When I see a cartoon like Liza Donnelly's "Mommy, what did you do in the War on Women?" I am first lost in admiration for the simple yet effective idea. Then, a moment later, I ask myself, "Now why didn't The New Yorker take this one?"
This cartoon accompanied a column by Ms. Donnelly written in April on Forbes.com. Not every cartoonist has such a public venue for displaying timely cartoons presumably passed up by The New Yorker, but she does, and it allows us to see the consistently high quality of her output and to muse on The New Yorker's editorial decisions.
Since I am unable to get into the head of the cartoon editor, let me just note that the magazine often shies away from overtly political commentary in its cartoons, and that this little gem may well fall into the category of "too political." It is, I think, precisely the right approach to politics for a New Yorker cartoon, as it shows the effect of the national discourse on our everyday lives. The phrase "War on Women" is admittedly partisan, as aptly as some may feel it describes what is taking place in today's ongoing attacks on women's reproductive rights, and perhaps it is not editorially acceptable. But it is used in common speech. The gag certainly can't work without it.
Ms. Donnelly's cartoon stands on its own, but it also makes a pretty direct reference to this classic British recruitment poster by Savile Lumeley published during the first World War. This image no doubt prompted many guilt-ridden young men to enlist so they would be able to save face before their as yet unborn children--if they survived to have them, that is.
This cartoon accompanied a column by Ms. Donnelly written in April on Forbes.com. Not every cartoonist has such a public venue for displaying timely cartoons presumably passed up by The New Yorker, but she does, and it allows us to see the consistently high quality of her output and to muse on The New Yorker's editorial decisions.
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| Liza Donnelly, "Mommy, what did you do in the War on Women?" Social Media and Generational Shift In The War on Women, Forbeswoman, Forbes.com, April 23, 2012 |
Ms. Donnelly's cartoon stands on its own, but it also makes a pretty direct reference to this classic British recruitment poster by Savile Lumeley published during the first World War. This image no doubt prompted many guilt-ridden young men to enlist so they would be able to save face before their as yet unborn children--if they survived to have them, that is.
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| Savile Lumely, Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War? 1915 |
Today more people may remember the 1966 Blake Edwards screen comedy which shamelessly distorted the classic poster's main idea, apparently into a series of lusty wartime shenanigans. The movie, incidentally, was set during the second, and not the first, World War.
"What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" 1966 Film Poster
Liza Donnelly appeared at the Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art's Festival 2012 on April 28th where she produced a number of drawings for her fans. I missed her appearance, but when I came by the following day I was lucky enough to find this redraw of the War on Women cartoon waiting just for me.
On my blog, this is called a happy ending. I'm not sure what it's called on Fox News.
On my blog, this is called a happy ending. I'm not sure what it's called on Fox News.
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Liza Donnelly, "Mom--what did you do in the War on Women?" MoCCA Fest 2012
Scan added September 3, 2012
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| Liza Donnelly, "Mommy, what did you do in the War on Women?" Social Media and Generational Shift In The War on Women, Forbeswoman, Forbes.com, April 23, 2012 |
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| Liza Donnelly, "Mom--what did you do in the War on Women?" MoCCA Fest 2012 |
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