My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #921

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #921 from the issue of November 11, 2024, a robed and hooded man behind an airline check-in counter makes a seemingly dire pronouncement to a passenger. My submission is shown below. The drawing is by Ellis Rosen.

"Don't order the fish!"

This caption didn't trust in the Force:

"Boarding is nigh!"

November 23, 2024 Update:  The Finalists

December 1, 2024 Update:  I voted for the caption from Studio City.

December 7, 2024 Update:  The Winner

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #857

Have your boarding pass ready for The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #857 from the combined issue of July 10 & 17, 2023. My creepy caption is shown below. The crawly drawing is by Will McPhail.

"Don't you dare put out any feelers!"

This caption just wouldn't take off:

"All the people down there look like—YOU!"

July 24, 2023 Update:  The Finalists

August 6, 2023 Update:  If I had voted, I would have voted for the caption from Ann Arbor.

August 7, 2023 Update:  The Winner

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #842

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #842 from the issue of March 20, 2023 is ready for takeoff, but am I? My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Akeem Roberts.

"These new planes fly themselves. I'm just the mascot."

These captions weren't airworthy:

"Guess which brand of flight insurance I'm selling?"
"As for the flight plan, I'm just going to wing it."
"I can land just as well on water."
"I hope that luggage floats."

April 2, 2023 Update:  The Finalists

April 7, 2023 Update:  I winged it and voted for the caption from Springfield.

April 17, 2023 Update:  The Winner

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Ronald Searle: The Flight

In 1976 Ronald Searle managed to get a strong environmental image onto the cover of the New Yorker, one of the earliest if not the very first to appear there. Despite its humor, it raises some serious questions without being too preachy. The cover was followed two years later by a lithograph in which the right-facing bird became a left-facing one. The magazine cover illustration has been reproduced in Searle's collections with the title The Long March, one that he had already used on an earlier lithograph of cats parading under a rainbow. The lithograph that corresponds to this cover was therefore given a different title, The Flight.

Ronald Searle
The New Yorker, October 4.1976

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1976-10-04/flipbook/CV1/

Ronald Searle
The Flight
Épreuve d'artiste aside from the edition of 99, 1978

https://www.art-of-illustration.co.uk/Ronald_Searle/The_Flight/2157/100/default.aspx

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Zurich Airport 2019

One week ago my family and I flew overseas for some sightseeing in Italy. We are back home now and it is time to begin recounting the adventure. Our trip began as we flew out of JFK over Jamaica Bay on a gray and rainy Saturday afternoon. As you see, I got the window seat.

Swiss is an excellent name for cheese and a very fine one for chocolate as well. I now learn that Swissair has taken the air out of its tires—or at least its name—and begun simply calling itself Swiss. Naturally I disapprove, although I might reconsider if they changed it slightly to something more artistic, say, Bauhaus-Suisse. From now on, I will be flying only on airlines whose names are instantly familiar to me, like Pan Am and TWA.

We had clear skies over the north Atlantic. I was puzzled by some wisps of water vapor that seemed to be floating exactly parallel to our flight path yet so far as I could tell were not generated by our plane. By the time I tried to photograph them, they were gone.

From the air, Switzerland looked as inviting as ever.

If only Italy could prevent stray public cigarette smoke as well as the Camel Smoking Lounge at Zurich Airport! I'd walk a mile for that.

Our European holiday began with a four-hour layover in Zurich, most of which was spent pleasantly in a private airport lounge which afforded us what was to be our best breakfast of the trip. Onward to Rome!


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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #631

I tossed off an entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #631 for September 17, 2018. The drawing is by Ellis Rosen.

"The floppy disk is back!"

These captions kneaded work:

"They made me check my toppings."
"Can you get my rolling pin down from the overhead."
"Trade ya."
"Sure I could go by train. Either way, it's a toss-up."
"While your laptop is open, could you see if there's anything on WebMD about compulsive pizza-tossing?"

September 24, 2018 Update:  The Finalists

October 1, 2018 Update:  I forgot to vote this week. I like the second caption.


October 8, 2018 Update:  Winning Caption

Note:  Last week cartoonist Mick Stevens hit the high water mark of his career. So why did my caption float away downstream? Towel yourself off and absorb Contest #630.

Doh! There's just one earlier caption contest by Ellis Rosen in the blog archives.

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Lou Myers for Air Afrique

In 1968, an advertisement for Air Afrique, a division of Air France, appeared in several issues of the New Yorker. The ad encourages travel to the continent with the words "Africa. It's wild." The wildlife in the illustration is an ostrich with it's head buried in the ground—and popping back out. The cartoon is signed L. M. and is in the very bold and distinctive style of Lou Myers.

Lou Myers
Africa. It's Wild.
The New Yorker, May 25, 1968, page 135

https://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1968-05-25#folio=134

The following year there appeared another ad, also in several issues, this one with a cartoon of a zebra, the large type stating "Air Afrique. It's the zebra's stripes." The animal features a collage element with the airline's logo. There are no initials on the drawing making attribution difficult.

[Artist Unknown]
Air Afrique. It's the zebra's stripes.
The New Yorker, November 15, 1969, page 132

https://archives.newyorker.com/?iid=16456&crd=0&searchKey=Air%20Afrique#folio=132

Note:  Is there more? Let me know if other New Yorker cartoonists contributed to this campaign. Feel free to chime in on who may have drawn the zebra. Myers? Modell? An anonymous art director?

I'm always looking for scans or photos of original art by Lou Myers or rare published work.


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My Entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #606

Fly the friendly skies of my entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #606 for March 5, 2018. The drawing is by Benjamin Schwartz.

"Isn't that what Lyft is for?"

These captions would not straighten up and fly right:

"I guess I'll never understand the cloud."
"Why can't he go through the security line like everyone else?"
"Is this how you got around when you were a kid?"

March 12, 2018 Update:  The Finalists

March 24, 2018 Update:  I voted for the third caption.


March 26, 2018 Update:  Winning Caption

Note:  Last week, cartoonist Robert Leighton
framed the visitors to a museum. My caption did not make art history. Pay the suggested admission price—mandatory if you're from out of state—and visit Contest #605.

Can you name the number one Caption Contest cartoonist on Attempted Bloggery? I'll give you a hint: Benjamin Schwartz.

Attempted Bloggery supports net neutrality.

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My Entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #597

Unpack my entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #597 for December 25, 2017. The drawing is by Carolita Johnson.

"I couldn't get a sitter."

January 1, 2018 Update:  The Finalists

January 8, 2018 Update:  I voted for the third caption.


January 15,2018 Update:  Winning Caption

Note:  Last time, cartoonist Frank Cotham's Grim Reaper was offered some ale. My caption did not prompt any choruses of "Dilly dilly." Down the results of Contest #596 in one gulp.

Carolita Johnson has traversed this blog before.

Attempted Bloggery supports net neutrality.

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