Cartoon Refuge

Ref uge /ˈrefyo͞oj/ the condition of safety and shelter. And everyone knows what a cartoon is, so this project: protecting the nearly extinct art of cartooning from the media kudzu that is the GIF and Meme. Don’t get me wrong—both modalities have their time and place in semiotics and expression. But the crowd-sourced aspect of those social media hatchlings eradicates the art of drawing, relying on extant pictures or symbols combined with witty (sometimes) phrases. Meanwhile, the simple line, hand-drawn, dies a slow death. Now here’s an ark, sailing west on a sea of semiotic expression, preserved from extinction (I hope) by the archival nature of this collection. They’re all original, hand-drawn with pencil first, then my pen of choice: the rock-bottom Bic ballpoint. Full disclosure: I have no formal “art” training, so I have no real aesthetic authority—I just know what I like: the classic cartoon style of Herman Unger, Jeff MacNelly, Johnny Hart, Chic Young and so many other old-school masters of the simple line cartoon humor. Long may that artistic tradition continue. Have fun, enjoy; save and share these cartoons. CM —- ISBN: 9798333940735