Cartoon: Abortion and Selfishness

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When I make this argument to pro-lifers, they often point out that there are individual pro-lifers who support a strong welfare state. That’s true. But what individual pro-lifers say is not the point.

The point is, what do the pro-life groups put their political might behind? What do the politicians they endorse actually vote for, and just as importantly, vote against?

The pro-life movement is an incredibly powerful grass-roots group. If they made strong welfare for single parents a priority, the GOP – which depends on pro-lifers to get elected – would have no choice but to support it – or at least, to stop opposing it. And the reason that doesn’t happen is, policies to help single parents aren’t a pro-life priority in any meaningful fashion.

This cartoon originally had a caption – “Compassionate Conservatism at Its Finest,” a reference to George W. Bush’s 2000 campaign slogan. (This cartoon was apparently drawn during the Bush administration). I got rid of the caption partly because it was dated, but also because the cartoon is stronger without the caption. (I have a bad habit of putting in captions when I shouldn’t.)

Artwise, this cartoon is… okay. I like the angry face in the second-to-last panel, and the way his hair looks like a bunch of bananas. I like the drawing of the woman in the final panel. And the storytelling and “acting” is mostly fine, and that’s what matters most to readers.

But I still wince when I see this strip! Like, in panel 2, his head is way smaller than it should be, and in the final panel there’s obviously no underlying structure in his head shape, so it’s sort of just a blob. (I’ve always had trouble drawing characters in profile.) I hate the shading in this strip – very tentative and all over the place, and with a cheesy Photoshop blurring effect.

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5 Responses to Cartoon: Abortion and Selfishness

  1. 1
    Jake Squid says:

    I love his head in the final panel! It’s one of my favorite things about your work – that moment when your characters are revealed to be muppets.

  2. 2
    Dreidel says:

    Well-drawn but rather long-winded. The best political cartoons are a single picture with as few words as necessary to make the point.

    Your charming fictional non-political graphic stories are much better.

  3. 3
    Ampersand says:

    Well, I don’t agree that the best political cartoons always are single images with few words. Those can be great, but so can other approaches.

    But I’m really glad you liked Hereville! Thanks.

  4. 4
    Grace Annam says:

    Jake Squid:

    It’s one of my favorite things about your work – that moment when your characters are revealed to be muppets.

    Thank you, Jake, for articulating this. I love this part of Barry’s cartooning, too, but had never understood it consciously I read what you wrote and said, “Yes!”

    Grace

  5. 5
    Ampersand says:

    I love the muppet-head thing too, but for me, this particular example of it doesn’t work.