Toon Talk
By Clay Jones
Monopoly
July 18, 2008 4:20 pm
Basically I google imaged Mr. Monopoloy, found a photo similiar to this pose and I redrew it. Cool, eh? I dig the birds. They don't really look like pigeons but I still think they're cool. I haven't posted a rough in a while (I'm lazy) so I'm going to do so today. 
Letters We received a bunch of phone calls over one of my toons and a few letters. The FLS ran two of those yesterday. Here's one and here's the other one. The letters received more comments than my blog does. What's up with that? Also, some of the commentators really think I'm a jerk. At least my dog loves me. And another response Someone touched up my latest Obama cartoon and mailed it to us anonymously. Maybe they improved it. If it was signed I'd ask permission to post it on the blog, but since it arrived without a name I'm gonna post it anyway. Besides, why do I need to ask for permission? It's my cartoon. 
I love it when people do this kind of stuff. LA Times What is with the LA Times running articles about editorial cartoonists? If it's so important to them then why don't they hire a cartoonist? This makes two in one week.
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1216412433
humorless
July 16, 2008 11:21 pm
Thursday's newspaper is coming in out in just a few minutes so I figured it was Ok to go ahead and blog this. I was reading a few cartoons this morning and saw a John Cole cartoon where he compared Obama's supporters to the islamic extremists upset over all the Danish cartoons. I thought "why didn't I think of that comparison?". Then I got an idea with that angle and figured I couldn't draw it, but I e-mailed John and told him about it and he said I should go ahead and do it...well I didn't. But thinking along those lines gave me this idea. So I owe John a big thanks. He got me through another day with a deadline so if I score two points with this cartoon, he gets the assist. LA Times When I first started in this business my dream job was to work for the Los Angeles Times. Ya know..the L.A. Times that employed the meanest cartoonist in the business, Paul Conrad, and won Pulitzers....NOT the L.A. Times that fired Paul Conrad (OK, bought him out) and then fired Michael Ramirez (who won a Pulitzer this year). The just ran an article written by Tim Rutten on the Obama/New Yorker story and I found a couple of things interesting. One quote from the article is: One U.S. newspaper after another has used cost-cutting as an excuse to drop its political cartoonists. Yeah....like the L.A. Times!!! And then the writer says this: Nowadays, few newspapers even bother to run political cartoons on a regular basis. That's not true. MOST newspapers run political cartoons on a regular basis...they just don't employ us. For a newspaper that refuses to hire a cartoonist and won't even run many political cartoons, they sure do produce a lot of articles about political cartoons. I'm really glad I have an employer (no, I'm not butt kissing...well, maybe a little bit) who recognizes the importance of having a staff editorial cartoonist, despite not having the mammoth (but shrinking) circulation of an L.A Times. P.S. L.A. Times...please don't stop running my cartoons. You still write a decent check for reprints.
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1216264888
4
July 16, 2008 1:45 pm
I kind of expect Bush to refuse to leave office. I know....that's crazy talk. But seeing how they've ignored so many parts of the constitution and other laws, I can see them ignoring the election. I know...crazy talk. Gary Trudeau mentioned in his comic riffs interview how much fun the election is for satirists, but we can't ignore the fact the worst president in our history is still in office. A friend, who is very conservative, told me I'm going to miss drawing Bush after he's gone. I told him we'll still have him because we'll be cleaning up his mess for years if not decades. Regarding Brett Favre: I worked in Mississippi for seven years. That guy is an institution down there. I even had a jersey and a cap (which I think my son stole). I think the guy is incredible...but dude, it's time to go home. Ed Hey, buddy...you gotta blog that I sleep with dogs "plutonically"? That sounds like something really weird and sickish. Sheesh! Besides, it's usually just one at a time and he'll sleep on the foot of the bed passing gas while he sleeps. I've learned that having both of them together will just keep me awake all night because they'll want to bark at each other. And another thing: I didn't find your blog through a google alert. I was actually reading your blog which you accuse me of never doing. How about that?
