Cartoonists

[Aperitif]

They are interesting aren't they?

'Tubby' Gordon Brown was portrayed as having a go at cartoonists the other day - he is often portrayed as fat in the political cartoon of the day.
Ahhh!
In another life I drew a few cartoons and used to be influenced by the likes of Gerald Scarfe, Bill Tidy & Michael Heath. And so many others.
There used to be an annual cartoon fest at Chelsea Town Hall...
Private Eye and Punch (too dense to understand the words in either...) was essential reading and in the late 80s there was a short-lived broadsheet dedicated to the news in cartoons (got them all somewhere)
Anyway, to avoid a ramble - have you got any favourites, or is there someone who always 'hits the nail on the head' for you?
And, do you think cartoon protrayal influences the general impression you get of a politician in 'real life'? (Think of Norman Tebbit or Kenneth Baker as the thug and the slug respectively...)

 

[rich p]

I'm an aquaintance of Steve Bell of the Guardian but whereas I like his single political cartoons I find his daily strip cartoon 'If' impenetrable.

He famously 'invented' the image of John Major as a grey man with his underpants outside his trousers which went some way to diminishing his stature to the wider public. No bad thing IMHO.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

scott adams' dilbert cartoons are usually spot on.

 

[wafflycat]

My all-time favourite is no longer with us: Giles.

 

[srw]

Doonesbury. Brilliant, if occasionally a little parochial.

 

[Maz]

Caricaturists always get my vote, whether their work is in newspapers or in comics like Mad (do they still make that?).

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I'm obviously a low-brow kind of guy... it's Calvin & Hobbes for me.

 

[Mr Pig]

I'm obviously a low-brow kind of guy... it's Calvin & Hobbes for me.

I must be too then.

 

[zimzum42]

It's all about Matt, he gets it right every time.....

 

[wafflycat]

Speaking of Giles...

www.gilescartoons.co.uk

Look up the cartoons for June 15 1972, December 8 1968, October 4 1984... just as relevant now.

And in a cycling vein.. look up 30 July 1974

 

[swee'pea99]

+1 for Doonesbury, also Steve Bell.

Another Guardian stalwart who often goes unsung is Harry Venning, who does Clare in the Community..

 

[Aperitif]

I like Clare in the Community too.
Spitting Image has a lot to answer for...Devoid Owen with David Steel in his pocket...Norman the Nazi...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I like Viz. Intelligent toilet humour.

 

[Chromatic]

Sergio Aragones. I used to like his stuff for Mad magazine.

 

[Over The Hill]

I loved Mad as a kid and Viz.

There was a few attempts at a grown-ups ("adult" is a differnt thing) cartoon mag one I had was called "Digger" - anyone remember it?

Mad was so well drawn and I just loved the musicals. I still sing some of the songs 30 years later! (Star Trek send up was a classic).

I had a go at being a cartoonist for a while. Managed to get stuff in a few hobby mags and stuff but could not break through anywhere. I may try and find my portfolio and see if they were any good.

At school I used to draw other kids and had three or four in cartoon form which I used to make up stories around.

I like Glen Baxter stuff

They just make me chuckle for days.

It is a really underrated art form. Somehow I am pleased Brown does not like it.