A new comic book titled The Battle of Glyphosate, written by journalist Aurore Gorius and illustrated by David Lopez, explores the controversy surrounding the pesticide glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world. Published by Steinkis and set for release on September 17, 2026, the book details how Monsanto, the company that produced glyphosate under the brand name Roundup, allegedly used false science and heavy lobbying to maintain the pesticide’s use despite concerns about its safety. The comic delves into the political, health, and environmental implications of glyphosate, which has been a subject of global debate for decades. According to the book, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015. However, France, the top consumer of glyphosate in Europe, has continued to use the pesticide extensively. President Emmanuel Macron had pledged to ban it by 2020, but this promise has not been fulfilled. The book suggests that Monsanto used various tactics to downplay concerns about glyphosate’s safety, including suppressing early scientific warnings about its potential cancer risks. Early research dating back to 1983 raised concerns about glyphosate's possible carcinogenic effects. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initially questioned its safety but later suppressed the findings. Monsanto conducted its own study, which identified a bias in the original data, leading to the suppression of the warning. This tactic has been described as an early example of the "manufacture of doubt" strategy, a common approach used by corporations to cast uncertainty on scientific findings that challenge their interests. The book also discusses the practice of "ghostwriting," where companies pay scientists to sign studies they did not actually conduct. This was revealed in the "Monsanto Papers," a collection of internal documents released in 2017 that exposed such practices. Additionally, WHO scientists who raised concerns about glyphosate reportedly faced intimidation from Monsanto, including threatening letters and legal pressure. Some scientists were hesitant to participate in the comic due to fears of retaliation, while others faced aggressive online campaigns aimed at discrediting them. Monsanto also engaged in extensive lobbying efforts in Brussels, including a contract with the communication agency FleishmanHillard worth over 14 million euros in 2016. This agency reportedly organized fake public demonstrations, such as at the Paris Agricultural Fair, to influence public opinion and support for glyphosate's continued use. Despite public and scientific concerns, glyphosate's marketing authorization was renewed in 2017 for five years and again in 2023 for ten years, largely due to Monsanto's lobbying efforts. The comic also features the story of Jean-Claude Terlet, a vineyard grower from Aisne who used glyphosate for over thirty years before being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015. He filed a lawsuit against Monsanto in 2017 but faced a long and difficult legal battle, including counter-expertises and degrading tests. Terlet described the experience as an ordeal against a powerful corporation. In the United States, Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, signed a $7.25 billion agreement in February 2026 to settle thousands of lawsuits related to glyphosate. This followed high-profile cases like that of Dewayne Johnson, a gardener who received $20 million in damages after being diagnosed with cancer. Bayer’s decision to settle highlights the ongoing legal and reputational challenges tied to Monsanto’s legacy.