Caption Contest Commentary

In Maddie Dai’s drawing, a couple is sitting together having tea while surrounded by barrels of oil. The man is checking his phone and saying something to his wife. I first assumed this was a reference to the reduced demand for oil (a consequence of the pandemic) that has forced companies like Exxon and Mobil…
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This week’s contest has a prize, and it’s a great one: the featured cartoon, signed by the artist (Michael Shaw), with the winning caption. If I were competing for this prize, I’d be very upset with whoever decided I didn’t deserve it. More than 1,000 people entered this contest, and now I have to disappoint…
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In Lars Kenseth’s drawing, a cyborg is sitting on what appears to be an examining table, while a woman who’s wearing a lab coat and writing on a clip board addresses him. I first imagined the cyborg suffering from and seeking treatment for oxidation: “You need less fresh air.” “It’s not arthritis. It’s rust.” I…
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Evan Lian has drawn a bald Superman putting his toupee on (or taking it off) a wig stand. Next to him is a woman—Lois, I assume—who’s wearing a bathrobe and holding a cup of coffee. Superman is speaking to her. I immediately thought of Lex Luthor, Superman’s bald adversary, and imagined Superman admiring his archrival’s…
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