Paleontology-themed comics and graphic novels, their potential for scientific outreach, and the bilingual graphic novel EUROPASAURUS - Life on Jurassic Islands

Abstract

The first part of this article gives an overview of influential comics and graphic novels on paleontological themes from the last 12 decades. Through different forms of representation and narration, both clichés and the latest findings from paleontological research are presented in comics in an entertaining way for a broad audience. As a result, comics are often chroniclers of 20th century scientific history and contemporary paleoart. The second part of this article deals with the development of the bilingual graphic novel EUROPASAURUS - Life on Jurassic Islands, which communicates knowledge from universities and museums to the public. This non-verbal comic presents the results of a paleontological research project on a Late Jurassic terrestrial biota from northern Germany in both a scientifically accurate and an easily understandable way, based on the way of life of various organisms and their habitats. Insights into the creative process, the perception of the book by the public, and ideas on how to raise public awareness of such a project are discussed.