My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #982

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #982 from the issue of March 16, 2026, a couple walks through a snowy city teeming with penguins. The woman speaks. My submission is below. The drawing is by Meredith Southard.

"I know I could make sense of this with the help of Morgan Freeman."

I felt these captions weren't playful enough:

"Remember when we brought home the first two in our luggage?"
"Spring can't come soon enough."
"I really thought they would bring in more tourists."
"At least they're an improvement over the pigeon."
"Remember when the neighborhood was colorful?"

March 24, 2026 Update:  The Finalists

April 2, 2026 Update:  I voted for the caption from Davis.

April 12, 2026 Update:  The Winner

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The Doorman Whistles: Ed Arno Proposed New Yorker Cover Art

A watercolor and ink drawing by cartoonist Ed Arno changed hands on eBay nearly ten years ago. Yes, I'm just getting to it.

The art depicts a red-carpeted hotel entrance. The uniformed doorman, umbrella in hand, steps out of doors to whistle for a cab while a man in business attire waits warm and dry inside.

It's snowing in the great city, although you might miss this if you didn't look carefully just to the sides of the awning.

It's hard to imagine this artwork as anything but a proposed New Yorker cover. The eBay seller's description suggests it was used as an actual New Yorker cover, but sometimes we must indulge sellers their delusions of grandeur. If mika-1234 really thought this was a published cover from The New Yorker, I doubt she would have let it go for $53.58.

Large detail of upper portion including where the magazine's logo presumably would go

Large detail of lower portion of art

Detail of doorman blowing his whistle

Ed Arno's signature

Verso

Ed Arno
eBay listing ended January 28, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ed-Arno-Original-New-Yorker-Magazine-Cover-Illustration-Art-Painting-/121869202035hash=item1c5ff87273

%3Ag%3A2cQAAOSwLnlWnX6d&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Ed Arno
eBay item description

Note:  Personally, I don't fault The New Yorker's editors for not buying this cover proposal. It seems to not tell us enough about the personalities of the two men who are shown here. I can imagine someone like Charles Saxon doing a lot more with the concept.

As you may have already gathered from your reading here, this blog endeavors to showcase New Yorker cover proposals and New Yorker cover originals, from Ed Arno art to Peter Arno art. Not necessarily in that order, and not necessarily in a timely fashion.

Ten years ago, as a younger blogger, I was not in the habit of archiving the eBay bid history. Not seeing it here, I kind of miss it.

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Frank Modell: Turkeys in the Snow

New Yorker cartoonist Frank Modell's painting of two turkeys out in a snowfall views the birds from slightly behind with their heads turned away. Lightly signed Modell on the left in red, it is an unassuming composition and doesn't look like a published piece. The framed original bears a gift inscription that is equally unassuming: "For David, from one turkey to another—Frank."

The painting—is it a gouache?—has been available on eBay for more than two years. The listing uses twelve photos where two or three would suffice. The piece is listed at $599, but the seller is open to Best Offers.

Frank Modell
eBay listing accessed November 21, 2022

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124039047269?hash=item1ce14da865:g:HdUAAOSwqgFeDDF6&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4CqXrpofv3%2B7izXg5Zd7RVd%2BQRTN4%2FB44KZRVl52mTI1nHbSmJPtPCIQoH9sB%2F1yAdyo8yKdTSnkiLdm%2Fb42qWNmFcJMt%2FQMGvPkh8YgGoh6l%2BPAENDgeRQIwvhfXWT46Q6Z3WUdaKaQ7EuE9Idn4V6QHn9oenkdqu%2BO6fMtuEOYSshwHKnH72zld7VBSMUmdQXj6EN5QR0cU3fJF3uozAirMHQmQ9IzAPxe%2B9h%2Fa5uKamtiLyTQRSVzBdvBULxHTWjy11QKvfzLSLBda3CqZqr9NKsjsp%2FPFYiXDadzEUqT%7Ctkp%3ABFBMwoO805Nh

Frank Modell
eBay item description

September 1, 2023 Update:  Inflation, apparently.

May 5, 2024 Update:  Aha! This image is no doubt a study for The New Yorker cover of November 25, 1961. The original cover art was sold at Heritage Auctions on April 23, 2024 and may be seen in today's Attempted Bloggery post.

 

Note:  Some blogs thrive on original art by New Yorker artists like Frank Modell. This blog happens to be one of them. Images welcome.

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My Entries in the Moment Cartoon Caption Contest for January/February 2020

Brrr! I was inspired to submit way too many entries in the Moment Cartoon Caption Contest for January/February 2020. The drawing is by Benjamin Schwartz.

