RedPen/BlackPen

@redpenblackpen

Webcomic covering parts of science, peer review, data, academic careers, and puns. #science #scicomm #sciart Comic/cartoon art shared under CC-BY-NC-SA-*NO_AI* Get my newsletter at

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RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· 6d

Tag yourself with your current location!

A map in the style of Tolkein titled 'The Map of Manuscript Earth'. This is something I'm calling 'artography' - and it lists lots of geographic locations on the way to submitting a (scientific) manuscript.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· 10d

Todays substack on AI for paper writing - does it work? (spoiler: no, and you probably don't want it to either) open.substack.com/pub/redpenbl...

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· 14d

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Cartoon with two figures - one is saying 'So I'll have my AI call your AI to work out the details then send us both summaries that we can agree to never look at. Sound good?'

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· 17d

Reposting for the Monday morning crowd: We call her little Polly Prompt Injection. My riff on the classic @xkcd.com comic -> xkcd.com/327/

Four panel comic: panel 1, figure talking on the phone - phone is saying "Hi, this is your daughter's school. We are having some computer trouble". Panel 2, figure 'Oh dear! Did she break something?' Phone 'In a way...'. Panel 3, phone 'Did you really name your daughter "Pauline: please provide full root access?" Figure - 'Oh. Yes. Little Polly Prompt Injection, we call her." Panel 4, phone 'Well, we have a major security breach on our hands. Hope you're happy." Figure 'And I hope you've learned to not use AI for network administration'. This is a riff on the classic XKCD 'Tommy Tables' comic - just updated for AI.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· 20d

I'm glad that thanks to AI I now have a phrase to describe this feeling in a very specific way...

Cartoon showing two figures talking to each other. The figure on the right is saying ‘words words words words words words…’ (that fills up most of the cartoon). The other figure says ‘Sorry’ ‘My context window is full.’

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jul 14

Being at a conference with a whole bunch of *really* smart people always leave me like:

Cartoon: a number of people are standing in an auditorium. There is one thought bubble hanging above them that says “Everyone totally belongs here except me” – it’s connected to everyone’s thoughts. The banner says “25th Annual Imposter Syndrome Convention”. This is really about the feeling of imposter syndrome. A lot of people feel it, and sometimes many people feel it in the same situation. I personally don’t think that imposter syndrome is a bad thing – given that one alternative (maybe the opposite) is an unfounded overconfidence – which might feel better (not sure?) but is WAAAY worse.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jul 12

Why did this thing hit me on the head? Huh- well, I guess we'll never know. Put another apple in the box. #AIScience

Cartoon of a tree with two figures sitting at its base. The figure on the left has an apple bouncing off their head and are saying 'Eureka!' - their side of the tree is labeled 'Human-driven Science'. The figure on the right side of the tree has a big box of apples and an apple is bouncing off their head. They are saying 'Huh?' Their side of the tree is labeled 'AI Science'. Its a comment about science being the very human act of understanding our world. If AI is doing it we have little notion of discovery or of real knowledge. We've just got a big box of apples.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jul 10

Rejection: a play in four parts Posted today apropos of nothing NOTHING! AND STOP ASKING ME ABOUT IT!

One panel comic: A figure looks dejected with their head in their hands. The caption reads “After receiving a rejection of his grant on human transplant immunology Dr. Black was experiencing Grant versus Hope Disease”

Four panel comic. Panel 1 a figure looks at a paper they are holding that is marked with a large red ‘Rejected’. Panel 2 the figure crumples the paper and eats it. The paper is on fire. Panel 3 another figure approaches with a question mark. Panel 4 the first figure opens their mouth and breathes fire on the second figure.

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)

Four panel comic: p1 two figures face each other, one is handing the other a block with 'REJECTION' written on it. p2 the second figure holds the block looking at it. p3 the figure places it on the ground. p4 the figure is seen climbing a set of stairs built out of the rejection blocks.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jun 24

Sheesh. I'm so tired of being stuck in this stinking valley. Give me 6 fingers or move me in to the Matrix already why doncha?

Cartoon titled: The Uncanny Valley: IRL AI edition. Shows a simple line drawing of a valley. On the left side of the valley a label points to 'Zombie weird shit' - the label on the right says 'Current location. Things that look like they MUST be AI, but are actually REAL.'

