Graphic lessons

The city spent £12,720 ($18,700, €16,135) to create the comic series, which include gory depictions of the aftermath of reckless, defensive cycling. One comic shows a male cyclist trying to overtake a lorry that is turning right. Another shows a cyclist who is not wearing a helmet get into a crash. The result? Blood and brains on the pavement.

Illustrator Rob Osborne told the Arizona Republic that his goal was to be over the top, to get the message across. For the government, it was about reaching a younger audience through a medium that they will pay attention to, but keeping the safety message straightforward. ‘There is nothing comical about this,’ Monica Hernandez, spokeswoman for Street Transportation Department, said. ‘This is serious.’