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 Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving-themed images provide plenty of material for cartoonists to work with: turkeys, Pilgrims, family dinners, the Macy’s parade, football on T.V. And, like any good storyteller writing fiction,…
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Recent Posts
“Tech Shadow” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
With all due respect to great Dave Borchart, what the hell is going on in his drawing? Two men are having lunch on a park bench on a sunny day. Shadows of both men appear on the wall behind them, but the shadow of the man on the left is full of text and pictures,…
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Introducing Bob’s Cartoon Lounge
Hi All, Another lifetime ago, actually just back in 2017, I was the cartoon editor of The New Yorker. I really liked that job but not so much that I wanted to stay on, especially after I was asked to leave. I really had to go then, or I would have been arrested. But why…
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“Prized Vacuum” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
In Chris Weyant’s drawing, a man is showing off to his friend or neighbor an upright vacuum cleaner that’s on the mantle above the fireplace. After a loved one is cremated, some people put the ashes in an urn and display it on the mantle. Because vacuum cleaners also hold ashes, I thought of the…
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“Capitol Costume” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
In Bob Eckstein’s Halloween-themed cartoon, a woman dressed as a witch is holding a bowl of candy and saying something to a child dressed as the Capitol. A couple pieces of candy have fallen out of the bowl, perhaps to indicate that the woman was truly startled. To the left of the kid dressed as…
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