Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at captionless cartoons. The vast majority of single-panel cartoons offer two elements: a graphic illustrating the situation and a caption that delivers the punchline. Occasionally, in lieu of a caption,…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon
Anatomy of a Cartoon: Valentine’s Day
Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at Valentine’s Day. February 14—for some a day of love, for others a day of regret and disappointment. Such a broad range of emotions inspires cartoonists to consider Valentine’s Day…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: The Stock Market
Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at the stock market. It climbs, it falls, sometimes it even crashes. Who would take a ride on such a thing? No, it’s not an amusement ride or an ultra-light…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: The Vegetarian Option
Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at vegans and vegetarians. Vegetarianism and its stricter cousin, veganism, are gaining adherents as never before, embraced not just by college students and artsy types but by middle America. Exhibit…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: The Anxiety of Christmas
Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at holiday anxiety. ‘Tis the season of gifts, decorations, and family. Wreaths, adorned trees, and twinkling lights announce that homes are celebrating a mashup of traditions that seems to consume…
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