I’ll be your New Yorker cartoon editor today!
I don’t subscribe at the moment, but it’s fun to take a look at the New Yorker magazine i This one is obviously in much better condition than the last one I picked up. I got this from a different Free Little Library. Let’s take a look!
Cover of Oct 18, 2021 New Yorker magazine
Walk in the Park, by Christoph Niemann. You can see other stylies of his here. It’s kind of cute, in an early computer, pixel style. The colors are nicely fall, or even Halloween. And it’s a limited palette, which would be accurate for early computer graphics.
There are several recent Youtube tutorials on how to pixelate your art or photos, if you like this effect.
Looking at it more closely, I figured out that the horizontal blocks above the center are cars in traffic, which makes sense in NYC. I think I would have made them double stacks of blocks, since that’s how I think of the shape of vehicles.
Cartoonists in issue
I don’t see any article in this issue that interests me, but there is one on Paul McCartney for Beatle fans. On to the cartoons!
(In order) Paul Noah, Zachary Kanin, Barbara Smaller, Johnny DiNapoli, Charlie Hankin, Victoria Roberts, Lars Kenseth, Navied Mabdavian, Frank Cotham, Liana Finch, Roz Chast, ES Glenn, David Sipress, Pia Guerra and Ian Boothby, TS McCoy, Liza Donnelly and Carl Kissin.
When it has 2 names and the word “and”, it means one did the drawing, and one the punchline. Two drawings done piecemeal like this in this issue! – last time there was only one! So BAD that the New Yorker can’t find or appreciate real cartoonists anymore!!!
The drawing should spur the caption, and vice versa. The sauce is intermingled with the pasta. It should be magical…because it is.
Best cartoon in New Yorker issue Oct 18, 2021
Here’s where I come in. I edited 2 books, and a Barnes & Noble calendar, and they turned out pretty good. Let’s find the great images here and tell you why they work (or don’t.)
“That might be how you do things in Canada, but…” by Pia and Ian.
Now, I just finished saying that double-dipper illustrations aren’t real cartoons. Certainly not the best. (And there’s another combo one with Liza Donnelly. I can’t believe she agreed to illustrate someone’s idea about buffalos!)
I went through the issue and found nothing to laugh at. But the 2nd time through, I looked more carefully and did laugh at this one by Pia Guerra and Ian! Maybe it was the violence…because that would certainly be a weapon he’s holding, right?! I don’t know anything about Canadian sports, but that is also a drawing of a vintage iron…which I have! (Or had, before we were evicted. Now it is buried deep in storage, if I didn’t throw it away in panic as they threw me out.)
The drawing is typical New Yorkery. I don’t know which of them did what to make it.
Runner-up best cartoon
“Those endless software updates are killing your joie de vivre,” by David Sipress.
I wouldn’t say this is funny, but I have a new iPhone that constantly updates, or threatens to. And my Chromebook, too. So I think a lot of people can identify. I’m not sure if David has a computer… since it’s usually the system, not the software that updates. (Maybe Windows? But that would be the platform.)
Worst New Yorker cartoon Oct 18, 2021
“”’You ever worry we’re not getting enough Vitamin D?” by Johnny DiNapoli. I’m sorry to say that this was an easy one to point to for worst cartoon. Geez Louise. This is not good enough for the New Yorker, editors.
I wonder if the editor picked this one to be another dig at the anti-vax contingent – the New Yorker has been proudly pro-lockdowns, fear and gloom and anti-innovation, after all. By October 2021, it had been well-established that Vitamin D is one of our super vitamins, not just effective against a virus like Covid. But the New Yorker hates any idea newer than a year. Or more. And it does like to sting, like a jellyfish.
Second Worst Cartoon
“Well, you always wanted something from the Met,” by Victoria Roberts.
For those unfamiliar with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, not only is it an experience to visit, they have a famous gift shop (and catalogue!). Many of their products, especially in jewelry, decorations, and clothes, are reproductions or miniatures of their most famous artifacts.
I just thought this cartoon was a little weak. I’m sure Victoria had fun drawing the Egyptian(?) pillars, but…really?
Mystery cartoon
“The crazy thing is it sold for over a million.” by Lars Kenseth.
I appreciate that Lars has his own distinct style. I don’t get the birdhouse-man, though. Or is it a statue? But then shouldn’t it be nude?…
What am I missing, do you know?
Extras
Happy to see a nod to Halloween in the Halloween issue. Nice wash by Kanin.
I saved this ad below to show this supercute haircut to my stylist!
The New Yorker is not shy about re-using spot illustrations. Thus, they have no problem using a beach cartoon in October, below. But I live in Los Angeles now, and this was fun and well-done.
Cartoon caption contest Oct 18, 2021
This is on the last page of each issue of the magazine. I prefer to both write and draw my own cartoons, but I know it’s super popular amongst the games set.
The best caption for The New Yorker is the first one this time, and should win. Kind of soft-porn in a fuzzy way. But he is a nice-looking pirate.
So there you go. If I were the editor of the New Yorker dot-dot-dot it would be more like me. 🙂 It looks like the New Yorker is having a flash sale on subscriptions right now. It’s tempting…but the digital edition is separate.
Two stars for this issue.
Did you like or hate any of these, or would you have picked others? Comments welcome!
Set painter in studio Art Depts. Member Scriptwriters Network, script analyst.
Author, 2 hardcopy books, Barnes & Noble Calendar.
- Emma in the Night ~ Wendy Walker ~ Thriller - May 11, 2023
- Still Alice (2014) ~ Psychology Movie Review ~ Julianne Moore - January 25, 2023
- The Other Emily ~ Dean Koontz - January 23, 2023
