Existentialist Gallery

Exactly what the powers that be want from you!!!

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Arrrgh.

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More Equal Than Others

An homage to two great heroes, George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' and Grant Wood's 'Daughters of the American Revolution.' 

Man Overboard

This could be a commentary on the 500-Year-Floods on the Missouri River.

It could be more of a visual analogy; the "waves" of corn in the fields can make driving through the countryside feel a little bit like being on the oceans. In that way, this could be seen as a form of visual poetry.

Of course, it could also be that I wanted to finally post something to my cartooning blog, felt like playing in Photoshop, was too lazy to get out of my chair and look for my sketchpad, and a boat floating in corn is the only thing I could think of. Oops, did I just end a run-on sentence with a preposition? Watch out for the grammar NAZI's. 

America's Original Sin

I'm not really sure what this means. You sometimes hear of slavery or racism referred to as "America's Original Sin." I've been reading a lot of Cornel West lately and I'm beginning to wonder if either "manifest destiny" or imperialism/colonialism/mercantilism aren't our "forbidden fruit," we fought for our independence from Brittan, but couldn't wait for those opportunities to be the big man on campus- Mexican War, Spanish-American War, WWI, oil and influence. 

Of course, being a bleeding-heart  liberal, I could believe that any of Martin Luther King's big 3 evils are our corporate sins- Materialism, Militarism, and Racism. 

I believe it was Republican President Calvin Coolidge who said that the chief business of America is business and that "The man who builds a factory builds a temple." Too bad manufacturing is pretty much dead now days, I suppose if Cool Cal were around today he'd consider Goldman Sacs a temple. Conservatives like to go on about our Christian heritage, but they forget to mention that the Pilgrims were working for the London Virginia Company or that the Jamestown settlers were working for the London Company. It would be great if America were really founded on Biblical morals and religious freedom, but let's face it, gold, tobacco, competition for global trade, cotton, and slavery all played pretty hefty roles.

Anyway- just trying to provoke critical thinking. It's been a long time since I either drew a cartoon or collaged a piece of satire like this. Have fun being provoked. Happy National Cartoonist Day.

Happy St. Pat's

This story shouldn't surpirse us, I've been accusing the GOP of capitalizing on our fears for a long time. This story deserved a cartoon so much, I made one in English AND one in Spanish too.

RNC document mocks donors, plays on 'fear'

The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on “fear” of President Barack Obama and a promise to "save the country from trending toward socialism."

The strategy was detailed in a confidential party fundraising presentation, obtained by POLITICO, which also outlines how “ego-driven” wealthy donors can be tapped with offers of access and “tchochkes.”

The presentation was delivered by RNC Finance Director Rob Bickhart to top donors and fundraisers at a party retreat in Boca Grande, Florida on February 18, a source at the gathering said.

Tragedy

I want Death to be saying something along the lines of "They say the Caribbean is nice this time of year..." This is what babelfish.yahoo.com came up with- "el Caribe es agradable este vez del año"

Is that pretty close? Anyone more fluent than me want to correct me? It's probably way too early to be posting this. I really should get it right before presenting it to the world, let alone submitting it to my editor. What can I say? I have Attention Deficit Disorder so bad that I need this instant gratification.

Shocking Revelation!

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb

Seems like it's been a long time since I posted anything here. I really need to try to do some cartooning. Seems like between school and family and the holidays, there's just always something more important or more urgent or both. Or maybe I've been more on an even keep emotionally/psychologically so I haven't felt the need to do this as an outlet? Wouldn't THAT be nice, to be so well adjusted that I'm not repressed in any way shape or form, therefore I don't have the urge to express myself through cartoons or collages? Yeah right, I'm WAAAY to neurotic for that to ever happen. I think I've just been too busy.

"...intrinsically and ultimately man, Occidental man at least, is permanently subject to the dictate of values which he must realize creatively. This is not to say that he cannot intoxicate himself in his own creativity, that he cannot use creativity to drown his sense of obligation." ~Viktor Frankl

In other words, we all think we have to do what we're supposed to do all the time and sometimes we just want an escape or at least to blow off a little steam. Other people drink or smoke dope, I blog or cartoon, and I keep trying to cut back, but I have this tendency to fall off the wagon every now and then. Well, if you're going to self-medicate, cartooning and collage are a lot cheaper than booze. But I don't recommend driving while using Photoshop.

Mad as a hatter

These are three of Glenn Beck's actual quotes. What a nut! And he loves to throw "tea-parties."

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?
— The Mad Hatter"
— Lewis Carroll (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass)

Just dumb idea that came to me

be sure to wear it with a bandanna, stocking cap, feed, seed or trucker cap.

Most of our problem

Exterminate!

More fun with Dr. Who's Daleks.

Just for the fun of it

Only true Dr. Who geeks will get this one, but I thought it was funny when the idea came to me. Feel free to share (if you actually know someone who's even familiar with this British sci-fi.

I have no idea what it means, just having fun with words and images. Contrary to what some right-wingers may think of me, Che is not a hero of mine, on the other hand, I really haven't researched him enough to feel the need to make fun of him specifically- I'm just having fun with a pop-icon. Pretty sure someone's already blended the Che poster with something from Planet of the Apes. Whatever. Just messing around.

Buffalo Buzz

Whatever you say, Studley

Here I am (as the late Chicago columnist Mike Royko) listening to another one of Studs Terkel's crazy rants, down at the Billy Goat tavern after a Cub's game. Obviously, I couldn't give this one to the English teacher to hang up at school, what with the brewskis and all.