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redpenblackpen.bsky.social
RedPen/BlackPen
@redpenblackpen.bsky.social
4.3K followers 150 following 510 posts
Webcomic covering parts of science, peer review, data, academic careers, and puns. #science #scicomm #sciart
Comic/cartoon art shared under CC-BY-NC-SA
Get my newsletter at http://redpenblackpen.substack.com
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redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Ok - I'll play
November 8, 2025 at 9:07 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
To be fair it's usually your own work that you find the fatal flaw in and the comic is just a repeat of the guy on the left
Two panel comic: left panel, figure looking at a paper and crying, caption says "Finding a paper scooping your work". Right panel, the figure is laughing throwing the wadded up paper over their shoulder, caption says "Finding a fatal flaw in that paper"
November 7, 2025 at 3:47 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
This is a subjectively scary comic for #halloween2025
October 31, 2025 at 4:29 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Step right up! Who wants to be able to pull themselves up? Great prices and easy payment plans available!
October 29, 2025 at 2:53 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
AI be like
October 28, 2025 at 3:37 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
It's been awhile since I've posted this one. Good thing it's no longer relevant. At all. In any way. Not even a tiny bit.
October 27, 2025 at 4:48 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Sigh. We're gonna need a bigger story...
Two panel comic: Left: a mostly completed puzzle with a regular-looking piece missing labeled "My Story So Far" Right: a blobby and irregular shape, with an arrow pointing at the missing piece (it obviously does not fit) labeled "My Latest Experiment"
October 26, 2025 at 7:15 AM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Build with it
October 16, 2025 at 1:10 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
What's in yer basement?
October 15, 2025 at 7:21 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Adventures in computational biology:
1. grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
2. Yay! A cool looking new mechanism for utilization of omics data!
3. Wait... what is this 'X01' mechanism?
4. And I quote, "No funding will be provided under this NOFO."
5.
Four panel comic: Panel 1, two figures talking. Figure 1 'Great news! We have decided to provide institutional support for your very exciting idea!' figure 2, 'WONDERFUL!'. Panel 2, figure 1, 'Doing something new: we're not providing any *money* this round', figure 2, 'uh...'. Panel 3, <confetti pops>. Panel 4, figure 1, 'We're putting the FUN in funding!'
September 26, 2025 at 10:11 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
It turns out that the infinite monkeys that may be put out of work from our new (and I, for one welcome them) AI overlords are actually us scientists
September 25, 2025 at 4:41 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
I won't say this is *every* paper, but I have trouble remembering any that weren't like this
Cartoon timeline titled 'Typical Timeline for a Scientific Paper by @redpenblackpen'. Start. Outline. Rough draft. v1. FINAL draft! (all clustered at the left). On top of the timeline: when you thought you'd have it submitted, Original submission deadlin, Original publication deadline. Then a space and 'Preprint? Sure, why not?' '*Really* FINAL DRAFT. (on top of timeline) Project Ends. (underneath timeline) draft_v5_final_reallyfinal_thistimeImeanit.docx. (on top) weeping. gnashing of teeth. (on bottom) Holy crap guys. Then 'what the hell is this?' - pointing to a break in the timeline. Then 'submitted'. (on top) a sign pointing off the end of the timeline into the future "Accepted for Publication. 6 months-10 years"
September 4, 2025 at 4:57 AM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Harsh? But true?
Four panel comic with two figures talking: panel 1, figure 1 "I've told my student to find someone to assign this task to." Panel 2, figure 2, "Great mentoring! Your student will learn the power of delegation". Panel 3, figure 1 "Oh! Haha no. No no no. They'll assign the task, then leave, then the delegate will..." figure 2, "will what?". Panel 4, figure 1 "fail and leave the student holding the ball. And then they will learn that they can really only depend on themselves." figure 2, "oh no."
August 26, 2025 at 1:19 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Pulling yourself up not included
#newcartoon
August 9, 2025 at 1:49 AM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Really just had something like this feeling this afternoon. It’s the high that keeps you coming back for more
Cartoon of a scientist peering through a microscope saying "Whoaah!!!". Title says "The best part of Science is knowing, for a moment, something that nobody else in the world knows."
August 8, 2025 at 1:27 AM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
It's magic!
