History SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped / Webcomics

* ''Webcomic/WhiteNoise2011'' is one of the many series that makes use of FantasticRacism as a metaphor for RealLife racism but just like ''Literature/HarryPotter'', it shows a long history of it and how it has affected people. Furthermore, it manages to show how it hurts ''both'' sides of the issue, with monsters being arrested and treated with discrimination out of humans' blind fear, and in turn, humans being seen as distrustful and [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters unchangeably evil]] by monsters due to the discrimination.
* ''WebComic/{{Rain}}'''s [[https://www.deviantart.com/jocelynsamara/art/Transgender-Day-of-Remembrance-2014-495542048 2014 Transgender Day of Remembrance]] strip delivers a particularly effective anvil about transphobic hate crimes by showing the ''real names'' of trans hate crime victims on the tombstones. The [[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/Non-Fiction-269941851 previous]] [[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/Transgender-Day-of-Remembrance-2013-414752705 two also drive the idea home]].
** [[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/RAIN-p330-331-Complex-Orientation-363574661 Sex and gender identity]] [[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/RAIN-p472-473-And-Emily-Reveals-439739814 has more shades than many people think]]. This is made especially clear when not even the author, a [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} trans woman]] herself, [[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/RAIN-p474-Vast-440169334 realized how many variations of the LGBT spectrum there were before she started doing research for the comic]], making her plan to include a character of ''every'' variation a bit more difficult.
*** Later, after [[spoiler:[[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/RAIN-p681-682-Legitimate-555777168 Heather reveals that she has CAIS]]]], the author preemptively shuts up any commenters who would say that the story is becoming "unrealistic" when someone comes out and that it's even being ''downplayed''.
** [[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/RAIN-p487-Bullies-448232697 It shouldn't matter if a friend or family member is gay, bi, trans, etc., you should love and support them all the same, and being gay isn't a choice or "trend"]]. Also, teachers should be role models to their students.
** [[http://www.deviantart.com/art/Transgender-Day-of-Remembrance-2014-495542048 Tearjerker ahead]]. Yes, trans people are indeed the victims of hate crimes and murder. [[http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/art/RAIN-p585-A-Little-Bit-of-Sense-502615387 This comic]] also drives home that trans people are prone to commit suicide, that it's not a condition to be "cured", and that any attempt to do so would be comparable to "curing" eye color.
** A major theme of the comic is that [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} trans people]], and others on the LGBT spectrum are [[http://rainlgbt.smackjeeves.com/comics/1725235/no-more-fake-smiles/ more common than some people think]].
* ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'' is all about averting BondageIsBad and showing [[SafeSaneAndConsensual healthy]] and accurate BDSM relationships. [[http://shiniez.deviantart.com/art/dominating-aint-easy-281122293 This]] strip in particular is about the differences between common perceptions and reality, and that BDSM sessions should be planned out in advance in order to prevent any mishaps.
* Every once in a while, ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' takes a moment to get serious, or even to get funny on a serious topic, and lay down an important truth or two.
** In "[[http://www.xkcd.com/383/ Helping]]", a reminder of the limitations of what we can do for each other.
** In "[[http://www.xkcd.com/1102/ Fastest-Growing]]", a warning about misleading statistics.
** In "[[http://xkcd.com/385/ How it Works]]" and "[[http://xkcd.com/1202/ Girls and Boys]]", illumination and rejection of the ancient male-female DoubleStandard.
** ''[[https://xkcd.com/1732/ Earth Temperature Timeline]]'' shows up-front how serious climate change really is.
* ''Webcomic/SuicideForHire'' of all strips has a really good one, both about [[http://suicideforhire.comicgenesis.com/d/20060702.html where you have to draw the line and stand up to bigots,]] and [[http://suicideforhire.comicgenesis.com/d/20061001.html where you have to draw the line and stand up against sexual harassment.]] All in one day; with liberal (and hilarious) application of [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Full Metal Jacketed Questions]] and the Ultraviolence both times.
* ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive''
** The strip has a [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/home-on-the-ranged-attack-pt-2/ comic]] that really drives home the point of how absurd racism is.