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1216230322
The Wall
July 15, 2008 1:09 pm
Once again after a cartoon is published I look back on it and realize....wow...this drawing really sucks. My editor asked me if I heard any complaints on it yet. Of course I haven't. When people get upset over a cartoon of mine, they don't call me...they call circulation (and that department must really love me right about now. Hey, look. Here they come. What are they doing with those pitch forks?). I don't think this is the kind of cartoon that really interest a lot of readers. Tax stuff is kinda boring. One city councilman said after they raised the property tax they received more phone calls from residents angry about not receiving free trash bags anymore. My editor loved this cartoon which makes me think there is something wrong with it. HAHA!!! New Yorker The New Yorker ran an illustration on it's cover of Obama and his wife as terrorists in the oval office, wearing burkas and burning a flag. It's supposed to be a slap at those who are trying to paint Obama that way but it actually kinda comes off as something the National Review would put on their cover. Obama's campaign is having a huge snit about it right now. I was eating wings with my buddy Mike last night and we were talking about this. I said imagine if National Review ran a cover with McCain in a wheelchair, wanting to bomb somebody and his wife is popping pills. That's exactly what David Horsey drew. Speaking of satire: There's this new blog at the Washington Post on comics called "Comic Riff". They posted an interview with Gary Trudeau (ya know...the Doonesbury guy) and they talk about the state of satire. It's a very interesting read. I almost met Trudeau once at a convention but there were free muffins in another room...
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1216141753
Fox
July 14, 2008 4:34 pm
Here's Sunday's toon. I blogged about this issue last week and Friday I thought, Hey, I should draw a cartoon about it. People around the office hadn't heard of the issue but they all understood the cartoon. Good enough for me. Besides, it's funny.
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1216067665
Jesse's Back
July 11, 2008 2:30 pm
What is the deal with Jesse Jackson? He's been on TV before. He knows the deal about microphones (ya know..you say something and they pick it up). He said he wanted to "rip something out" of BarackObama. I can't say the word here because this is a family blog...unless I was talking about toppings on a hot fudge sundae then of course I could just splatter that word all over the place. Since I can't say that word here I'll replace it with something much safer and less alarming like...."Bon-Bons". Everybody likes bon bons and nobody could be offended by that. So Jesse Jackson said he wanted to rip out Obama's Bon-bons. I don't think I've ever said I wanted to rip out someone's bon-bons. If I have then I'm pretty sure I didn't say it about someone I considered a friend. Obama might want to reconsider who he considers a friend, or at least keep a close watch on his bon-bons. You'll see in this cartoon the dog's name is "Chubbs". Yeah, that's because my dog's name is Chubbs and the night before I drew this cartoon he engaged in some bon-bons worthy elimination behavior in my bedroom while I was sleeping. Chubbs believes all socks should be ventilated, as in...holes for your toes. There's not a little rip or snag in my socks...there's two fully open ends in most matching pairs in my house. I'm lucky enough if I can find a matching pair less enough two without giant enormous gaping toe holes. Chubbs might be saying good bye to his bon-bons.
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1215801058
Better President
July 10, 2008 2:05 pm
This is subtle and hopefully not too subtle. Sometimes you like something enough you still go with it despite a few doubts. The rough made a couple of people say they didn't get it. The final version was understood by everyone even if it took a couple a second or two. But, I still liked it. Other Things I heard there were a few phone calls yesterday about something that had to do with me. I got conflicting reports. Nobody's called me. Stay tooned.
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1215713127
Zhang
July 9, 2008 12:33 pm
Cartoons aren't always funny. Several people in the newsroom first reaction was a laugh which they would cut off as soon as they actually comprehended the cartoon. I think the first reaction to a cartoon is you're supposed to laugh, and maybe especially with my work. Sometimes when I do a cartoon on a topic of this nature people think I'm trying to be funny and callous and then they call my editor which a couple of readers did. The last thing I want to find when I first get to the office is a voice mail from my editor asking me to come to his office. I walk up to the second floor wondering "am I taking a paycut?", "Is he going to yell at me for violating the company dress code?" or something even worse like "does he want me to draw a litter cartoon?". When he told me he wanted to see me just to tell me he got a couple of angry phone calls I was relieved. I asked "is that it?"....WHEW! My only real concern with the cartoon was the drawing of the Zhang family. I didn't want it to come off as a stereotype but they still had to be Chinese. I'm not sure I succeeded there and the phone calls didn't mention that. As you can see in the rough, they look very different. 
