Discussing Controversial Issues via Webcomics

[[AOD]]

How do you do it (in a relatively reasonable fashion that doesn't make you seem like a raving, maniacal hate-monger) ?

In recent strips of my comic I discuss the issue of global warming, which is by far one of the most controversial issues of our time. I try to explain the issue vis-a-vis facts that have long since been proven and accepted by the scientific community. But there's a lot that I say that isn't backed up by any primary sources, since I'm not writing a formal paper or anything - it's a webcomic where a girl explains atmospheric science whilst taking off her clothes, for goodness' sake! Is this credible? Or does it seem one-sided - more of a rant on a livejournal than a quick, scientific explanation?

How can one explore controversial issues of this type in a reasonable and evenhanded manner, through comics? Are there any of you who have handled hot topics like this? How did you do it?

?~AOD

[Dutch!]

I consider myself lucky. I just try to put things like this through the perspective of a ten year old. Hopefully nobody can reasonably be offended by a view such as that.

[McDuffies]

Dunno, subtly I guess. I would do it by seemingly talking about something else, I don't like being given lectures very much.
But I don't think that global warming is that much controversial issue, I mean, that problem is accepted as undeniable fact nowadays.

[Sortelli]

Not really, there's plenty of people who dispute its existence entirely or by degree, mostly to resist the ridiculous solutions being demanded by activists.

Look at the change in terminology. "Global warming" is being phased out in favor of "climate change." That demonstrates that the issue is far from settled or fully explored.

I don't think it's right to dismiss the issue with a wave of the hand, but I have to admit that global warming is very low on the list of things I care about.

[Escushion]

Not really, there's plenty of people who dispute its existence entirely or by degree, mostly to resist the ridiculous solutions being demanded by activists.

Thus controversial .

As McDuffies said, make it seem like you're talking about something else. That's probably hard to do when your comic is weather-related already, but I think it's the right idea.

[Sortelli]

Not really, there's plenty of people who dispute its existence entirely or by degree, mostly to resist the ridiculous solutions being demanded by activists.

Thus controversial .

Yeah, that's what I was saying.

The earth is getting warmer. It's been getting warmer for as long as we've been taking temperatures, but I guarantee you someone's gonna say otherwise in this thread eventually.

[Rkolter]

I'd suggest presenting the evidence that you find most convincing, and then explaining why the position of those who disagree with you may not be valid. Do it in a concise manner and don't bullshit ANYTHING.

Science tidbit -

Within the scientific community, there is widespread agreement that humans are affecting global temperatures. There is a huge debate as to how much we are affecting them. This is because of two basic reasons.

First, we have no test to see much of the warming is human caused - models, each very well designed, predict everything from a quarter degree centigrade to five degrees centigrade by 2050. That's a HUGE margin of error - the tiniest change in a climate system (or model) can have a significant impact. The only way we could eliminate some of that error would be to have an actual test environment to work with. We don't have one.

Second, we simply don't have enough yearly temperature data to determine how much of this may be reasonable normal fluxuations in Earth's climate. There is ample evidence of the climate changing for a few hundred years at a time in the past, and with no year by year data, we can't say for sure that at the start of such a cycle, there weren't abrupt changes like what we're seeing.

So... yes. Humans are changing the climate. But we truely don't know how much is the result of humans. It is fair to say that without modifying our behaviour, humans will continue to affect the climate. But we cannot say how much the climate will be affected.

Anyway, had to add the science piece. Carry on.

[Swikan]

I have to agree with OBS. I often drop comics that choose sides in a controversial issue on which I have an opinion.

This is especially so when the cartoonist's opinion disagree with my own. Of course, I think my own opinion is logical and well thought out (LOL), and the cartoonist thinks theirs is the same. It usually ends up in the comic with the cartoonist presenting his side as if people on the other side are idiots. And, of course, that means me, as the reader on the opposite side of the issue. The reaction from me, as a reader who is on the other side of the issue, is to return the favor and think the cartoonist is an idiot.

[Kasaii]

So....yeah. Don't. You've got a story to tell. Unless, perhaps, you have a very vocal character within the comic who loves to preach stuff...or you have a comic about meterology, but I can't see a legit reason to have a controversial issue vent stuck in the middle of someone's comic.

So... you don't see why a comic called "Sexy girls + meteorology" might have something do with meteorology?

Sorry, that came off a bit snarkier than intended, but the issue is a direct part of the comic.

Anyway, the easiest way to handle a controversial topic is to have the characters have the sides, if you need there to be sides. When you get right down to it, though, most good fiction explores something controversial, just usually on a less obvious level (this doesn't apply well to your example, but it can happen; I had a setting once where extensive use of magic was forcing massive energy conversion, accelerating the heat death of the universe, and the principal society had become parasitic in order to steal the magic of other worlds to keep themselves from being destroyed. Much fun.)

[That guy]

So....yeah. Don't. You've got a story to tell. Unless, perhaps, you have a very vocal character within the comic who loves to preach stuff...or you have a comic about meterology, but I can't see a legit reason to have a controversial issue vent stuck in the middle of someone's comic.

I dissagree. Art often has a deeper purpose - and having the guts to USE you talent for a good cause once in a while can make it infinitely better. It can lend passion to your work. Over the Hedge comments on deforestation and suburbal sprawl, Dilbert brings up issues of workplace ethics and hypocrisy, even Watterson used Calvin & Hobbes to rant about the syndicate and reflect philosophically on life & death. The reason these comics aren't annoying is that they're done WELL.