"Hey, neighbor! How's it hanging?"
"Need an extra pair of hands?"
"Nice tool."
"Don't bother. Property values on this block have gone through the floor."
"I see you're still embracing all the norms."
"I can lend a hand if you'll just grab my cocktail."
"Am I hot enough for ya?"
"I'll shovel your property for forty dollars or leave it for eighty."
"I just found out the laundry doesn't deliver."
"The warmest winter ever and this is how I find you?"
"Let's hang out together."
"The neighbor kids used to come round, but you never see them anymore."
"They say you can't keep a good man down."
"Say, isn't it nice out?"
"I don't suppose you've dug up any house keys?"
"Looking for a little extra muscle?"
"You're not going to believe this, but there must be three police cars headed this way!"
"You're looking at Mr. Physique of 1991."
"Don't you just love nature?"

February 28, 2020 Update:  The Finalists

June 14, 2020:  The Winner

Note:  Last year's Moment profile of some of the Caption Contest contestants may be read here.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Benjamin Schwartz

Snow

The Moment Magazine Cartoon Caption Contest

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest

The Cartoon Collections Cartoon Caption Contest

All These Caption Contests and More

Attempted Bloggery's Dressy Index

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #694

Sing, Muse, of my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #694 for January 20, 2020. The drawing is by P. C. Vey.

         "When he wasn't at the office

         He kept all the sidewalk clear.

         He relied upon a shovel

         And his trusty balladeer."

January 27, 2020 Update:  The Finalists

February 3, 2020 Update:  I voted with Queens.


February 10, 2020 Update:  The Winner

Note:  In last week's Caption Contest, cartoonist Mark Thompson invented a jet pack suitable for a mouse in a maze. My caption was not nearly so innovative. See if you can find your way all the way through Contest #693.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives

P. C. Vey

Snow

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest

The Moment Magazine Cartoon Caption Contest

The Cartoon Collections Caption Contest

All the Above Cartoon Caption Contests and Then Some

Attempted Bloggery's Unshoveled Index

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Syd Hoff: Marriage Barrage

Ready, aim...

"Mind if I join you? He's my husband."
Syd Hoff
True, January 1948. page 110

Scan by Dick Buchanan

When I first saw this Syd Hoff cartoon from the January 1948 issue of True, I thought, that's not funny. I mean, it's juvenile. It's plain silly. It infantilizes the battle of the sexes. So, naturally, I asked my wife for her opinion. She informed me that the cartoon was "cute" and I was in the wrong. I suppose there's a first time for everything.

Note how the man stands out because of his dark attire against the snow. As we read the gag from left to right, we take in first the woman, the children, and the snowballs before we get to him, the target. He is already the "target" and focal point of the composition. The perspective lines of the wall point to him, and so do multiple lines from other figures' arms, from their feet, even from the brim of one child's hat, also from the angle of the roof and from the curve of the tree branches and the cloud. Note too how the sight lines from the eyes of the children point to the woman on the left and then to the man on the right. Thus Hoff's composition expertly establishes a flow from left to right. Finally, it's worth recalling that in 1948 no one gave a second thought to the commonplace use of hats, a cigar, and even a luxurious mink coat. 

"Mind if I join you? He's my husband."
Syd Hoff
True, January 1948. page 110

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Note:  I am ever obliged to Dick Buchanan for pummeling us with this beautiful scan. Dick keeps and maintains the legendary Dick Buchanan Cartoon Clip Files and he contributes regularly to Mike Lynch Cartoons, most recently a post entitled, "From the Dick Buchanan Files: William Steig Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1965." Great gags all around.

There's a lot of work by Syd Hoff out there. Attempted Bloggery is eager to see your scans or photographs of original art by the artist as well as published obscurities (gag cartoons, illustrations, advertisements, and recurring features) not readily available online. And if you should somehow happen to know the whereabouts of Hoff's Café Society mural, get in touch immediately.


External Links:

Syd Hoff, Cartoonist & Author

Ink Spill on Syd Hoff

Christopher Wheeler's Cartoon(ist) Gallery on Syd Hoff 

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Syd Hoff

Dick Buchanan

True

Attempted Bloggery's Snowblind Index

Attempted Bloggery supports net neutrality.

02436

Benoît van Innis: Tossing the Ornaments

What do you do for entertainment after caroling? Unusual Christmas festivities are taking place in a signed 1991 print by Benoît van Innis.

Benoît van Innis
eBay Listing Ended July 3, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Benoit-Van-Innis-RARE-Signed-Print-Christmas-New-Yorker-Magazine-Illustrator-24-034-/142405059876?hash=item212800c524%3Ag%3AyDYAAOSwZ4dZKwwY&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Benoît van Innis
eBay Item Description

Note:  We don't get to see all that much of the work of Benoît van Innis here in America and that's a shame. Readers may contribute scans or photos of original van Innis art or of rarely-seen published illustrations.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Benoît van Innis

Christmas

Attempted Bloggery's Sporting Index

Attempted Bloggery supports net neutrality.

02407