Comic showing a figure working on a magic spell, failing, going back and studying, trying again and failing, failing again. Final panel they're casting the spell successfully and an onlooker is saying "Wow. Myst be nice. Just wave a wand and BAM. Magic." Caption says: "Magic: it's just hard work that other people don't see"
August 4, 2025 at 11:31 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Remember
Criticism of my work is not Criticism of ME
August 2, 2025 at 5:46 AM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Peer review is for the birbs!
Multi-panel cartoon titled "The Birder's Guide to Peer Reviewers by @redpenblackpen". Six birds: The Ruffle-Crested Nitpicker, The Puff-Bellied Strut Cock, Northern Cite-a-me, Hypothesis Hawk, Scooping Vulture, The What-in-the-@!*;?-anyway-didn't-they-even-read-the-stupid-paper-sheesh Common Fluffadee. A 4 panel cartoon titled "The Birder's Guide to Peer Reviewers Part II by @redpenblackpen" Rejection Raven, saying "nevermore loser". Oblivious Ostrich saying "Everything is FINE." Grumpy Goose saying "WHY ARE YOU STILL WASTING MY TIME WITH THIS SHIT!?" Constructive Crow saying "Let's start with p10, lines 353-58, you might want to use a different word there. Think about making the intro on page 3 better reflect your overall hypothesis. Figure 1 you may want to use a better color scheme. On p12 you..."
July 31, 2025 at 4:37 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Update: I've made a modest $150 from Redbubble, plus a few bucks from other sources this year so far. I've just made my first donation to Planned Parenthood. My December donation will go the ACLU. Buy some stuff! Or better yet - directly donate to these causes.
Screenshot of a donation to Planned Parenthood for $185 Poster graphic with an upraised fist holding a pipettman. The poster says "Scientists Resist With Evidence"
July 30, 2025 at 4:28 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
An accurate description of the whole idea.
(new - though admittedly, not very novel - comic)
Venn diagram with one side labeled "F*ck Around" and the other labeled "Find out" - an arrow points to the middle section "Job description of a scientist". The cartoon represents one way of thinking about the scientific method. F'ing around is hypothesis driven experimentation (so, maybe not as wild as the label sounds) and find out is the interpretation of that experiment.
July 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
The first rule of Rejection Club is that no one can be accepted in to it.
Comic showing two figures talking: p1: I've been rejected so many times I'm starting a Rejection Club. p2: That's a great idea! Can I join? p3: No. p4: (second figure looking rejected)
July 18, 2025 at 3:23 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Now here's an old comic that hasn't faded one bit in the years since I drew it. True now more than ever!
Multi-panel comic titled "The Writing Process": Panel 1, a figure stands holding a coffee cup saying "It's all part of my writing process". Panel 2 they are standing next to a window (away from a computer) "Part of my writing process". Panel 3 they are dancing to music with headphones "PART OF THE PROCESS". Panel 4 they are carefully arranging a desk "Pro.Cess.". Panel 5 they are watching cat videos "Process". The final, large panel, they are lying face down in front of the computer - a "Deadline AM!!!" board is behind them. It is nighttime out the window "mmmmergh..... process...."
July 14, 2025 at 2:44 PM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
I'm not sure if this has gotten more true or less true in the years since I originally drew it up. What do you think?

I mean - emotionally - does it get harder or easier for you to deal with rejection and critique?
July 14, 2025 at 2:37 AM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
Feeling punchy on a Friday evening writing a little science . fiction
Four panel comic: P1, A figure in red asks “What are you working on?” as they look over the shoulder of a figure in black who is sitting at a desk in front of a computer monitor saying “writing”. P2, red figure “Fiction or non-fiction?”, black figure “Ummmmm…. Not sure?”. P3, red figure “How are you not sure?!?”. P4, close up of the screen showing a document that reads “Grant Proposal – Draft v1.0. Specific Aims. Aim 1 Based on our prelim…” – black figure is saying “Well…. It’s complicated.”
July 12, 2025 at 5:12 AM
redpenblackpen.bsky.social
GAWDAMMIT stop making me post this every fricking week
Four panel comic with two figures talking. Panel 1: figure in black "How are things going?". Panel 2: figure in red "well...". Panel 3: shows a giant swirling black cloud above with lightning coming out - red figure '... aside from the gaping maw of existential apocalypse looming overhead...'. Panel 4: red figure '... pretty good. Can't complain.'
May 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM