The CartoonStock Cartoon Caption Contest No. 191

In the CartoonStock Caption Contest number 191, we find Mr. Monopoly sitting in his recliner holding the television remote. His wife looks on. Rich Uncle Pennybags is speaking.

 

The rules of the monthly cash prize contest have not changed (and neither has my description of them): 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 $180 into the first thirty-six pay-to-play contests and this thirty-seventh challenge brings my total cash outlay up to $185. Having achieved runner-up status with two previous entries, I've collected $200 from CartoonStock, so I'm still playing with the house's money, thank goodness. In fact, so few contestants enter that the odds may generally be considered favorable even for us less-gifted caption writers. My three entries are shown below. The cartoonist is Kyle Bravo, new to the blog.

"CNBC is entertaining."
"I can't see through the Community Chest."
"No one needs more than $200."

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #938

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #938 appeared in the issue of March 31, 2025. A woman in business attire enters a boardroom full of dogs. The woman speaks. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Liza Donnelly.

"Who told you all to sit?"

These just wouldn't obey:

"Let's adjourn to the park."
"I need a volunteer to fetch the bylaws."

04911

Edward Koren: Drawings for Henry Sussman

Ever the generous friend, New Yorker cartoonist Edward Koren (1935-2023) was known to treat those he cared about with the occasional souvenir drawing in his unique and furry style. Henry Sussman was one such lucky recipient. Although some twenty-six years older than Koren, they shared at least an interest in jogging. Sussman's framed Koren drawing attesting to this was recently listed on eBay.

Inscribed and signed

Edward Koren
eBay listing ended February 12, 2025

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305924842552?_skw=signed+Yorker&itmmeta=01JQJ8VEVPHTPQRXQTNQEXVWS6&hash=item473a8aa438:g:wqoAAOSwhEtnP5fi&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fIF%2BXtq9yjWUU8M5ik27XlZlGi%2FmnUYoTyBNFN0k8JGYZhZbTuiK6A3eHziaBdlol34INSIzzDZk93M0d9lfFKd%2FpUr0Xh2Jq6uZa6yvBzAhf5IdEqvmzIvDsS9j2WodThMAdRCZgdsR%2FnnbAgXI4a3O9m4BIWd3c54cbVHZIzpPeVeFRgrGjtDf7PcMR83JxOQKDbSdj%2BnyVlV5lezwPxNNtwRKzqyEFlRMn%2BO8e7qd98rwovOJ1KQlPnQ%2F5f6vXb511nmJTi61%2BT8qW71XREg%2BWbwUcHkRt3UPUfzy8VOQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_7t7ci8ZQ

Edward Koren
eBay item description

Also on eBay, but still unsold, are three drawings Koren made for Sussman's seventy-fifth, eightieth, and eighty fifth birthdays. A cartoon detective might surmise that Sussman remained very active, with interests in tennis, bicycling, and motorcycling.

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My Copy of Good Intentions by John Cuneo

Good Intentions, John Cuneo's latest collection, was published on March 11. I ordered a signed copy back in January from The Golden Notebook, an independent bookstore in Woodstock, New York. The books were brought to the artist's studio where he did indeed sign them but also added drawings and a bit of color, too. All in all, this is a pretty sweet deal.

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My Copy of Mixed Feelings by Liana Finck

I obtained my copy of Liana Finck's children's book Mixed Feelings (2025) at the Society of Illustrators on February 6. The event, also featuring New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly, was jointly sponsored by the Society and the American Academy in Berlin. The discussion and slideshow was followed by a book signing.

Liana Finck and Liza Donnelly

 

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #937

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #937 appeared in the issue of March 24, 2025. A jester encounter Death. The Grim Reaper speaks. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Guy Richards Smit.

"No one will ever forget you, Yorick."

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #936

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #936 appeared in the issue of March 17, 2025. Two angels are greeted by two aliens. The puzzled male angel speaks. The drawing is by Daniel Kanhai.

"We were so wrong in our theology."

