First Annual Twin Cities Blog Cartoonist Contest
By Mitch Berg
With the entry of my “evil” twin brother Jed into the world of low-end didactic cartooning,the hue and cry has been overwhelming; we need a contest.
Who, indeed, is the best blogger/cartoonist in the Twin Cities?
For years, it’s been generally recognized that Tom “Swiftee” Swift- auteur of “Life In The Dumpster” -has been the dean of Twin Cities blog cartoonists. “LITD” has long combined trenchant satiric observation with the sort of gritty anti-style that only the best cartoonists can master.
But much has changed since “Dumpster” earned its first accolades. Ken “Avidor” Weiner continues his prolific output under various names, some not even made public. Tiger Lilly, from the Night Writer blog, has driven minimalism to its far edge. Joe “Learned Foot’ Tucci from Kool Aid Report made “Fleen” – a story of a loveable family of prickly cyphers – into a local tradition before perversely pulling it from circulation. And I gotta say, I think my twin bro is an up-and-comer. (We’ll leave Dan Lacey from Faithmouse out of it for now; in contrast with the rest of the list, he’s an actual professional and recognized artist).
So who’s the best?
We’ll let you decide!
First – the nominees:
Nomination 1: Tom Swift
Few artists make “crudity” – in style, technique and content – a tool in and of itself like Tom “Swiftee” Swift.
The cartoons – done in Microsoft Paint, usually with no more than a thumb and index finger – and intended tolook crude, slapdash and half-finished, as if Swift is commenting on the overproduced, over-colored, over-stylized, self-consciously “Retro” stylings of too many underground cartoons.
Nomination 2: Fleen
Joe “Learned Foot” Tucci’s “Fleen”, set in a fictional void amidst a larger void, is an ironic commentary on the overly-structured pointillism of most “post-modern” cartoons.
Tucci’s been praised for his style – deftly suggesting dynamism and motion even though his characters remain superficially motionless, as if daring one to keep up. It reminds one of the great Danish neo-structuralist cartoons from the sixties through the early eighties.
It’s edgy stuff; some wondered if it didn’t take too much out of Tucci for it to continue, when he pulled his Bill Watterson-like retirement from cartooning last year.
Nomination 3: Planet Terry
This strip is drawn by my twin brother Jed, who says “my aim is to convey everything – love, hate, rage, sex, laughter – with as little effort as possible”.
e
Some criticize his work as derivative and excessively inky. You be the judge.
Nominee 4: Anorexics Inaneymous
The sine qua non of minmalism, AI – drawn by “Tiger Lily” from Night Writer – is a deft commentary on life in the 21st century.
Minimal as it is, the strip conveys deftly conveys an amazing range of feeling.
Nominee 5: Bicyclopolis
Ken “Avidor’ Weiner draws Bicyclopolis.
Looking as if it was cribbed from a 1977 issue of High Times, Bicyclopolis depicts (apparently) a fictional world where peoples’ hands are frozen into grotesque parodies of…I dunno, ham carved into hand shapes. Which is a searing commentary on man’s inhumanity to cartoon hands.
It’s a tough decision, folks. Which is why I’m fobbing it off on all of you.
Who is the best online cartoonist in the Twin Cities?
UPDATE: And that’s a wrap:
Congratulations to all the contestants – because in the world of Twin Cities blog cartooning, just showing up makes you a winner!
Except Jed.
I told you so, JedHead.
Mommy always liked you better.
July 10th, 2009 at 7:10 am
“Looking as if it was cribbed from a 1977 issue of High Times??”
No, 99.999% chance it was cribbed from a 1977 issue of High Times, Mitch. There’s a reason Weiner didn’t show up until after Photoshop hit the market.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:10 am
But it doesn’t look like you have any actual evidence, huh, Shiftee? 🙁
July 10th, 2009 at 8:49 am
It looks like Kenny spent a lot of time reading R. Crumb comics. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
July 10th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Now ‘mitch’ is into porn blogging just when I though he couldn’t get any lower. Mommy must be proud
July 10th, 2009 at 9:24 am
A much better influence than whatever dreck Shiftee was influenced by. The rest clearly spent a lot of time around Kindergartners. Come to think of it, Shiftee does a lot of that too.
