Singapore's Makers Club creates comic to inspire kids to explore coding video games

Coding might seem like a daunting task to many, and this is especially true for kids who might be put off by the seemingly incoherent stream of text and numbers. But, a new graphic novel titled The Makers Club: Game On! is looking to change that notion.

The comic aims to shed light on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) topics, coding, video game creation, maker culture and even climate change.

The Makers Club will feature an original storyline written by Eisner-nominated Malaysian creator Reimena Yee and illustrations by Philippines-born comics artist Tintin Pantoja.

Readers will be introduced to vibrant discussions about video-game creation, coding and more. These are broken down into bite-sized and digestible bits of information which will hopefully encourage young minds to develop a maker mindset.

Additionally, interviews with game industry professionals will also be featured among the pages.

The premise is set in Southeast Asia in a fictional Pangolin Secondary School and revolves around a diverse group of friends who are competing in an upcoming Science Fair.

"Timid artist Nadia is in awe of her new teammate. Priya's a gamer, she's smart, and she knows how to code-so this environmental video game they're building should definitely win the top prize at the Pangolin Secondary School Science Fair, right? But Nadia and Priya soon discover that there's a lot more to making a game than coding and sprites. Will they be able to overcome their differences or will it be game over for them far too soon?"

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There are ongoing digital launch events for The Makers Club, dates for the events can be found in the image below. The closest upcoming event will be on June 28, 2020.

The workshop will involve the comic's artist, Tintin Panjota, sharing her process of turning prose into an illustrated piece. Attendees will also get a shot at some hands-on sketching during the session.

With coding being integrated into Singapore's education system from this year onwards, parents and children alike are sure to take interest in this lighthearted graphic novel series! Even Apple has hopped onto the coding education train. The vibrant visuals combined with intuitive writing will resonate well with young readers.

The Makers Club: Game On! is slated to release in mid-July 2020, and will be available in bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia, retailing at $16.90 without GST.

You can even pre-order with Closetful of Books from now until June 30, 2020 for a special price of $15 and receive exclusive freebies such as: Set of character bookmarks, printable digital posters, and early access to interviews with game industry professionals.

This article was first published in Geek Culture.