March 29, 2025 Update:  The Finalists

04906 

Barbara Shermund: A Pencil Sketch

A rough pencil drawing by cartoonist Barbara Shermund was sketched on a paper wrapper originally attached to the back of an illustration board. (That board bore a cartoon with the caption "I'll just be a minute.") There is a copyright stamp for Life Publishing Company. The piece's eBay seller has called it The Lecture.

Barbara Shermund
eBay listing ended January 3, 2025

https://www.ebay.com/itm/176714113613?_skw=Barbara+Shermund&itmmeta=01JP6KT0P1DAPBWF1YZ8MKT1TN&hash=item2924fb624d:g:A8MAAOSwlsRncvm0&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1eRRFmSWWYv0TaiV1zfkb0fwp8OvyaaRV97Mmoh3%2FKL367%2Fu5zKPjSnQxdi2BIt27

3aHTUaN2p65CtI7C7Il7jepmpv8RpJvgujieBCbQlQ5OH6xkBmJQ68RJ544rvw%2B412PXESJ1oJ9omVJSzr9oGjxdGMMA8aVcxe2qVZFJqzFWGXFk%2FWua5K35I9NyPXHIdJ4tf8LOEoJviS%2Bl4q56HuWUZnZWgrsnTtahLzQQ9xxKFAJ9Xa8S%2BEPHNLXkFrqok%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR46L6NOxZQ

Barbara Shermund
eBay item description

04905

Edward Sorel: Esther Before Assueras

Edward Sorel's illustration Esther Before Assuerus was created for The Festival of Purim at the Jewish Museum in New York in 2008. The humorous pen, ink, and watercolor work distills the story of Purim to its bare essence. The original is now offered for sale by Chris Beetles Gallery in London. It had previously been exhibited by Beetles in 2010 and later sold at Sworders in July of 2018. This year, Purim begins Thursday night at sundown.

Edward Sorel
Chris Beetles Gallery listing accessed March 11, 2025

https://www.chrisbeetles.com/artwork/31285/esther-before-assuerus

04904

Lucretia J. Weed's Copy of Rehearsal's Off! by George Booth

New Yorker cartoonist George Booth presented many a friend with souvenir sketches of dogs or cats in corners. But, for Lucretia J. Weed, in her copy of his second collection, he drew a "Cat near but not in corner." The precision is laudable.

Cat near but not in corner.
George Booth

As an added bonus, there's a clipping from the Wall Street Journal of April 11, 1980 and another article documenting a visit to the artist with an interview. Both were kept folded inside the book, which is his 1976 collection Rehearsal's Off!

The elephant in the room—or, rather, the corner—is that the newspaper clipping was folded and kept against the inscription and drawing. The unfortunate result, after many years, is that the newsprint left a rectangular stain right on the prized part of the book.

Cat near but not in corner.
George Booth

Half-title page

Title page

This will be on the exam:

"Do you have a dinner jacket, sir?"

George Booth
eBay listing ended March 8, 2025

https://www.ebay.com/itm/405533280915?_skw=rehearsal%27s+off+george+booth&itmmeta=01JP1F91A2DWT2QEK96Z391XTH&hash=item5e6baaca93:g:CjMAAOSwuEVnqO1F&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABAFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1emm82JBTMywLDjSbWZMCwDFAN8dWAOxGBjjbdUvZTc%2BqQtm2bq77VZmBx2O%2BSkB9%2FvgvZbHvmSAlxBZPzDwZZGSS8xEa0rYZsrQlA

Vm2yva0gz67QD6HbIZFVEbkTlqbV4bLcvyhI4S56XKo%2FQc5dTBDcvr99NkdnlitA8jwn0IefG9SrrU0KZzeXQx0J6C7HAlbd93spHFLE1JcqH27K5JoIujEZkR1%2BdfMMO7gKEcmUFbAD9vKyar4ughEpD1wq7iv1ULMYoJvGrxjtCFZHb3nZWg1ibZ4mXpj7XV9iGBsPDBbE14Ws1%2FNEKHhF4mgQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9CVpK-wZQ

George Booth
eBay item description

Note:  Who doesn't love to discover a new George Booth drawing? If you've got one you'd like to share here on the blog, please send some images my way.

04903