** ''Many'' anvils are dropped in the arc involving Davan's dad and a "Hell House" - a [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/a-haunting-we-will-go/ Haunted House aimed at scaring people into accepting Christianity]]. [[AluminumChristmasTrees The author's notes clarify that such Hell houses actually exist]], and Davan's dad spares few words giving a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to TheFundamentalist people running the Hell house about how [[StopBeingStereotypical they're just making the Christian faith look bad]]. The quote on the last page is especially Anvilicious:
--->'''R.K. Milholland's Dad:''' Never confuse the faith with the supposedly faithful.
* Winston Rowntree, author of ''Webcomic/{{Subnormality}}'', often deals with Aesops and Anvils with the subtlety of a falling stack of bricks. While he can get awfully heavy-handed with his messages in his webcomic, he occasionally pulls off an incredibly effective, powerful Anvil.
%%** This is exemplified in [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page474.html The Line]], a fan favorite that illustrates a chilling, much-needed moral about conformity.
** [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page458.html A Coward's Tale]]. What initially seems like a trivial, grade-school-level Anvil about courage and overcoming doubt suddenly hits painfully close to home.
* [[http://pamikoo.deviantart.com/art/I-am-a-good-person-104579954 "I Am A Good Person"]] by Website/DeviantArt artist [=PaMikoo=] features [[HarmfulToMinors adorable, sobbing cartoon schoolchildren]] in the last panel, but it features a message that some people are remarkably thick-skulled about. The woman and titular good person in the comic loves her girlfriend very much but because she isn't married to her girlfriend, her health insurance can't save her girlfriend's life.
* ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}'' uses a GenderBender story to deliver AnAesop about how transgender people deserve toleration.
* ''Webcomic/ManlyGuysDoingManlyThings'': [[http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/862 "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"]], regarding [[VideoGame/FinalFight Poison]] and the fact that she's transgender, and how what's in anybody's pants doesn't matter unless you want to get in them.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' drops one with Justin — as a gay person with gender-bending technology available, he could easily turn into a woman and continue to love men without intolerance. He continues to reject this idea because he is a man, homosexual or not, rejecting the TransEqualsGay stereotype. There's also Susan's revelation that men aren't constantly horny pigs. In her notebook, she writes how she can no longer blame her father's adultery on his gender.
%%** It does something similar with the revelation that [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1896 Tedd is genderfluid]], with Grace ''specifically'' saying that there's nothing wrong with it.
* ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=176 in strip #176]] has this particularly sweet anvil:
--> '''Kate:''' So. Uh... d'you think Hilary looks... ''good''? As... as a pin-up, I mean.
--> '''Art:''' Yep. She's got the curves, the saucy smile, the seductive eyes. She's the ''perfect'' pin-up. That said; I think she's a troll, with looks but neither the charm nor personality to back 'em up... Probably why she hates you so much. Terrible thing; envy.
* Though it mostly pokes fun at the comic industry, ''The Gutters'' really hits a home run in this one about [[http://www.the-gutters.com/comic/262-amy-mebberson same-sex relationships]].
* ''WebComic/CyanideAndHappiness'' ran [[http://explosm.net/comics/3004/ this strip]] in December of 2012. It's a rather scathing — but ultimately accurate — critique of the current state of some educational programs, particularly the "everyone gets a prize" mentality. It's also noteworthy for distinguishing the care and love of parents from that of society — your family ''does'' consider you special and unique, but that doesn't mean that the rest of the world will automatically do the same. It has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, but it resonates loud and clear.
* ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'' of all series teaches that a serious romantic relationship requires mutual understanding, respect, and love. Take a look at Criminy, shy bookworm, the nicest person in the strip, who is in a happy relationship with Fuschia, vs. the ongoing UnresolvedSexualTension of Slick and Monique.
* [[http://interrobangstudios.com/comics-display.php?strip_id=1674 This]] ''Webcomic/ImMyOwnMascot'' strip drops a big anvil about the fear of getting old.
* ''Webcomic/BetterDays'': Take responsibility for your own actions. This message is highlighted when Fisk rejects explaining [[spoiler:his mother’s and his neighbour’s (who also his best friend’s father) affair]] as a ‘[[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2005/03/chapter-11-arme-46.html mistake]]’.
---> '''Fisk''': No, Lucy. A "mistake" is when you fuck up a math problem at school! There's too much effort and planning that goes into [[spoiler:having an affair]] to call it a mistake!
