Unlike mainstream comic strips, 'grassroots' comics are often linked to activist organizations, movements, and social change campaigns. Interestingly, in order to engage local populations, topics for the cartoons tend to be confined to local issues and feature the work of local artists.

The circulation and public posting of such comics is intended to encourage support for a particular social change campaign. The belief is that authentic, visual storytelling is an effective way to stimulate debate on a contentious local issue. 

As an activist campaigning tool, the use of 'grassroots' comics is a relatively new phenomenon. To date, such movements have been piloted in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, etc.

Book launch party for Von Allan's the road to god knows... at Perfect Books, an Ottawa independent bookstore. the road to god knows... is the story of Marie, a teenage girl coming to grips with her Mom's schizophrenia. As a result, she's struggling to grow up fast; wrestling with poverty, loneliness, and her Mom's illness every step of the way. At the start of the story, we see a scared young girl, uncertain and overwhelmed, but as her mom collapses into a full nervous breakdown, Marie is forced to examine herself and her life and come to a decision: does she continue to be a child, reacting to what's happening around her?