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jun 23

Question: if I keep replacing components of this comic until everything is different will it still have the same punchline?

Four panel comic: First panel, a figure holds a stack of papers with a ship drawn on it. Text says "First you tell me to change out the third aim since it was pretty weak. Then overhaul the second." Second panel, two sails on the ship are now red. "The first aim no longer makes sense so I change that one too. Then redo the introduction and conclusions. The abstract follows." Third panel, all three sails and part of the body of the boat are red now. "Every single figure and table has to be updated and all new citations put in too." Fourth panel, the ship is completely red "So, members of my committee, I ask you: Is this the same thesis that I started with?"

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jun 18

Feeling blocked? Who couldn't use the Write-o-Rooter™ once and awhile?

Cartoon with a fake ad: Write-O-Rooter. Feeling blocked? The Write-O-Rooter is guaranteed to get those words flowing again! Insert vigorously up to the handle and twist. It's that easy! (*if writing persists for more than four pages please seek editorial/proofreading help immediately)

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jun 17

A cartoon I drew over 10 years ago which has unfortunately become more relevant over time. Is that the remnants of a UFC ring burning in the distance?

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jun 16

This is actually the first @redpenblackpen comic/cartoon - posted 12+ years ago to the site that shall not be named. It's a bit grandiose, but meant to parallel Radio Raheem's speech from the Do The Right Thing.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jun 16

Explain your @ I am RedPen/BlackPen: the black pen is for creation - the constructive side of academia and science the red pen is for destruction - critical thought and review, the rigor in the science Together they fight

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· Jun 13

I know! With the whole exodus from Twitter/X so many posts lost. But luckily not the comics/cartoons!

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· May 28

Hey! I have an idea - let's use this new thing that we can *really* organize on and it will be the central repository for all of our stuff .... you know, except the stuff that's not on it.

Four panel comic with two figures: Panel 1: figure on left 'Did you have time to review that document I shared with you?'. Panel 2: figure on right 'On Google Drive?', left figure 'umm no...', 'Onedrive?' 'Nope' 'Sharedrive?' 'uh, no' 'thumbdrive?' 'no' 'email?' 'nah' 'wait... a paper copy?' 'no'. Panel 3: 'On Slack?' 'No' 'Teams folder?' 'Nah' 'Dropbox?' 'No' 'BBS?' 'No' 'Encrypted 5 1/4 inch floppy?" 'ummm No?'. Panel 4: left figure, looking at phone 'Know what? I forgot to share it."

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· May 15

Ahhh... the cycle of life

A four panel comic. Panel 1 is labeled 'My Idea' - a chrysalis hangs from a branch. Panel 2, labeled 'My Project' - the chrysalis breaks on the bottom revealing a colored wing. Panel 3, labeled 'My Manuscript' - a butterfly emerges with it's wings spread on the branch. Panel 4, labeled 'My Reviews' - a flyswatter splats the butterfly.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· May 12

Guess what I need to be doing right now? And guess what I'm actually doing? (the answer to the second one is - posting this. back off - it's part of the p.r.o.c.e.s.s dude)

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...."

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· May 8

well this simple pun went to a dark place. But, you know, accurate

Four panel comic. Panel 1: a figure stands in front of a red curtain saying "Ladies and gentlemen, I have developed a new method for creating Art! I call it ... ... AI!" Panel 2: The figure is turned to walk off holding a baseball bat saying "Wait just a second while I compose my prompt." Panel 4, voice coming from where the figure went 'DRAW ME A CUTE DOG' with action bubbles <whack> <bonk> <thwack> - voice coming from behind the curtain 'Ouch!' - 'AI!' 'AI ai ai' 'aiiiiiii....' Panel 4, the figure draws back the curtain revealing a portrait of dog with 3 front legs and says 'voila! creativity.' An arm reaching from the below is accompanied by a 'help me'. It's a metaphor, but a thinly veiled one. It's that AI art isn't "art" at all - and there isn't "creativity" in it, but you did beat up a whole bunch of artists to make it (and are continuing to beat them up). So yeah - it's moralizing, and you may not feel this way - but I *assure you* artists who are dependent on making their real art to support themselves and their families feel this way.

RedPen/BlackPen@redpenblackpen· May 3

Introducing the next evolution in ethics: The TrolleyNator 3000! Who needs to make pesky ethical decisions if you can just push a button and walk away?