Cartooning Magazine cartoons

The Origin and Evolution of a Magazine Cartoon, or When a Cartoonist Just Won’t Let Go

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D. D. Degg May 27, 2021 1 minute 1 comment

One bright day in the middle of the night Jason Chatfield is sitting at a bar when inspiration hits.

I was sitting at a bar ordering a beer when the bartender asked me for a card to keep my tab open.

I told the bartender to ‘keep it open’ and as I said it, I turned my head to the street-facing window to see a hot dog cart.

And a cartoon is born.

above: the first attempt; © Jason Chatfield

For reasons Jason explains it didn’t sell. Even through multiple interpretations.

But this was a joke the cartoonist couldn’t get out of his mind.

More often than not, I just blink and get on with the next cartoon. But there was something about this one… I just couldn’t let it go.

The story of the joke Jason couldn’t close the book on.