September 18th, 2012

This Week in Comics: What To Read

by Support

This week, two new comic storylines launch today that are worthy of mentions: SHERMAN’S LAGOON, which features a three-day cameo by Sylvia Earle, National Geographic’s Explorer-In-Residence and renowned oceanographer; and BLEEKER: THE RECHARGEABLE DOG, which kicks off an engineering education series with The National Academy of Engineering (www.nae.edu).

Last week, cartoonist Jim Toomey introduced a two-week storyline where the characters of SHERMAN’S LAGOON discuss the closing of the Aquarius Underwater Laboratory, the world’s only underwater ocean laboratory presently located in a sand patch adjacent to deep coral reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Due to budget cuts and funding, The Aquarius Underwater Lab is in jeopardy of closing at a time when more investment in science is needed—not less. This week, Sylvia Earle, legendary underwater explorer and National Geographic’s Explorer-In-Residence, makes a cameo appearance in SHERMAN’S LAGOON expressing the importance of this one-of-a-kind underwater ocean lab’s research.

In the digital-themed comic strip, BLEEKER: THE RECHARGEABLE DOG, in partnership with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), will launch a special two-week comic series that shines a spotlight on engineers and highlights the growing importance of engineering on future innovation. Just like students across the country, Lila and Skip, are back in school. These two fifth graders are assigned an early class project that focuses on perhaps the least talked-about part of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education—engineering. With Skip’s electronic pet Bleeker tagging along, Skip and Lila learn what engineers do and how they might make positive impacts in the world by pursuing engineering as a career path.

Follow and enjoy both series this week on DailyINK.com! Let us know what else you are reading!