This Women’s History Month, join the Society in supporting the creation of a graphic novel about agar and Fanny Angelina Hesse

Women’s History Month takes place every year throughout March. This year, to mark the occasion, we have an update and request from Champion, Dr Corrado Nai (Indonesia), who is creating a graphic novel about microbiology’s forgotten woman, Fanny Angelina Hesse (1850–1934). Fanny discovered that agar could be used to grow micro-organisms. You can read more about the idea behind the project in Corrado Nai’s previous blog: Creating a graphic novel about microbiology’s forgotten woman.

Following a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2024, creation of a graphic novel about 'microbiology’s forgotten woman' proceeds well. This short blog provides an update on production and calls for much-needed crowd support through Patreon, where creators share previews of their art, the story and more. You can also follow the project on Instagram.

The Dessert that Changed the World is a story that aims to make visible the invisible, and what better medium than a graphic novel for this? The science comic will demonstrate how and why we grow micro-organisms with agar, whilst introducing unsung pioneer, Fanny Angelina Hesse, who had the brilliant idea of using this jelly (a common dessert across Asia) but whom, sadly, few people remember.

Part of the story will be based on unpublished historical material received by her surviving relatives (great-grandchildren), as previously reported by Smithsonian Magazine. We will also show some of Fanny Angelina Hesse’s scientific illustrations.

We are lucky to have wonderful institutional supporters, including the Microbiology Society, which has sponsored production of a few pages through the Champions Scheme and is thus helping us to bring this story to a wide, international audience.

Popular support remains a key component of our success, both in financial terms (crowdfunding) and in our ability to reach many people. Kickstarter allowed us to secure seed funding and we are now on Patreon, where we show regular updates and exclusive previews of the graphic novel as we produce it, as well as, some never-before-seen historical documents about Fanny Angelina Hesse. Patrons, in selected tiers, will be also mentioned by name in the book!

So far, we have produced about 10% of the book and we aim to finish it by the end of this year, or early next year. More funds are important to help us produce it faster (as both myself and the artist SHog a.k.a. Dr Stephanie Herzog can dedicate more time to it) and to a high standard (as we can pay for external comic book editors).

Our aim is to tell an exciting story and reach a wide audience! Fanny Angelina Hesse and her incredible contribution to microbiology, medicine and the life sciences deserve our best work. Please follow and support us, if within your means!

If you would like to support Corrado Nai’s project, you can do so by joining his Patreon.

Find out more about the Society’s equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and grants schemes.

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