Random thoughts on the cartoons (and other stuff) in the latest issue of The New Yorker

The Cover: a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr., by Diana Ejaita.  Read a Q&A with her here.

The Cartoonists:

The Cartoons:

Another issue with a healthy dose of cartoons, taking place in far and afield scenarios including a yoga class (courtesy of Lila Ash), an amphitheatre (by Brooke Bourgeois), an infested restaurant, (courtesy of Joe Dator), and a health and fitness club (courtesy of P.C. Vey).

The first cartoon in the issue is by Bruce Eric Kaplan — it’s a gem. Mr. Kaplan manages to convey a lot of information within his trademark rectangle with a broad vertical right bar. We’re shown just enough of the fallen giant; we can fill in the rest. The caption, as usual with Mr. Kaplan, is succinct —  “…dead giant” seals the deal.

Of the sixteen cartoons in the issue, one is a dual effort by Kaamran Hafeez & Al Batt. Their drawing closely recalls the structure of Peter Steiner’s famous New Yorker drawing of July 5, 1993, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” 

…Enjoyed Harry Bliss’s kid with a winged visitor cartoon (on page 35). I wonder though, if it’s already too late to close the sunroof (?).

… Suerynn Lee’s drawing (page 57) caught my attention. All the elements are there, including   excellent breathing room on the page.

…Johnny DiNapoli’s fun walrus drawing (on page 66) recalls Charles Barsotti’s simple and highly effective work.

The Rea Irvin Talk Masthead Watch: it was recently suggested to me that this ongoing Rea Irvin Masthead Watch is akin to tilting at windmills. To clarify the reference, here’s the relevant passage from Cervantes’ Don Quixote:

Just then they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that rise from that plain. And no sooner did Don Quixote see them that he said to his squire, “Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished. Do you see over yonder, friend Sancho, thirty or forty hulking giants? I intend to do battle with them and slay them. With their spoils we shall begin to be rich for this is a righteous war and the removal of so foul a brood from off the face of the earth is a service God will bless.”

“What giants?” asked Sancho Panza.

“Those you see over there,” replied his master, “with their long arms. Some of them have arms well nigh two leagues in length.”

“Take care, sir,” cried Sancho. “Those over there are not giants but windmills. Those things that seem to be their arms are sails which, when they are whirled around by the wind, turn the millstone.”

…Hmmm, wow. Well, I don’t know. I never did well in lit classes. All I’m striving for is a return of Rea Irvin’s beautiful masthead. You can read more about that here.  Below is Mr. Irvin’s mothballed iconic design.