"Why'd you quit drawing cartoons for The Signal?"
Quite a few people have inquired recently as to why there have been no new cartoons.
"Unfortunately," I reply, "a busy schedule has forced me to make tough choices between which after-work-artwork projects to tackle. The Signal cartoons lost the battle to a number of top-secret works in progress."
And that's all I can say for now.
I remain grateful for the work I was able to do with The Signal last year, and especially to its editor Lila Littlejohn for her thoughtful guidance and artful interaction. Her layouts always look great, and I appreciated the way she used my artwork. I still look forward to sending her an occasional cartoon (if she'll have it!) - afterall, these are great times for the political cartoonist in regard to subject manner.
If only the times were better in regard to the worldly reward attached to the important work of political cartooning! Perhaps then the freelance cartoonist gig would be a more attractive endeavor. As it stands now, its a lot of work for very little return. Which is also why I am thankful to anyone who took the time to comment on the site, as your feedback and thoughts are much cherished. Truly, your response was my work's compensation...
So, thanks to all eight of you!
Just kidding - kind of. :)
Ryan
Embracing Your Local Edward Scissorhands
Finally, some local humor!
As a CalArts grad, I feel entitled to poke fun at the school’s quirky reputation. After all, any institution that boasts the famously strange Tim Burton among its alumni’s ranks must be a place of unique perspectives.
Indeed, it truly is. CalArts remains an island set apart for bold creative exploration by students and staff alike. Unfortunately, Santa Clarita residents may sometimes write off the school as weird and inaccessible.
While it can be uncomfortably "different" at times, locals may be surprised to find how much CalArts shapes the popular culture they enjoy. It’s alumni is heavily represented in the disciplines of animation, live-action film, dance, music, fine art, theater, and cultural studies.
So check out the website (www.calarts.edu) and find out what is happening at the REDCAT theater in downtown LA. Take an official campus tour and discover the breadth of culture at CalArts. Visit during lunch and listen to a live jazz concert. Glance inside one of the gallery spaces. Whatever you do, don't write the place off. You'll miss one of Santa Clarita's truly original landmarks.
E.T. Phone Home… Without Using Long, Creepy Fingers
Unless you originate from another planet - or state for that matter - you're well aware of the new law that goes into effect on July 1st restricting the use of cell phones in the car to "hands-free" devices only.
If you are an extra-terrestrial, please take notice. I'm sure the CHP is looking forward to generating some income for the state, especially considering recent budget cuts, and I doubt they will be distinguishing between species.
Everyone I talked to this week thinks the law is terrific, and I happen to agree. Get off your phones, people, and drive safely!
What Have They Done???
My wife and I went to see Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on opening weekend. My hopes were already quite low thanks to warnings from friends… but I was not prepared for the unabashed crappiness of this movie. I’ve never used my cartoons for the purposes of an entertainment critique before, but I felt responsible to get the message out to as many potential victims as possible: save your ten bucks! After all, we are in a recession.
While it’s tempting to go into a full-blown review here, I won’t make the mistake of applying more time and thought to the movie than its creators. Spielberg and Lucas apparently have an unmitigated disdain for the intelligence of their audience and little to no concern for the integrity of the Indiana Jones franchise – or the character of Dr. Jones himself.
Minus a few funny moments, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is almost entirely without merit. From the get-go, the plot is so far and consistently outside the realm of believability that the viewer’s initial shock quickly transforms into a self-preserving numbness. Your eyes roll back permanently into your head and a steady drool begins to fall from your chin. This near-comatose state is the only way a real Indiana Jones fan can survive this film.
In fact, when the alien spaceship hovers home before Indiana’s eyes, I hardly noticed. The denial had firmly set in, and I decided then and there that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull simply does not exist. The movie was never made.
Thank God.
My Favorite Axe To Grind
Poor Hillary.
This cartoon was a group effort. Massive thanks to everyone who helped with the list! Especially to my friend Steve whose passion for Hillary bashing exceeds even my own - it's inspirational.
Choking On Freedom
When the week started I had every intention of doing a harmless cartoon on the tax rebates. Then on Monday, while scanning radio stations on my way to work, I stumbled across President Bush holding a live press conference. When questioned about Iraq, he quickly launched into a very familiar tirade… about our country’s duty to spread freedom throughout the world, and how the inherent power of LIBERTY itself would eventually turn Iraq into a beacon of democracy in the Middle East.
It boggles the mind that W still stubbornly insists that western ideals are global ideals. They are not. Individual freedom is of little use to cultures founded in strict religiosity. “Give me liberty or give me death,” is an American phrase. Take that concept into many parts of the world – especially into most of the Middle East - and you will find that the powerful there are more than happy to oblige with the latter of the two options. Respect for individual rights is lost on the dogmatic.
Can the US really transform Iraq into a Middle Eastern Mini-Me? Doubt it. Liberty is a foreigner there. An infidel, if you will. Good luck forcing that lovely lady down their throats, Mr. President.
Spooked
The economic drain of the Iraqi occupation, a popped housing bubble, gas and food price increases, massive corporate write-downs and unheard of bail-outs, tax refund checks, a looming credit “crunch,” and government budget deficits… All signs point to a national recession.
Is the situation as bad as it seems? Is it getting worse? Mild discomfort is one thing, but we seem to be enduring punch after punch without let-up. How vulnerable are we to true economic crisis?
It is downright scary.
Intergalactic Hummer Bummer
I often know what my cartoon will be about before the week begins. Not this time. No particular subject tickled my fancy… until I drove to the local Chevron station and handed over my life savings so I could fill up my (very sensible) Honda CRV.Thus, gas prices climbed rapidly to the top of the relevant topic pile. Everybody is feeling the heat as we approach the $4/gallon mark. I mean everybody.
Even the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Faith In Politics
This one caused a local uproar a few months ago.
This cartoon ran alongside an article by Gary Horton criticizing the Right’s manipulation of faith in politics. While my beliefs rarely line up with Mr. Horton’s, I (like many independently-minded conservatives) found myself feeling quite betrayed by the Bush administration’s willingness to take unscrupulous advantage of the trusting nature of “Values Voters.”
Especially, when selling the war in Iraq.
Some readers thought the layout of the editorial page leaned unfairly Left and it caused a few subscription cancellations.
Crocodile Tears
Back in February, Hillary was falling behind in delegate counts. With a couple of critical primaries approaching, she needed sympathy votes.
Occasional tears are not necessarily incompatible with presidential behavior, except when cynically generated by a cold-hearted reptile.
The Looming Credit Crisis
This was published April 6, 2008.
How much control do you think the Fed really has over the economy? I'm just a cartoonist, but it is hard to imagine that they wield as much influence as some claim. I don't know though - cuz, I'm just a cartoonist.
That said, things feel precarious.
Hold tight, Bernanke!
Cartoon for April 13, 2008
Hillary bugs me.
Beyond her inability to deliver a stump speech without using her trademark four zillion decibel sheep bleat, my primary annoyance is her transparent insincerity. Her ideology always runs second to her career advancement – and obviously so.
This is profoundly evident in her ever-changing position on Iraq. It confounds me that Mrs. Clinton has whole-hearted supporters.
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