Evelyn Cheesman stars in: the woman who walked

The incomparable tale of Evelyn Cheesman

First published 29 March 2018

Illustrations by guest comic artist Sammy Borras. Story by Florence Okoye and Kerry Lotzof.

Frame 1 & 2: Adventuress Evelyn Cheesman is crashing her way through the bush with a very determined expression Frame 3: An indigenous woman from the region calls out to Evelyn who appears to be headed in the wrong direction Woman: Don't go that way! Evelyn: Why Not? It's a shortcut!

Frame 1: Woman: Giant Spiders and debbil debbils (also sometimes referred to as tambu or taboo places where spirits congregate Evelyn: Just What I'm looking for! Frame 2: Evelyn trots confidently off into the bush, carrying her butterfly net. The indigenous woman turns to a friend and shrugs. Woman 2: She meant the spiders right? Frame 3: A close up of evelyns foot, snagging on a log Frame 4: Evelyn falls and exclaims 'Waaaa!' Frame 5 & 6: Evelyns with a quizzical expression find herself trapped in a giant spiders web. The Narrator: Evelyn Cheesman was familiar with challenging situations Evelyn: Oh, Blast! A large spider drops into the frame Evelyn: Oh How Ludicrous! Well I can't Hand around here – science isn't' going to do itself. The natural history museum needs more specimens! Narrator: Evelyn was on a mission to map the Biogeography of the south webs pacific. Prevailing views were that the fauna were closely related to Australian species but Evelyn thought otherwise

In the centre of a large panel, Evelyn Cheesman is determinedly working away at freeing herself from a giant spider web through the use of a small nail file. The page is divided into several frames by the web. In each one is a memory. Narrator: … but being caught in a giant spider web was far from her first setback! Memory 1: An archbishop towers over Evelyn Archbishop: A woman on her own? Unthinkable! Memory 2: A strict Nanny discards a frog that a young Evelyn has collected from the garden. A very young Evelyn sniffffs and has tears in her eyes. Nanny: These aren't for little girls! Memory 3: Evelyn looks across a garden party at two fashionably dressed women in pretty but impractical white gowns, a hobble skirt and a flammable tea gown. Evelyn: But these dresses are so restricting! Memory 4: A bearded academic towers over Evelyn, holding a pipe. College administrator: We don't take female students at the royal college of veterinary surgeons! Memory 5: Evelyn attempts to by trousers from a gentleman's outfitters in Australia. Clerk: But Madam! Trousers? Are you quite sure…? Memory 6: A woman in a white gown carrying a fan, being carried in a palanquin, calls out to Evelyn who is walking in the summer sun in the opposite direction. Laaydee: A Lady shouldn't walk in this terrible heat!

Frame 1:Evelyn is now holding the spider she has captured in a large jar back at camp where she is staying with a group of local indigenous people who appear pleased but also bemused by her presence. She is wielding a nail file and you get the impressions she has just recounted her adventure. Evelyn: Phew! That's the last time I go anywhere without a machete. A girl: She made it through again! Frame 2: Six butterfly nets containing individual moments from Evelyns career. In one she is capturing a grasshopper in a jar, in another an indigenous woman is showing her the Parau (a yellow hibiscus) that attracts a taxonomic collection of ants from the island. In another she is retrieving a rare blue orchid, sheltering from the rain under a bark umbrella she made herself and being nursed by locals while ill. with fever

Frame 1: Evelyn is in the village again, surrounded by indigenous people she has become acquainted with throughout the comic so far. Narrator: She also didn't do it all alone. Woman with flower: Hey, it's the woman who walks! She's back! Woman with necklace: How was it. Evelyn? Did you find new ants one the Parau like we said? Woman with rosy cheeks: We were worried for you in that storm! Frame 2: Evelyn is lugging a heavy case full of specimens up the front steps of the natural history museum. A Man in a top had meets her at the top of the stairs Narrator: As she wasn't officially an employee of the museum… The Man: You realise we can't pay you for this, right? Evelyn: So?! Frame 3: Evelyn is at a writing desk scribbling away. Her desk is lit by the gentle glow of glow worms in jars. Narrator: Evelyn funded her collecting by writing. She ended up publishing 16 popular accounts of her travels. Frame 4: A range of people of different ages and genders are reading her books and exclaiming. In particular one young girl in glasses looks completely enthralled. Bearded man: A woman did all this? Unbelievable! Narrator: She could handle anything. Frame 5: Evelyn looks disgusted, inverting a teapot, a leech falls out. Narrator: well almost anything… anything except leeches in her teapot which she said was a personal limit Evelyn: This is the absolute limit! Frame 6: An empty bed, Evelyn, a patient seems to have escaped the supervision of her doctor. Doctor: Please, madam, back to bed! Narrator: Nevertheless she just kept on going, in fact she walked so much she needed a hip replacement.

Frame 1: An old world map of Papua new guinea and other islands in the south west pacific with boat and mermaid details. Narrator: And her theory about the island biogeography? Turns out she was right! Life in New Guinea is a distinctive combination of Australian and Asian species unique from the rest of the world. Frame 2: Taking up the majority of the page, a full length illustration of Evelyn in her field kit, surrounded by swirling purple butterflies. Narrator: So here's to Evelyn Cheesman … the woman who walks! AKA.. the lady of the mountains, and an incorrigible woman!

Comic byline for artist Sammy Borras. Sammy is pictured left of frame with a backpack, glasses and notebook. text reads: sammy Borras is an illustration degree graduate from coventry who specialises in making comics.

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