James Bond’s Q Meets Nancy Drew—with a Dash of Marc Jacobs—in Global Tinker’s New Graphic Novel Series for Girls
The monthly graphic novel series combines fashion, technology and global awareness to form a modern-day superheroine.
Global Tinker (globaltinker.com), a transmedia children’s studio dedicated to producing content that encourages social impact and “the maker mindset,” is proud to announce the release of 'Style Engineers Worldwide'.
'Style Engineers Worldwide' follows the adventures of Tilly Tailor, a 16-year-old budding fashion designer with a big secret: she has a Ph.D. in computer engineering. Tilly and her diverse group of friends form a club called the “Style Engineers Worldwide Circle” by marrying fashion and technology to save the world and tackle humanitarian issues at home and abroad, including rhino poaching and medical wearables in the hospital. The first three issues of 'Style Engineers Worldwide' are available on Kindle and iBooks stores with print editions to follow in February.
Written by Kristen O. Bobst and illustrated by Sonia Liao, 'Style Engineers Worldwide' is a visually stunning graphic novel series that encourages creation, social impact, and STEM education for a global audience, and proves that the arts and sciences aren’t mutually exclusive. Bobst’s first iteration of the concept was a Top 10 Finalist at The Next MacGyver Competition, which focused on catalyzing the next great TV show to incite females to engineering.
“A particularly fun thing about wearable tech is its combination of seemingly unrelated fields, fashion and engineering,” says Bobst. “By taking those specific skillsets and including other puzzle pieces like high school life and life in high fashion, Tilly takes form as a fresh but relatable character – not only a MacGyver-style hero who can change the world but also a girl who copes with familiar struggles and anxieties.”
On Tilly’s visual approach, Liao agrees, “My first concept of Tilly was as a modern, fashion-forward Nancy Drew-type character – someone who could use their smarts and their techno-skills to help solve the world's problems. Kristen mentioned that purple was Tilly's favorite color, and the rest of the colors followed suit from there.”
Global Tinker plans to release additional books monthly, and complement the series with a highly interactive digital platform to inspire and then showcase readers’ own inventions from the around the world.
“We're hugely excited about working with talented artists such as Kristen and Sonia to bring this project to life,” says Sep Riahi, CEO of Global Tinker. “We have massive global ambitions for this series and digital platform, where readers can learn how to make the Style Engineers’ inventions and more importantly, to create their own solutions and share them with others around the world.”
About the Author and Illustrator
Kristen O. Bobst is an LA-based writer and a graduate of USC’s Writing for Screen and Television MFA program. She has written educational apps for kids and reports on space exploration for a variety of websites. She is a whimsy aficionado and a fan of gadgets, animals, and all things geeky.
Sonia Liao is an illustrator and comic artist based in Westford, Massachusetts. She graduated with her BFA in Illustration from MICA in 2014 before returning to New England and interning at FableVision Studios. She has done narrative work for children's and young adult media. Her hobbies include watching crime procedurals, DC television shows, and reading. She is a huge nerd.
About Global Tinker
Global Tinker (globaltinker.com) fosters creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills in children through engaging S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) content.