Non è mica la fine del mondo: A Joyful Holiday Dystopian Alien Tour of the End of Life on Earth

Why is it still important to talk about climate change?

In a video posted on her Instagram in mid-November this year, the Italian journalist Mia Ceran discussed the topic of the climate crisis and its effects, which have lost their hype in the media, on television, in podcasts, and in other related literature and cultural products. She also discussed the climate manifestation that led to the emergence of the global Fridays For Future movement, which is still active but has recently become dormant, apart from at the end of the COP30 conference. This is also due to a shift in audience attention towards ongoing wars and their implications, as well as diminishing public intervention and the lack of celebrity support for climate change, especially in the USA.

Nevertheless, extreme climate events are still occurring nowadays. The long-term consequences, the recovery of the community, and the risks posed by economic interests and underhanded practices during the recovery process are all issues that need to be addressed. As an independent media outlet, IRPI Media has conducted a series of in-depth investigations in Iraq, documenting the severe damage to ecosystems and livelihoods caused by decades of conflict, climate stress, and extractive practices.

According to the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, seven out of the nine planetary boundaries are: Climate Change, Modifications of the BioGeochemical Flows, Change in Biosphere Integrity, and Introduction of Novel Entities. According to the Institute’s website, these boundaries have reached the High Risk Zone, which signifies that it will be significantly challenging to return to the safe zone. This implies that adapting to life may be impossible.

Despite the relevance of these latest data, apart from social media posts, reels, and short or long videos about organisations and people advocating for and working on climate change, there is no other section or timeframe within television news or major national newspapers.

Graphic Design Choices and Cultural References

This graphic novel contains references to popular and contemporary culture, ranging from cartoon design to famous speeches by politicians, comedians, and activists. For instance, the hologram guide in the Only Planet Guide parodies the well-known travel guide company Lonely Planet and is modelled on the character George Jetson from the popular 1960s cartoon The Jetsons. To distinguish the scenes in which the hologram guide intervenes from the scenes of the tour, Tuono and Francesca use a specific colour scheme. The scenes featuring the guide use blue and white tones, while the tour scenes use red, orange, yellow and purple tones. The characters’ skin tones differ from one character to another, representing different alien species. It is through the guide’s intervention that cultural references to popular culture can be identified, such as George Carlin’s sarcastic and irreverent monologue on climate activism in his 1992 one-man show, Jammin’ in New York. The guided tour also provides a straightforward explanation of the greenhouse effect, Michael Mann’s hockey stick graph, and how public policy around the environment has evolved, thanks to increasing press coverage of climate activism, public interest, and scientific research on this topic.

Some pages contain photographs of New York Train Station and streets, taken with a famous sub-binocular.

If you want some lectures during these holidays that represent a perfect balance between seriousness and laughter, this short story is for you.