Cartoon critics Phil Witte and Rex Hesner look behind the gags to debate what makes a cartoon tick. This week our intrepid critics take a look at Frankenstein cartoons. Few figures of fiction are stamped in the minds of generations as the monster in Mary Shelley’s novel of 1818, Frankenstein. Of course, the modern-day image…
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Cartoons for Teachers: Reach Your Students with Humor
Caption Contest Commentary
“Making Hay” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
The New Cash-Prize Caption Contest.
So you think you're funny? We do, too!! Each month we're offering a cash prize of $1,000, $500 to first place and 5 runners-up prizes of $100 each. What's the catch, you ask? Well, you have to pay $5 to play. But with a chance at up to 500 smackeroos, it's well worth it!
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Anatomy of a Cartoon: Frankenstein
“Viral Hitman” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
Benjamin Schwartz’s doctor is conducting a back-alley transaction. While checking to make sure there are no witnesses, he hands a picture of the coronavirus to a hitman. The doctor is speaking. I first made several references to former President Trump’s ridiculous comments about Covid-19 (e.g., “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle,…
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“Exit Interview” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
Robert Leighton’s cartoon is set in an office, where a man behind a desk is reviewing a single piece of paper. Sitting across from him is The Grim Reaper, holding a scythe in his hand. The man is talking. All my captions assume that the man behind the desk is from Human Resources. If he’s…
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Finding your Funny
You’re here, so you probably already have a fairly well-developed sense of humor. You enjoy cartoons, especially smart cartoons. You already know that humor has value and that being funny makes you more likable. But why does humor make you more likable? Research shows that humor helps lower stress levels. It relaxes people. Think about…
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“Where’s Waldo?” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
Evan Lian’s drawing is set at a cocktail party, where a woman is talking to a man. Behind her, and engaged in another conversation, is Waldo from the “Where’s Waldo” puzzle books. The challenge in every such puzzle is locating the eponymous character in a crowd. I first imagined the woman explaining why she’s not…
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“Elephants in the Room” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
In Teresa Burns Parkhurst’s cartoon, three elephants are in a couple’s living room. The middle elephant says something to the one who’s facing him, while the couple remains oblivious. “The elephant in the room” is a metaphor for an obvious and pressing problem no one wants to discuss, so I first came up with these…
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