Showing posts with label Bob Eckstein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bob Eckstein. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

The CartoonStock Cartoon Caption Contest No. 177

In the CartoonStock Caption Contest #177, the white knight is on the witness stand as the trial is played out on a chess board. 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 $110 into the first twenty-two pay-to-play contests and this twenty-third challenge brings my total cash outlay up to $115. Having had two previous runner-up entries, I've collected $200, so I'm still playing with the house's money, thank goodness. In fact, so few contestants enter that the odds are generally favorable even to us less-gifted caption writers—and chess players. My three entries are shown below, above the break. The cartoonist is Bob Eckstein.

"Did you or did you not take the black queen for all she was worth?"
"What kind of pervert forks the queen and the king?"
"How can you claim to begin on a white square and yet end up on black?"
* * *
"The witness will refrain from jumping . . . to conclusions."
"And what heinous action did you take when the Queen's Gambit was declined?"




March 16, 2024 Update:  The Winner





The Caption Contest Judges Deliberate





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Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Bob Eckstein: A Hollywood Agent Monoprint

A monoprint is simply a one-off print. With an edition size of one, it is by definition unique.


This particular monoprint by New Yorker cartoonist Bob Eckstein shows a Hollywood agent in his office speaking with a character of Pufnstufian proportions. (Actually, it's Bingo of "The Banana Splits." Sorry, H.R.P.  fans.)

The artist's signature and the caption are printed. The print is additionally signed in full in pencil, dated 2012, numbered 1/1, and branded with a copyright symbol as well.
Bob Eckstein's signature


Why make a monoprint of a cartoon? My conjecture, knowing Mr. Eckstein's practice, is that this is a hand-shaded print. The artist may make any number of prints of his drawing, then shade or even color them, and finally choose a favorite to be the definitive version of the cartoon. The monoprint then effectively serves as an original.




When this print was sold on eBay in October, the seller asserted that this was a New Yorker cartoon. In point of fact it was published in Barron's.
Bob Eckstein
eBay listing ended October 4, 2023

Bob Eckstein
eBay item description




December 28,2023 Update:  In a personal communication, the artist, Bob Eckstein, confirms my conjecture about his use of prints. He also informs me that this cartoon was published in Barron's—I had thought it might be unpublished. I have amended the text accordingly. Thanks, Bob.


Thanks as well to joecab for correcting me about the potential client's true identity in the comments section below. I still contend that the Banana Splits's proportions were "Pufnstufian," but I fear my pop culture cred is fading fast.



Note:  The drawing is archived on CartoonStock's website here.







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Thursday, November 24, 2022

Giving Thanks 2022

It's Thanksgiving already? Time to find a turkey...

George Booth
The New Yorker, November 26, 1973


Throughout these eleven years of blogging, I have benefited from the support of a number of generous contributors. Some send me submissions, some send me alerts, and some send me corrections. Some function more as behind-the-scenes advisors. Whatever the case, I owe a great debt to each of the individuals listed here for offering much-appreciated assistance to me over these past twelve months. Friends, I thank you all:


Amid Amidi

Tom Bloom

Scott Burns

joecab

Roz Chast

David from Manhattan

Joe Dator

Linda H. Davis

Bob Eckstein

Karen Green

Joel Jacobus

Stephen Kroninger

Michael Maslin

H. Kevin Miserocchi

Jeff Nelson

J. J. Sedelmaier

Steve Stoliar

Jessica Ziegler






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Monday, October 31, 2022

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #825

I attended the board meeting in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #825 from the issue of October 31, 2022, and I made my contribution. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Bob Eckstein.

"The first quarter outlook should have us all feeling mushy."



These captions couldn't follow the recipe:

"I'm afraid we need to expand the pie."
"Next year, our health care will be capitated."
"Are you all wearing Old Spice?"





November 7, 2022:  The Finalists






November 14, 2022 Update:
  I voted for the caption from Ottawa. But the one I really like is Bob Eckstein's own caption: “I’m afraid there will be more cuts.”


November 21, 2022 Update:  The Winner







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Saturday, February 26, 2022

Bob Eckstein: An Illustrated History of the Snowman Print

Bob Eckstein published A History of the Snowman in 2007. The updated edition, now dubbed An Illustrated History of the Snowman (2018), was listed last year on eBay accompanied by a print signed in the year of publication. As the seller notes, "It's not the crispest signature." You can't fault simple honesty.



Bob Eckstein
eBay listing ended November 8, 2021







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Sunday, January 16, 2022

Al Ross: Walking the Dog

In cartoonist Al Ross's sketch of a man walking his dog, it's hard to tell who is having the better time. Ross was a master of the loose, fluid line. This sketch, seemingly done in a minute or two, still punches above its weight in conveying movement, personality, and humor.








Al Ross
The Benefit Shop Foundation, January 5, 2022
Hammer price



Note:  A big thank-you to cartoonist Bob Eckstein for very publicly alerting me (and others) to this auction on his Facebook account.





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Saturday, October 16, 2021

My Copy of The Elements of Stress by Bob Eckstein and Michael Shaw

I wish to thank snowman expert and New Yorker cartoonist Bob Eckstein for a signed copy of The Elements of Stress (2020), which he cowrote with fellow New Yorker cartoonist Michael Shaw. The book is the Strunk & White of stress reduction, only with lots of cartoons and humor. And in the unlikely event the book doesn't help me to achieve "the pursuit of happy-ish," Bob provided me with a stress-reducing promotional squeeze toy as well. Now I'm ready for anything.








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Sunday, November 8, 2020

Bob Eckstein: A Caption Contest for Weekly Humorist

Weekly Humorist is hosting a one-off cartoon caption contest on its Instagram page. The rules are few and the duration is not clear, but who follows the rules in a caption contest anyway? The cartoon is by Bob Eckstein to promote his and Michael Shaw's new book The Elements of Stress and the Pursuit of Happy-ish in this Current Sh*tstorm, a copy of which serves as the prize. My caption is shown below.

"I hope this has a huge impact."





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Wednesday, October 28, 2020

The Cartoon Collections Caption Contest #98

I did not have to wait in line in order to cast my three entries in the Cartoon Collections Caption Contest #98. The drawing of a "scary voting scene" is by Bob Eckstein.

"I say it's voter intimidation."
"Look what became of old Hanging Chad."
"This election didn't need any more frights."




November 4, 2020 Update:  The Winner






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Bob Eckstein

Election Day
  
 
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Sunday, October 11, 2020

Bob Eckstein: In Search of a China Shop

Last week the Facebook group New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest Rejects (and Enthusiasts) held a one-off caption contest featuring a cartoon by Bob Eckstein showing These days most of the caption contests based on The New Yorker model offer no tangible prize at all, but this one is actually pretty sweet. The original of this signed cartoon embellished with the winning caption is to be the first prize in the contest. Second prize is an inscribed copy of All’s Fair in Love & War: The Ultimate Cartoon Book (2020) edited by Bob Eckstein. The third prize is a copy of The Elements of Stress and the Pursuit of Happy-ish in this Current Sh*tstorm (2020) by Bob Eckstein and Michael Shaw, also inscribed by—no coincidence—Bob Eckstein. The contest, which closed Friday, was open only to members of the Facebook group.
"This year I'm bullish on chaos."



Incidentally, the caption shown here, which I did write, is really just a placeholder. I did not enter the contest and did not come up with even this rudimentary caption until today, two days after the contest closed. Promotions have their place though, and this contest reminds us of a cause to celebrate: the publication of two new books from Bob Eckstein.




October 12, 2020 Update:  The Finalists

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Vip Digs Searle: A Cartoon Blurb

Who says blurbs in books have to be written? It would seem the most natural thing in the world for one cartoonist, say, to draw rather than write a blurb for another cartoonist's book, as Virgil Partch, or Vip as he calls himself, does for Ronald Searle in the American edition of The Female Approach (1954). At the same time, Max Beerbohm (in a letter) and Li'l Abner cartoonist Al Capp write blurbs for Searle the conventional way, with words.

There simply have got to be more, perhaps many more, examples of blurbs for books that are drawn rather than written. So why can't I come up with any?

[January 16, 2022 Update:  Harry Bliss did create a cartoon about the ultimate blurb for the back cover of his own collection Death by Laughter (2008). It is funny, of course, but not an endorsement like Vip's.]
Image added January 16, 2022



Bob Eckstein did one too, also somewhat meta, for a collection he himself edited. I refer to The Ultimate Cartoon Book of Book Cartoons (2019) which we have seen here before. Personally, I think it's brilliant, but, like Bliss's, it isn't really a cartoon blurb à la Vip but rather a cartoon about blurbs.


If I could think of any more examples I would note them here. Since I've drawn a blank, I might as well just continue with the remainder of the eBay listing from which the Vip scan comes:



















Ronald Searle
eBay listing accessed September 7, 2020


Ronald Searle
eBay item description




Note:  At the time of this posting, the Searle book remains available for purchase on eBay. It's one heck of a nice copy.

The published book cover for the American edition of The Female Approach is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, quite naturally if unexpectedly. See it here.

I would love to hear from anyone with access to that Vip original. Or any of the Searles. I'm not particular.


The year 2020 is the centenary of Ronald Searle. Any reader happening upon the vicinity of Hannover, Germany, should be sure to check out his show at the Wilhelm Busch Museum and then please drop a note here with your impressions. Through November 22.

https://www.karikatur-museum.de/programm/ausstellungen/ronald-searle-100/

I'd also like to hear word of additional drawn cartoon blurbs created by one cartoonist for another's book. They must be out there somewhere. Please send me examples.

The Ultimate Cartoon Book of Book Cartoons edited by Bob Eckstein should be in the library of everyone who reads this blog and of everyone who reads books. I have three copies.


It's funny how these posts come about. I've been writing about Searle and about Partch quite a bit recently. I only got around to thinking about blurbs for books last week when Michael Maslin's Ink Spill featured discussion of a very brief blurb written by James Thurber here.




Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:


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