** People will have [[BlueAndOrangeMorality wildly different ideas]] of what ‘good’ and ‘[[WhatIsEvil bad]]’ mean, and [[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2004/05/post-112.html they will uphold what they believe in in earnest]]. This means sometimes they’ll wind up in a situation in which their ideals cannot coexist and ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption.
** Everything [[spoiler:Nikki]] is taught after [[spoiler:being adopted and [[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2006/07/chapter-15-reco-8.html having to undo the damage]] done by [[ParentalIncest her father]]]].
** Two [[AnAesop Aesops]] appear in two successive comics in chapter 16:
*** HidingBehindReligion [[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2006/08/chapter-16-lucy-1.html does not make you a good person]].
*** [[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2006/08/chapter-16-lucy-2.html A healthy partner]] should neither be an ExtremeDoormat nor make you one and have ''joie de vivre''.
** Lucy’s stint as a radio relationship advisor is this by definition, and two of her pieces of advice appear onscreen:
*** Before you cling to ‘BeYourself’, [[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2007/08/chapter-19-part-7.html have a good look at who ‘yourself’ is.]].
*** Even in a monogamous relationship, [[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2007/08/chapter-19-part-11.html people will want to glance at other attractive people]] — it’s a fact of life that should be tolerated by both people in a romantic relationship, so long as it doesn’t go any further.
** Marvin Lipschitz delivers [[http://jaynaylor.com/betterdays/archives/2007/11/chapter-19-part-36.html several at once]] at a [[spoiler:[[ItMakesSenseInContext bachelor/ette party gone awry]]]]. Subverted when he says that ‘only ''most''’ male strippers are gay.
** Several are used as recurrent themes:
*** Live your own life first and foremost for yourself. This is highlighted in particular when [[spoiler:Elizabeth realizes how much of her life she’s wasted living for her family and leaves her unfaithful husband David for Fisk]].
*** Remain optimistic (and ''alive'') and fight for what you believe in — it’ll be a long, hard struggle, and it will demand [[StarCrossedLovers great]] [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices]], but ultimately you’ll EarnYourHappyEnding.
* ''Webcomic/ThePencilsword'' strip [[http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/the-pencilsword-on-a-plate "On a Plate"]] compares the lives of two kids: Richard and Paula, both born to loving parents who will do anything for them. The difference? Richard's parents are very well off, able to afford the finest healthcare and education, and have several windows of opportunity open, whereas Paula's parents struggle to make ends meet, and can barely juggle affording education with the bare necessities. Eventually, it becomes easy to think people like Richard earned their way to the top all on their own when they're praised for achievements made possible by their affluence, while people like Paula have been made to count themselves lucky for what little opportunities they can get.
* [[Webcomic/LilysPokeMadhouse Lily's Poke-Madhouse]] has two, both concerning Lily and G.
** Firstly, you are not responsible for the prejudices that other people place on you. G spent so many years being ashamed of the fact that she was in love with her trainer because she felt like she was conforming to the worst stereotypes about her species. When she finally came clean to Lily, she reminded G that her species didn't hold the power in this situation and that she is not the reason that the Gardevoir line has such a terrible reputation- it's the result of abusive trainers who took advantage of vulnerable pokemon, not an inherent flaw in their genetic code that makes them more susceptible to this kind of grooming.
--->'''Lily''': You're [G] so wrapped up in [[StopBeingStereotypical not being a stereotype]], that you don't realize it was never fair to apply that stereotype to your kind in the first place.
** Secondly, just because two people care about each other deeply and love each other, doesn't mean they should necessarily be in a romantic relationship. As crushed as G is about the fact that Lily rejected her, even if [[spoiler:Lily lied about no longer having feelings for her]], Lily is right to make that judgment call. G is volatile and highly possessive, and in an alternate universe where the two are in a romantic relationship, the two are so maladjusted and codependent that they barely resemble the base universe's G and Lily at all. Even if they care about each other, pursuing a romance would just be destructive to both Lily and G.
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!! Stories with their own pages:
* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped/CursedPrincessClub

!!Main: SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped

%%* ''Webcomic/ChessPiece'' seems to be trying to get across the message that being purely idealistic or purely a cynic is a bad thing.