When we were reading Hamlet junior year, the professor asked why there was the gravedigger scene, and we all dutifully responded about easing the tension, to which he said, “Shakespeare had a clown in his troupe and had to write something for him.” I don’t know if I accept that, but for either reason, here’s […]
I pondered using Joe Dator’s cartoon because I’ve seen similar gags before, but then realized (A) there aren’t many absolutely brand-new gags, but a good cartoonist can make them fresh and (B) there are things that can’t be said too often. (A) is covered in Russian literary criticism, where they have an expression “making new,” […]
Our first conflict was brought forth in part by this morning’s Tank McNamara (AMS) and in part by my having missed the first three weeks of the football season and not feeling all that bad about it. There was a point at which I would agree with the fellow suggesting a three-concussions-and-you’re-out approach, and I […]
Today’s Rubes (Creators) brings back memories of being a reporter at a paper in a city on Lake Champlain, which has its own cryptozoological mascot that people honest-to-Marlin-Perkins believe in, “Champy.” A lot of people believe in him but nobody seems to have ever gotten a clear shot of him, but I do remember one […]
I’m going to let Bill Bramhall’s tribute stand for all the Willie Mays cartoons, most of which took advantage of “The Catch” but too many of which cluttered it up, particularly with Pearly Gates cliches. Bramhall keeps it simple, though I have to chuckle over him giving Mays a blue hat rather than a black […]
I wish I thought Tank McNamara (AMS) was making an off-the-wall joke here, but it seems perfectly on-the-wall to me. My introduction to sports gambling was also my introduction to local mafia, because when I was in college, I knew a high school kid who sold betting slips and his uncle, who was connected but […]
Alan Moir boils down America’s political situation to the essentials: Trump racing for the election and the chance of a self-pardon, pursued by the Keystone Kops. There’s a lot to be argued with here. I’ve said in the past that I wanted the prosecution to move carefully, not to blow the case with hasty moves. […]
The Grammys will be tonight and I will continue my annual tradition of not caring. David Sipress is correct that people our age likely haven’t heard of many of the nominees except for Joni Mitchell, though the gag comes with a few actuallys. Actually, unless we’ve been living under a rock, we’ve at least heard […]
Sandra Bell-Lundy is a little coy about how successful Kim is as a writer, which makes this Between Friends (KFS) all the more fun. She’s successful enough to be able to stay home and write, and even to have deadlines, but she’s not working on the third novel in a multi-book contract. Rather, this novel […]
First Dog on the Moon offers a look at the year ahead, and he’s lucky to draw the assignment, because you just sit back and wax omniscient knowing that, as he says, a year from now, nobody will remember what stupid things you predicted. People love predictions. I keep seeing a horoscope column come up […]
The best way to start today is with Paul Fell’s cartoon, which should please people who dislike sports. You don’t have to like sports, BTW, just like you don’t have to like opera or Shakespeare or raisin-oatmeal cookies. But there’s a difference between saying you don’t like ballet and wondering aloud why they don’t just […]
Today’s Cornered (AMS) reminded me of my favorite Christmas tree. As I said the other day, I’ve stopped decorating now that I’m an empty-nester, but one Christmas when I had kids at home, one of my sons and I went to the hardware store to get rope so we could go buy a tree and […]
This is going to be a grumpy day, but let’s start with Jimmy Margulies (KFS)‘s commentary on Mike Johnson’s ascension to the speakership, because at least it made me laugh. Granted, as the emperor in this Oren Bernstein cartoon notes, humor isn’t necessarily a great weapon and it’s not at all required in political cartooning, […]
No, no, no politics today, despite Pearls Before Swine (AMS) sneaking a good one in. DD Degg’s news of another chain abandoning its local readers is depressing enough without delving deeper into the mire. UPDATE: Gannett has disputed the report, though it’s not clear how big a difference it makes. Stay tuned: DD Degg is […]
Poor Edison Lee (KFS) finds himself in what seems likely to be a disaster: He misunderstood the teacher’s previous announcement and thought the upcoming test was on Chapter One, and a 30-minute test is hardly a pop quiz, so this matters. We’ll see how this turns out. There are kids who study themselves into a […]