From the Navel Gazing Department A Wall Street Journal health blog reports that a New Yorker cartoon is very similiar to a Cleveland Plain Dealer cartoonist Jeff Darcy cartoon which ran two years ago. Both cartoons show physicians with medical company sponsorships printed all over their lab coats. Darcy said “While it’s not uncommon for cartoonists to come up with similar ideas, this example is getting a little too close for comfort". I don't think I would want to make any accusations with this as it seems every cartoonist hits "too close for comfort" from time to time no matter how much you try to avoid it. I don't think this was stolen. I just think it's kind of obvious. In fact, it's such non-news I don't even know why I'm blogging about it? Oh yeah...to fill up space. HAHA! From the "Are You Freaking Serious?" Department The New York Times ran a story criticizing Fox News. Fox News responded by attacking the NYT on their show "Fox And Friends. They ran manipulated photos of the reporter and his editor...and they didn't just alter them a little bit. They made the reporter look like he's going to be in the cast of "Dumber and Dumbererer" and his boss looks like his head is containing a giant freakish eggplant. Bill O'Reilly (haha...I'm laughing already) defended Fox and said the NYT is practicing a double standard because they ran a caricature of him in a book review. Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill...Can't you tell the difference between opinion and news? Oh yeah...that's right. You work for Fox where opinion is news...or news is opinion....I forget. Also, when someone sees a drawing...they know it's a drawing. When someone sees a photo presented as news...they think it's just a photo. D'uh! I don't it's so much as scary that the number one news channel manipulates photos in a news report...no. I find it scary that Fox is the number one news channel. From the "Way To Go" Department Charlie Daniels is one of the nicest guys in the cartooning biz and right now his paper, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, is celebrating his 50 years as an editorial cartoonist. Way to go, Charlie. I hope I'm in your shoes someday (not really, especially if you've worn them during your entire career...but you get my point).
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1215621239
Hillary's Pom-Poms
July 8, 2008 1:14 pm
A few people around the office told me this version of Hillary is very disturbing. I have to admit, I drew some pretty crappy pom-poms. I need to work on that. This is a less than stellar toon, I admit...but I'm going to pull out the excuse that's served me reliably for years....It was a Monday. I'm lucky if my shoes match on a Monday. MacKinnon One guy I always enjoy talking to at conventions is Canadian editorial cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon. Not only is he a great cartoonist but his artwork is phenomenal. He always brings his guitar and before you know it there's a circle around him while he and others jam on what must be a gazillion songs. First thing he'll ask me at each convention is "did you bring your guitar?". It turns out he did a cartoon on Obama and now a bunch of people have altered it with racist comments and it's being distributed everywhere. This is kinda like when that crazy right winger sent me a Jay Leno column supporting Bush but it wasn't written by Jay Leno (side note: Right wing crazy guy said he'll stop sending me right wing crazy propaganda....that lasted about two weeks.). Anyway, you can read about it here at the Regina Leader-Post (that would be a newspaper in Canada). It was crazy and nasty during the Kerry/Bush election...and it's just gonna get worse this time around. I'm thinking Peter Frampton better keep his car in his garage.
Perma-link: http://fredericksburg.com/blogs/clayjones/index_html?blogger_id=7&p=1215537280
Starbucks
July 7, 2008 12:37 pm
I kinda combined the Starbucks (there's gonna be fewer) story with the local Ferry Farm story. Lot's of crazy cross-hatching scribbling going on in this one. 
This one is sloppy and I admit it. I was to the point of burning out as it was the last cartoon I drew for the week. This was intended only for my syndicate (and this blog). 
A couple of funny things Matt Bors pointed out Mike Luckovich thinks penguins live in the North Pole. Hey, maybe they flew up there. Anyway, so does Coke...or they think polar bears live in the South Pole. You've seen those commercials around Christmas where the polar bears and penguins are hanging out together drinking coke despite living on opposite ends of the planet from each other....and the bears aren't snacking on the penguins. John Kovalic might hate obit cartoons more than I do. He decided to let his blog readers beat working cartoonists to the punch by providing them with a "do-it-yourself obit" cartoons on Bozo and Jesse Helms. And in case Matt Bors is wondering, yes. I stole all this information from your blog.
|
What do you think?
If you would like to post a comment about this blog, please log in.
You can use your FredTalk user name and password here. If you don't have one yet,
REGISTER Now...
About Clay Jones:
Clay Jones is the editorial cartoonist for The Free Lance-Star. In his spare time, he plays in the local rock band 816.
Contact
• Send an e-mail to Clay Jones
About this blog:
Clay Jones' Toon Talk blog.
|
Star Directory
