson.

Who are you?
I am an early stage researcher interested in human reproduction, particularly embryology. Evidently I love science, but importantly also have a keen interest in effective science communication.

What have you done / what are you doing?
I am a 2nd Year student at Newcastle University studying my PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Prior to this I studied Clinical Embryology and after having worked with the eggs, sperms and embryos I realised I better study the uterus to complete the picture. So, currently I am looking at blood vessel development in the human uterus in one of the most common bleeding disorders, called menorrhagia.

What excites you about comics?
I like simple but visually powerful comics. Although not a fanatic, I appreciate and understand the strength of the use of comics in making science simpler and perhaps more interesting, especially to the younger audience.

What excites you about science?
The fact that it almost always makes sense!