Life is a tactile comic for the blind by the ingenious Philipp Meyer

As avid readers of graphic novels, comics, vintage pulps, superhero adventures, illustrated reportage and pretty much any other forms of image and text you can cobble together on paper, we’d be pretty devastated were we to suddenly find ourselves without the ability to enjoy them at will. For some, that fear is a reality and for blind and partially-sighted people the world of graphic fiction is one they’ll never know. Philipp Meyer objects to this and has been working hard to create a tactile version of our favourite boxed-off narratives that can be enjoyed manually instead of visually.

Life is his first attempt at creating a simple comic book for the blind and he’s channeled all his efforts into making sure it’s as exciting for those without sight as comics are to those with it. In this instance texture is key, and Philipp has experimented with a variety of different ways to communicate quickly and accurately with his readers using only perforations in the paper. Early tests and reader feedback sounds positive but we’re just impressed to see comics moving into new and exciting territory that allows everyone to appreciate an often under-appreciated medium. Long may it continue!