The second annual Science Idol editorial cartoon contest is now open for public voting. The contest is sponsored by the Union of Concerned Scientists who use the competition to draw attention to political interference in scientific issues. The final judges are James McCloud (last year’s winner), Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury), Tom Toles (Washington Post) and Dave Coverly (Speed Bump). The winner receives an free trip to Washington D.C. for a lunch with Toles.
Voting open for Science Idol editorial cartoon contest
4 thoughts on “Voting open for Science Idol editorial cartoon contest”
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Apparently they liked one cartoonist’s work so much he has three in the finals. I have to admit they are very good, although I voted for a different one. I like the contest, but it’s clear that only generic or anti-bush cartoons made it to the finals. Not too surprising. They are worried about government negatively influencing their research, but of course when they apply their bias to cartooning it’s purely scientific 😉
(I know, I know, they had a panel of cartoonists review them, but I guarantee that no cartoon which comes out on the side of an issue they aren’t on made it to the top 12. Of course, it’s their contest so one would expect that result … just trying to illustrate that they may have a double-standard on what is valid criteria and what is unnecessary regulation or interference.)
How come the entire cartooning industry at times seems like a contest? A contest to choose an editorial cartoonist. A poll to vote on comic strips which determines who’s in and who’s out. It seems we are constantly judged, surveyed, poked, prodded, filleted, scrutinized and catagorized. I understand it’s the nature of the business and the consequence we face for putting ourselves out there, but everytime I read about a contest or judging for a cartoonist I just roll my eyes and wonder if there’s a better way.
Everyone in the entertainment business is forever “in a contest”. Performers audition for practically every job they get unless they have a track record of popularity or are connected enough to skip that process.
The comic/cartooning industry has nothing on the TV/Movie biz – comic polls and contests are sort of the equivilent of Nielson ratings and Emmys etc. Even though comics and cartoons are a two dimensional art form they are required primarily to entertain people daily rather than impress from gallery walls. While it would be nice to get work without “auditioning” for it all the time, it just doesn’t seem to work that way.
Good point – it does seem like there are lot of these contests lately. I guess it’s a way to generate a lot of buzz without spending much! Granted we are always competing but it seems that it’s just another way to take advantage of a low cost of entry field. In other words, getting lots of work for free! Not as big a scam as “art contests” that have a fee to enter.
Oh well, spoils to the victor. I’m guessing with 12 to choose from, that’s their calendar right there. Now I don’t need to buy one!