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Trying my hand at a political cartoon

PistolPackingMomma

Regular Member
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Oct 1, 2011
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SC
Thank you for being honest with me. :)

No problem. The art isn't bad, and anything making fun of the 'tax that isn't a tax' is automatically in good taste; I just think it would be funnier if the antagonist were a landlord, neighbor or dentist rather than the child. I see the (intended?) angle of 'children learning bad lessons from the government', but I find that more depressing then humorous, so the comic isn't as funny to me as it could be.
 

John Pierce

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May 5, 2006
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1,777
No problem. The art isn't bad, and anything making fun of the 'tax that isn't a tax' is automatically in good taste; I just think it would be funnier if the antagonist were a landlord, neighbor or dentist rather than the child. I see the (intended?) angle of 'children learning bad lessons from the government', but I find that more depressing then humorous, so the comic isn't as funny to me as it could be.

But the key part of the joke is that the child is "Young John Roberts" the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who switched sides and ruled that Obamacare is a tax in order to sustain it.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
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Jan 15, 2007
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Valhalla
It would have been better if YJR was, for instance, correcting the teacher who was accusing BarryO of stealing somebody's lunch money.

stay safe.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
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Nov 15, 2006
Messages
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Fairfax Co., VA
I liked it.

I don't know that all comics are supposed to be funny. Certainly there were plenty of Doonesbury that were biting without being funny.

Take a few more chomps, John.
 

sudden valley gunner

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Dec 13, 2008
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Whatcom County
[Hobbesian eye-roll] :D

:p Haha picturing that expression now.....Really like those and Far side.

Johns cartoon (and thinking of Calvin and Hobbes) reminds me how intelligent kids are and how often little credit they get.

Children and youth are quick to pick up on trickery and hypocrisy of the adult world. And from having kids of my own how adept they are at using your own ideas/rules(?) against you......often made me rethink, my own way of thinking, there is much to be learned from the mind of a child.
 

KBCraig

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Aug 7, 2007
Messages
4,886
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Granite State of Mind
Not bad....
For content and point, yes.

For computer-drawn art, agreed.

It would have been better if YJR was, for instance, correcting the teacher who was accusing BarryO of stealing somebody's lunch money.
Very valid suggestion.

John, I consider it a good effort, but the critical advice offered above is also good.

I have a friend who started a political cartoon online with absolutely no drawing experience. He was pretty rough at first, then got better with practice, and refined his ability and techniques, and sharpened his political humor and focus to the point that he was able to launch a couple of related cartoons.

He made a little money from advertising, but not enough to give up his day job, so he eventually had to let his cartooning chill on the side burner. The point is, though, you can make it work if you work it hard enough.
 
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