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Phun in Photoshop

Remember the old Murphy Brown show? Recall how on the inside of her office door, she had a dartboard and famous politicians and media types often found themselves there? Like Dan Quayle. Well, here's my answer to it. Now that I have the template, I can put any perceived villain in the Polaroid. Fun way to blow off steam, huh?

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One last dig

Note that Bush is Mickey Mouse (cannibalized that caricature from previous cartoon I did) and Washington is annoyed (I actually did that in Photoshop). The "Our enemies..." bit is an actual quote, one of the top three dumb "Bushisms." By the way "Misunderestimated" is a real Bushism too, although "Stategery" is not, it was made up by comedian Will Ferrel, but "misunderestimated" really was made up by our previous president.

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Gonzo Girl Rides Again!!!

Here's one that illustrates Florida humor writer Sammie Mays' story, "Fear and Funk on the Overseas Highway" that was published in the Coconut Telegraph in March 2008

This cartoon is going to be used as the visual for "fear and funk on the overseas highway" being reprinted in the upcoming book: "bars scars & guitars /the official gonzo guide to Key West and the Florida Keys".

Sammie in the Keys

This cartoon is an illustration for humor writer Sammie Mays' story "Damn the Carnations: Full Speed Ahead," originally published in the Florida Keys Keynoter (Marathon, FL) June 2007

I don't get technology

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Money money money money

"Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age...

...I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11). The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness." ~BHO Inaugural address Jan 20, 2009

In other words, it's time to stop being selfish and short sighted and "Man-up," put on our "big-boy pants" and start looking out for our common best interest, not our personal comfort. High time. I say to this Amen.

Steve King would be rolling over in his grave, but he's not dead

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Happy Renewal Day America!

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Their job, to make him look bad

Call it a preemptive strike. I don't know how long the honeymoon will last, and I want to try to keep an open mind and be willing to be critical when he does mess up, but you know the day will come when this cartoon is totally applicable, for all we know it may even be Wednesday already. I heard Newt Gingrich on NPR this morning and yadda yadda yadda, Republicans need to blame Bush, but we can't let the "LIBERAL" Democrats get away with too much, yadda yadda, position-himself-for-2012.

A public service announcement

My 9 year old did this. She says it's supposed to be happy and positive, but I just can't help seeing an over developed sense of sarcasm and irony here. It sort of reminds me of that Eagle's song, "Get over it." Anyway, before I started worrying about her mental health, I thought it was hilarious (and pretty) so I thought I should post it here- especially since I'd posted a cartoon by her younger sister already.

Now, back to the soul-deadening work of quantifying assessments that align with state "essential elements," standards and benchmarks. Some days teaching is inspirational and meaningful like Robin William's "Dead Poet's Society" or Whoopie Goldberg's "Sister Act," but some days it's more like being trapped in a Dilbert strip.

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Genuine issue- in Montana, Google it.

Mal tries his hand at playing Ralph Steadman for a female Hunter S. Thompson

Here is my first cartoon featuring "Mayor Gonzo," illustrating one of her wild stories. Sammie Mays, rubber chicken toting Honorary Mayor of Key West, Florida, is a feature humor writer, t.v. host, former member of National Enquirer's elite 'Foreign Legion of Journalists.' You can read some of her tropical madness at saminthekeys.com

Mayor Sam-I-Am was evidently a reader of mine, although I don't know of which blog (since I have too many of them). Sometime last year she contacted me and suggested that I might take a stab at tapping into her craziness and trying to cartoon some of it. A lot of water has run under the Overseas Highway since then, but I've finally gotten a few free moments when the creative blocks cleared- so here it is. This particular one is from a column she wrote about Merle Haggard called "Too Vile to Publish." Watch this space for more "Gonzotoons" in the coming months.

I don't know how many of these I'll manage to get done or how often or how soon. I don't even know if Mayor Sam will like them, but I like Hunter S. Thompson, Hemingway and Jimmy Buffett, so why not have a little fun and draw some surreal cartoons to accompany a few sailor's tales once in a while. Maybe this square nerd from Arizona, living in tall corn country (where it's currently 4°F) can make a name for himself by collaborating with a blond Conch and fellow parrot-head. Who knows? Maybe she'll smuggle me a Cuban stogie for my trouble.

Come to think of it, I'm already pretty famous there, the main gathering place in Key West, also known as the Conch Republic is "Mallory Square."

Red, Ned, Fred, and Dad in bed

"Why don't you ever put any of MY articles in the newspaper?" complained Ellen, my seven year old. Well, first of all because I don't own a newspaper, I no longer even get my articles published in one and what she thinks is an article is a cartoon.

Ellen liked 'Hop on Pop' "back when she was a little kid," although she's much less of a Seuss fan now. But she saw me posting my homage to Seuss that represented the danger that "conservative" Christians run of damaging their credibility by throwing their lot in with the likes of other Republican interest groups. Obviously a seven year old doesn't understand the nuances of political satire or (thank God) the sexual innuendo implicit in the idiom "to be in bed with someone."

But being the doting Daddy, I do what I can, so here (in partial homage now to Bill Keane) I present my daughter's cartoon, which as far as I know, has no intended political commentary or opinion. Her Mom thinks that the giant peppermint with wings on the bed's headboard represents "visions of sugar plumbs dancing in their heads." No comment from the artist herself on the accuracy of that interpretation- Christmas, after all was now almost a month ago.

This, you should know, is not the work as it was originally intended. Annamarie, Ellen's four year old little sister, found the drawing sitting around and took it upon herself to "color" it. She had shaded the right hand side of the bedspread (blanket? Quilt?) before a livid Ellen caught her and ordered her out of her life forever. Personally, I think she did a pretty good job of staying inside the lines for a four year old, although instead of just pencil, I would've chosen a crayon or marker to give the thing some actual color. But what do I know? I'm just the Dad.

Another possible interpretation: Ellen did tell me that the second person in from the left has an ice pack on their head, so I'm wondering if THAT person is supposed to be either me or my wife and the other three represent our daughters- as in "these kids are giving me SUCH a headache!"

Just a theory.

Deregulation run amuck

And we wonder why we wound up with a "culture of corruption."

Politics; the Republican coalition

There, less is more, right? I like this version a lot better. PLUS, this time I spelled "Strange" with an "r."

Politics; in bed with the Devil

I've wanted to do this one for a while, but couldn't find our copy of Hop on Pop.

This is the crux of all I believe about the Republican Party. Not Republicans themselves, mind you. Many of my closest friends and best loved relatives are Republicans, but let's face it- as the cartoon points out, those religious and social conservatives are "in bed" with corrupt corporatism, and plenty of other unsavory characters.

This cartoon is how I see it. You're certainly entitled to disagree, the point is just to make you think.

Yet, I'm not sure I'm happy with how it came out. I may take another stab at it soon- plus I'd kind of like to develop this post into something for my writing blog. But for now, I was able to let off the steam a little.

Happy NEW YEAR!!!!

Aint this cute?

Here's a button I just designed for the 2009 "Concordia Cub's Week" at Lake Okaboji Lutheran Summer Camp.