The trick is to avoid using your characters as puppets for your message. They're people. They will have their own reactions and sometimes those reactions will even run contrary to your message. Global warming is a tricky issue to confront - afterall, what can you inspire your readers to do other than be aware it exists?

Sometimes the best way to spread a message is to just have it be a part of your comic world. I find gay rights important - so I have some central gay characters. The comic's not ABOUT gay rights, it is merely a part of the world of the comic. That lets me do any punchline or storyline and the message just handles itself with a degree of subtlety. (usually).

Just remember, your comic is about people - characters - personalities. As soon as you make the message more real than the characters, nobody will want to listen.

[Laemkral]

My comic recently touched upon the highly controversial subjects of religion and overclocking. The point was, separation of church and clock cycles.

Generally, as a gag comic I don't touch upon political issues. I might make a joke about it if the right idea comes along, but generally I save that for my non-comic related life. I feel, like TOG said, that you can address issues merely be including something relative to it in your comic. He addresses homosexuality in our culture by including a gay character. Anyone who has a female character is probably in some way addressing women's rights and equality. A lot of social issues can be presented in undertones of the comic without having to be "In this strip I'm discussing corporations!!!"

It just takes skill and subtlety.

[Tim]

I consider myself lucky. I just try to put things like this through the perspective of a ten year old. Hopefully nobody can reasonably be offended by a view such as that.

I don't know. South Park does the same thing, and look where that got them. ;)

[The Neko]

I never promote my comic as a reputable source of accurate or fair portrayals of political or social ills, or even an accurate gague of my own beliefs. Most of it is just joke for jokes' sakes.

[Blackaby]

I think easy-does it is the way to go. People have to be thrust into the correct situation (characterwise) to react in such a hardcore way, so you really need the set up.

[McDuffies]

I disagree with that particular line.

A comic is just a tool, a means which you and I use to convey a story. Nowhere does it say a webcartoonist has to side with an major issue and bring light upon it so I can make the readers more informed.

Nowhere does it say that he can't, either. That Guy doesn't say webartist has to, he just says that he can, and that such move can improve the comic.

[Laemkral]

No, I ment in relation to meterology and climate change. Of course a comic about sexy girls and meteorology might have something do with climate change; it's a 100% given! Both are closely related to one another so it would be weird if it wasn't covered in a meterology comic.

I mean like....average gaming webcomic does an update and instead of ragging on the Xbox 360, no, the author thought it would be great to gripe about how "THIS 9/11 VIDEO I SAW ON YOUTUBE PROVES IT WAS FAKED BY BUSH!!!!!11 WATCH IT NOW!!!!" and the whole strip spirals into a wonderfully bloated political discussion instead of a punchline. The readers may have came for gaming humour, but the author thought that that wasn't as important as whatever major controversial issues was biting the author's butt at the time.

Oh well see that is why God gave us the rant box. Bitch in there ALL you want because then the suckers-I mean readers can feel like they get something extra that brings them closer to you as a person. Or something. I dunno.

[Biev]

Though my characters won't talk about it, I need to hint at child abuse and that's a part I really dread.... but I'm more worried about how I'm gonna illustrate it. I don't want it to be too visually disturbing.

I wasn't aware that global warming was controversial...? You really can't talk about anything without shocking people these days o.O

[Bekka]

Though my characters won't talk about it, I need to hint at child abuse and that's a part I really dread.... but I'm more worried about how I'm gonna illustrate it. I don't want it to be too visually disturbing.

I'd make the sounds and voices come out of an open door viewed from a dark empty corridor, without seeing the people.

As for controversial issues, I think that the closest I ever got to deal with any was this:
http://www.thenoobcomic.com/daily/strip197.html

[Linkara]

Though my characters won't talk about it, I need to hint at child abuse and that's a part I really dread.... but I'm more worried about how I'm gonna illustrate it. I don't want it to be too visually disturbing.

I wasn't aware that global warming was controversial...? You really can't talk about anything without shocking people these days o.O

It's controversial over whether or not it's really happening, to what extent it's happening, what solutions can be made for it, and if there's actually a long-term problem with it, as discussed a bit above.

The way you hint at it is sometimes to just say it in a dialogue box without expressly showing it. For example, in a recent page of Lightbringer, we saw a girl that was tortured and mutilated horribly... but we never actually saw the girl. We saw the back of the torture table, a puddle of blood under it, and the horrified expression of Lightbringer as he enters the room, coupled with his own internal thoughts about how terrified he was by what he was seeing.

Back to the topic, in my case since a great deal of Lightbringer is about positing my own ethical/philosophical/political (less on the political side of things since, although I have strong political beliefs, politics depress the crap out of me) beliefs and examining some perspectives on several matters while also trying to present an entertaining, modern-age superhero comic, I have to be careful since I don't always want to present an "I'm right, you're wrong" attitude in some of it.

[ChaosBurnFlame]

There is an old saying:

A good writer can write a moral story well enough, and ambiguous enough that people from both sides of the issue can say "Hey, he's on my side".

Those that draw lines in sand are usually those that straddle those lines and won't let go, letting those issues define their work and career.

Me? I'm just trying to have fun

And politics? not fun.

Tread carefully, lest you repeat the mistakes of Hudlin and Millar.