The US army has developed a series of graphic novellas to educate military personnel and their families on cyber threats, continuing a long tradition which has seen comics used as training tools since the Second World War. The novellas are the result of a partnership between the Army Cyber Institute and the Arizona State University Threatcasting Lab, and envisage possible future cyber attacks and responses to them. One, titled ‘1000 Cuts’, explores the psychological effects of cyber attacks and how this could impact a unit on deployment.
"This project is designed to deliver that understanding through visual narrative," said Lt. Col. Robert Ross, threatcasting project lead at the Army Cyber Institute, West Point, New York. "Technical reports and research papers do not translate as well to the audiences we are looking to influence. Graphic novellas are more influential of a medium for conveying future threats to not only Army organisations at large, but down to the Soldier level."
