Political cartooning, like most creative fields, is dominated by artists from the liberal side of the political spectrum. However, there do exist exceptions that prove the rule: from small towns to big cities, in the pages of magazines and newspapers, that rare creature — the right-wing political cartoonist — lurks among us. What follows is the first in a weekly series chronicling the latest in right-wing cartoon hackery.
This week, we tackle the scribblings of Henry Payne, Chuck Asay, Glenn McCoy, Bob Gorrell, and Mike Lester.
[Cross-posted at my "web-log".]
UPDATE: The poll on this week's edition shows that as of this update, about 70% of respondents think Mike Lester is the hackiest hack of this week's crop of hacks. That's one tally for him. Here are the standings so far:
Mike Lester: 1
I'll be keeping a running tally as this series goes on. Over time, we'll begin to see a pattern. Keep an eye out for Eric Allie, who I'm sure will give Mike a run for his money.
UPDATE 2: If you happen to come across any particulary ridiculous right-wing cartoons this week, be sure to send them my way for next week's installment.
Henry Payne, The Detroit News, 2/19
First Look: Here we have a fine example of the right wing's borderline-pathological obsession with Bill Clinton's penis. Payne's carefree, relaxed style and distinctive character designs have always appealed to me, so it's really a shame that he's such an immense hack (as you'll come to see as this feature goes forward).
Look Closer: Why is he holding a blank piece of paper? Is that supposed to symbolize something? I like to think that he's carrying it to facilitate written communication, as he's unable to speak through his mutilated, zipper-sealed mouth.
Look Closer Still: Is it just me, or does this look not so much like Clinton, but someone wearing Clinton-shaped gimp suit? The safety word is "is".
Chuck Asay, Creators Syndicate, 2/19
First Look: It's like clockwork. Every time there's a school shooting, conservatives exploit the tragedy to push their radical views on gun control. Here, Asay regurgitates the infantile "this never woulda happened if everybody was packin' heat" theory that only a conservative could believe. Because if there's one thing a school shooting needs, it's more bullets in the air.
Look Closer: I find it really hard to believe that even if a sign like this existed it would include the phrase "pack heat".
Look Closer Still: Man, that is one shady looking dude in the second panel, just below the sign. Baseball cap pulled down low, bulky coat with shoulders hunched up, peering nervously at the crowd through dark sunglasses... something surely is about to go down. But never fear! If he tries something, the eight other students in the panel will cut him and four innocent bystanders down in a hail of gunfire.
Glenn McCoy, Belleville News-Democrat, 2/18
First Look: Who knew that the creator of the popular comic strip "The Duplex" was such a douchebag? Here, McCoy hits us over the head with the despicable "the Democrats are actively supporting the terrorists" meme. Maybe if House Republicans cared more about actually fighting terrorism than they do about giving their corporate masters retroactive immunity for invading the privacy of millions of Americans in violation of the law, we wouldn't be in this situation right now.
Look Closer: When are cartoonists going to stop using the image of the big spherical black bomb with a long fuse? The Haymarket Riot was over 100 years ago, asshole. Get with the program and let's see some more modern explosives.
Look Closer Still: What exactly is going on between Nancy Pelosi's ears that protects the line from wiretapping? Is she a cyborg, filtering the phone signal though complex encryption in her positronic brain? Or, since the best way to "protect" a phone line from being tapped is just to not tap it, is she just doing sort of a Steve Martin routine with the wire for shits and giggles? Inquiring minds want to know.
Bob Gorrell, Creators Syndicate, 2/12
First Look: Gorrell's implication that the detainees charged with perpetrating the 9/11 attacks are going to recieve anything resembling a fair trial in accordance with the Constitution is laughable. Military tribunals that admit secret evidence and evidence obtained through torture, refuse the defendants the right of habeas corpus are pretty much the opposite of a fair trial. Get a load of this article from The Nation for the sordid details.
Look Closer: They held him at Gitmo for years without being allowed to see a lawyer or being charged with a crime, tortured him, and now they've got him in 17th century iron manacles for his rigged show trial. But they gave him a glass of water, isn't that nice?
Look Closer Still: So, wait... the guy who planned 9/11 is named "9/11"? Why weren't we on this guy on, like, September 12th? I suppose hindsight is 20/20, though.
Mike Lester, Rome News-Tribune (Georgia), 2/22
First Look: God, Mike Lester is an asshole.
Look Closer: God, Mike Lester is an asshole.
Look Closer Still: God, Mike Lester is an asshole.
That’s all for this week’s edition of RWCR. Stay tuned next Saturday for an all-new lineup of disingenuous, hateful, or just downright stupid conservative cartoons for your reading pleasure.