diff --git a/utz/bases.py b/utz/bases.py
index 2e290a2..11b6715 100644
--- a/utz/bases.py
+++ b/utz/bases.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class Converter:
     - etc.
     '''
     I2S = None
+
     def __init__(self):
         self.S2I = {ch:i for i, ch in enumerate(self.I2S)}
 
diff --git a/utz/plots.py b/utz/plots.py
index 5a03060..8d39112 100644
--- a/utz/plots.py
+++ b/utz/plots.py
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
+from os import environ as env
 from os.path import exists
+from typing import Optional
 
 import plotly.graph_objects as go
+from IPython.display import Image
+
 
 DEFAULT_PLOTS_DIR = 'www/public/plots'
 DEFAULT_MARGIN = { 't': 0, 'r': 25, 'b': 0, 'l': 0, }
 
+# set this env var to a truthy string to return a static Image (instead of an interactive plot)
+PLOT_DISPLAY_IMG = 'PLOT_DISPLAY_IMG'
+
 
 def save(
         fig, title, name,
@@ -14,6 +21,7 @@ def save(
         dir=None, w=None, h=None,
         xtitle=None, ytitle=None, ltitle=None,
         grid=None, xgrid=None, ygrid=None,
+        return_img: Optional[bool] = None,
         **layout,
 ):
     """Plotly wrapper with convenience kwargs for common configurations"""
@@ -72,6 +80,12 @@ def save(
         )
     saved.update_layout(margin=margin or DEFAULT_MARGIN)
     saved.write_json(f'{dir}/{name}.json', pretty=pretty)
-    saved.write_image(f'{dir}/{name}.png', width=w, height=h)
+    png_path = f'{dir}/{name}.png'
+    saved.write_image(png_path, width=w, height=h)
 
-    return fig
+    if return_img is None:
+        return_img = bool(env.get(PLOT_DISPLAY_IMG))
+    if return_img:
+        return Image(filename=png_path)
+    else:
+        return fig
diff --git a/utz/setup.py b/utz/setup.py
index 00c9dac..703cf2d 100644
--- a/utz/setup.py
+++ b/utz/setup.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ def license(self):
 
 def setup(**kwargs):
     c = Compute()
+
     def compute(*keys):
         for k in keys:
             if k not in kwargs: