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: The Anxiety of Christmas

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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 holiday anxiety. ‘Tis the season of gifts, decorations, and family. Wreaths, adorned trees, and twinkling lights announce that homes are celebrating a mashup of traditions that seems to consume…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: Thanksgiving Themes

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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 Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving-themed images provide plenty of material for cartoonists to work with: turkeys, Pilgrims, family dinners, the Macy’s parade, football on T.V. And, like any good storyteller writing fiction,…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: After a Fashion

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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 fashion and its faux pas. Kate Spade reportedly said, “Playing dress-up begins at age five and never truly ends.” There’s much truth in that. Fashion is undeniably part of…
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: Cats in Cartoons

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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 our feline friends. Cats are lazy, crazy, demanding, and undependable. Yet, many of us love cats. Perhaps it is their air of mystery and indifference to us—qualities we associate…
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