Phil Witte and Rex Hesner

Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick.

Anatomy of a Cartoon: Hair!

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Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at hair. Days run together when one is sheltering in place, so perhaps a more practical measure of time during this fraught period is length of hair. With many hair…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: The Corona Masquerade

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Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at the 2020 Masquerade. Years from now, after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, photographs will preserve this strange era. Empty streets, deserted beaches, and shuttered storefronts will predominate in cell…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: Spring

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Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at springtime. As the epic pandemic grinds on, the routine of everyday life has been dramatically disrupted. We yearn for something predictable and comforting. Mother Nature provides the relief we…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: Uh-Oh, The News

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Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at THE NEWS. The news these days is grim, but here’s a truism: bad news is often good news for cartoonists. An effective cartoon in bad times captures the dismal…
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