Cartooning for a Difference

From an ad posted in March on the Federal Business Opportunities website by the U.S. Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

In order to achieve long-term peace and stability in the Middle East, the youth need to be reached. One effective means of influencing youth is through the use of comic books to learn lessons, develop role models, and improve their education.

The Contractor shall provide development of an original comic-book series. Knowledge of Arabic language and culture, law enforcement, and small-unit military operations is desired. The comic books will be produced in Arabic so the boxes will have to follow a sequence of right to left and top to bottom. The series will be based on the security forces, military, and police, and set in the near future Middle East. If the subject matter for a specific comic does not do well in its intended focus group then it may be dropped and/or a new basis for the comic will be selected.

A designated representative of the U.S. Army will provide thematic guidance, cultural expertise, and oversight to the contractor. Additionally, photos of regional architecture, vehicles, and people, which will serve as a basis for the artwork, will be provided. This will be a collaborative effort with representatives of the U.S. Army who have already done initial character and plot development.”



Inspired by the U.S. Government’s new exit strategy of using cartoons to achieve peace in the Middle East, I’ve gotten involved with an NGO focused on increasing knowledge and skills related to sexual reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, safer sex practices through their very popular magazine “Trendsetters” (www.youthmedia.org.zm/trendsetters). The magazine includes articles that are brazen and controversial for a conservative Christian nation like Zambia, e.g. sex workers, child abuse, incest, and youths’ sexuality. I am still at the early stage of my involvement with the magazine, my initial role being the editorial cartoonist and, if time allows, an assistant staff writer on taboo topics I’ve identified: homosexuality, prison rapes, sex with street kids, and cultural stereotypes. I’m not looking forward to the hate mail from church groups or the government, but I’m looking forward to the personal growth opportunity and the fact that these topics need to be communicated among the sexually active generation whose lives are disappearing due to AIDS. “Trendsetters”, the most popular magazine among the 15-30 year old demographic is the best was to do so.

CLICK HERE to view a few of the cartoons drafted for the magazine. Enjoy, and I’ll keep you updated if I get death threats from priests, the police, Zambian Immigration or God.

1/3/06