The Amateur Astronomer’s Journal

The Amateur Astronomer's Journal

Neil Slorance has put together a short, single-issue story about a home computer worker taking the night off to go look at the stars. It’s charming in its tone and straightforward about the need to stay in touch with the wider world. She — although the figure is simplified and almost gender-neutral, so I might be assuming — uses her father’s telescope and ponders her place in the greater world, reminding us of the importance of perspective and family.

The Amateur Astronomer's Journal

The style, as I mentioned above, is focused on the basics. The lead is cute, almost like a moving Fisher-Price figure (remember the farm or the schoolhouse, with the little wooden round-headed people?). It allows for a universality that’s welcoming. I sympathize with her frustration, about having more to do than she can manage, and I wonder if I should try something like her solution. Either way, reading this comic gave me a moment to pause and relax.

There are also some actual astronomy facts included, in case you’d like to know more about how star-watching works. You can buy the comic from Slorance’s website, where he’s also posted comic samples that demonstrate his style. (The artist provided a digital review copy.)



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