I think that's the goal of all fiction to try to make the best possible case you can for the surviving humanity of every character, despite how terrible and awful they may seem. You put so much ampathy in them, even when they're nasty and bitter and cruel, that you can't help but root for them. I want to present what in a life feels like to me, but also fly present something that seems hopeful and kind of optimistic.
In this audio interview with Debbie Millman, Chris Ware discusses his influences – including sending a Valentine to Charlie Brown – and explains why empathy figures so heavily into his work.