Showing posts with label Liam Francis Walsh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liam Francis Walsh. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

The CartoonStock Cartoon Caption Contest No. 200

In the CartoonStock Caption Contest number 200, a family relaxes at home. Each family member is armed, as are the pets and even the houseplant. The father speaks.



The rules of the monthly cash prize contest have not changed: Five dollars buys up to three entries. Real cash prizes are $500 for first place and $100 for each of five runners up. As of this writing, I've put $225 into the first forty-five pay-to-play contests and this forty-sixth challenge brings my total cash outlay up to $230. Having achieved runner-up status with three previous entries, I've collected $300 from CartoonStock, so I'm playing with the house's money, thank you very much. In fact, so few contestants enter that the odds may generally be considered favorable even for less-gifted caption writers. My three entries this round are shown below, above the break. The cartoonist is family man Liam Francis Walsh.

"I'd say we're ready for our Christmas card photo."
"What do you say we leave the doors unlocked?"
"Now how are we doing on butter?"
* * *
"The boy reads too many comics."
"I love our nuclear family."
"I always say, you can't have too much of a good thing."
"Here we are, the Johnson Family, locked and loaded."
"I love the Second Amendment—and our family."
"I told you I'd give you security."
"Feel safe?"
"What do you say we stand our ground today?"
"The bad guys wouldn't dare."





December 20, 2025:  The Winner





Even though I didn't make it into the top six, two of my captions were mentioned by Lawrence Wood in his Caption Contest Commentary:
Actually, that reference wasn't my intention, but no matter.

As usual, the judges are quite transparent in how they came to their decision:

The Judges Deliberate
Video added December 14, 2025


For the record, my third caption made Bob Mankoff's top ten list, just.


And my second caption made Liam Walsh's top seven, just.


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Monday, December 9, 2024

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #925

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #925 from the issue of December 9, 2024, we see a museum gallery tour coming upon an artist painting a picture hanging on the wall. The tour leader speaks. The drawing is by Liam Francis Walsh.

"And here we have our local art critic."



These captions were strictly color by number:


"The collection is getting modernized."
"At least we got him to stop using a roller."
"He paints what he sees."
"This is the new, calmer climate change activism."
"He's a good artist but has no imagination."
"He donated it in perpetuity."





December 23, 2024 Update:  The Finalists






January 11, 2025 Update:
  I voted for the caption from Joplin.


January 19, 2025 Update:  The Winner






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Monday, December 12, 2022

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #831

This week, I could scarcely get through my set, let alone through The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #831 from the issue of December 12, 2022. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Liam Francis Walsh.

"You're not helping me to read the room."




These captions weren't ready for open mic night:

"I want to thank tonight's audience for not heckling me."
"You do know there's a cover charge?"
"I see my five minutes are up."
"I'm afraid there's a two-laugh minimum."
"Not even a heckle?"





 

January 1, 2023 Update:  The Finalists






January 14, 2023 Update:
  I voted for the first caption from Los Angeles.


January 16, 2023 Update
:  The Winner






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Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The CartoonStock Caption Contest #147

I went three rounds in the CartoonStock Caption Contest #147. My submissions are shown belowThe pugilistic drawing is by Liam Francis Walsh.

"I can't believe you would hit a man with glasses."
"Fine, you can have your damn baby back."
"Shouldn't you be wearing kid gloves?"





February 1, 2022 Update:  Seven-time New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest winner Lawrence Wood, in his Caption Contest Commentary, mentioned one of my entries—twice. This is the fifteenth contest in which he's chosen to remark on one of my captions.

https://www.cartoonstock.com/blog/fighting-father-caption-contest-commentary-with-lawrence-wood/



February 2, 2022 Update:  The Winner






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Wednesday, December 22, 2021

The CartoonStock Caption Contest #145

It's time to go with the floe in the CartoonStock Caption Contest #145. My three captions are shown belowThe drawing is by Liam Francis Walsh.

"I told you I'll quit before all the ice melts."
"I might set fire to what?"
"Our days are numbered anyway."




January 5, 2021 Update:  The Winner







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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

The Original Art 2016 Exhibit at the Society of Illustrators

I don't even pretend to keep up with children's book illustration, but if The Original Art 2016 Exhibit at the Society of Illustrators is any indication, an uncanny amount of amazing art is currently being produced for our youngest readers. I couldn't help snapping a few pictures. Unfortunately, the combination of fluorescent light and reflective glass utterly defeats my crude photography skills. The good news though is you can see all the art for yourself at the Society through December 23.

Lauren Castillo, It is Not Time for Sleeping (A Bedtime Story)

http://www.laurencastillo.com/events/2016/11/9/it-is-not-time-for-sleeping-book-launch-party
Lane Smith, Penguin Problems




Melissa Sweet, Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White
Stuart Little, 1945



Dan Santat, Are We There Yet?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26030671-are-we-there-yet
Ron Husband, Steamboat School
https://twitter.com/stevenmalk/status/649364760463454208



Sergio Ruzzier, This is Not a Picture Book!
Some are funny!



William Joyce, Ollie's Odyssey


Barry Blitt, You Never Heard of Casey Stengel?!


Barry Blitt, You Never Heard of Casey Stengel?!
Image added December 17, 2016

Roz Chast, No Fair! No Fair! And Other Jolly Poems of Childhood



Liam Francis Walsh, Fish
The Society posted scans of the award winners:
Gold Medal:  B. B. Cronin, The Lost House
Or is it this? Digitally manipulated images muddle the meaning of original art.
Gold Medal:  B. B. Cronin, The Lost House

Silver Medal: Beth Krommes, Before Morning
Founder's Award:  The Fan Brothers, The Night Gardener



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