July 10th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Harumph to all the nattering. Anorexstics Inaneymous by Tiger Lilly is really good. One might accuse me of campaigning for my sister-in-law, but really I consider her my adversary. Anyways, you can find some more installments of her cartoon…..
http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/tiger_lilly/
July 10th, 2009 at 9:35 am
when I though he couldn’t get any lower.
What? Again?
spent a lot of time around Kindergartners.
Speaking of which – how’d the “children’s hospital incident” turn out?
July 10th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I’m no knocking Crumb, Clownie. Although I could only get through half of the documentary on him (yawn). It was just an obsevation.
July 10th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Now ‘mitch’ is into porn blogging
It’s actually Mitch – no scare quotes required.
And let me get this straight: You’re fine with Spotty’s anonymous character assassination, and with Weiner photoshopping people to look like Nazis…
…but you pop a gasket over reprinting Swiftee?
Puzzling, but…OK. Duly noted!
And ma gave up on me years ago. Not to worry.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Y’all need to vote for Tiger Lilly. She’s got a katana and she’s not afraid to use it. Ask Ben.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:25 am
I bet Flash got a good belly laugh over the parrot with the ‘mitch’ head, too. Comic genius.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:25 am
When did Flash/flash become such a pearl clutcher?
Oh, now I remember… when convenient.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Well, to be fair to Flash, I don’t specifically remember him failing to object when Weiner photoshopped pigs snouts onto a group photo of the NARN with Rep. Bachmann.
Which was sheer genius. Really. Pithy indeed.
But we’re off subject. Cartooning!
July 10th, 2009 at 10:35 am
” Mommy must be proud….”
Pfffft…Bwahahahahahaaaaaa(he’s just relieved his mommy didn’t have him hoiked out and flushed!)hahahahahahaaaaa(how’s your campaign to rob “teh children” coming?)hahahahahahaha(is that really a picture you you and Senator Scumbag? did you get any on you?)hahahahahahahahaa
(tell again how Scumbag’s looting a kids charity was just “a loan, repaid with interest”)haahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
hahaha(Flush is pissed because Mitch didn’t reprint the debut of Weiner in “poink”; a tribute to both Weiner and Senator Scumbag’s love of bestiality!)hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
July 10th, 2009 at 10:36 am
“Y’all need to vote for Tiger Lilly. She’s got a katana and she’s not afraid to use it.”
She’s also in Spain right now.
VOTE FLEEN!
July 10th, 2009 at 10:37 am
As to whether or not Swiftee’s carton is pr0n – as the learned jurist once said, “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it”.
And I don’t see it.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Good Clown, honest clown; don’t get too upset.
You may not be very bright, you may closely resemble Jabba the Hut and you may not have any particular talent, but word on the street is that you and AC Jr. run the best salad tossing outfit in NYC, bar none.
Credit where credit is due.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I voted the straight Fleen ticket.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:50 am
How is it born?
I just want to know how Swifty managed to make that character’s hair look so well feathered.
July 10th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I modeled the hair after Mark “da Wedge” Gisleason’s glossy mane.
July 10th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Swiftee’s depictation of “Avidor” is mearly an accurate representation. Having met the little dickhead and been slandered by him, I can attest to it’s accuracy.
July 10th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
When did he slander you, Kermit?
July 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
There was an Iraq war protest in late 2007. Myself and several others (including Swiftee and Lassie from Freedom Dogs) turned out as the counter protest. We were very clearly “support OUR troops”. Kenny and Eva Young were there and they interviewed me. The little hamster put it on a blog and titled it “Pro-War Demonstrators”.
If I ever meet him again I will piss on his shoes.
July 10th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
In late 2007 there was an anti-war rally in St. Paul. I went to the counter rally (Swiftee and Lassie from Freedom Dogs were there, Berg had to leave early). Kenny the Hamster and Eva Young were there with a video camera. I let them interview me. We were clearly labeled as a “support OUR troops demonstration. Hamster Boy posted it on a blog with the title Pro-War Demonstrators.
If I ever meet him again I will pee on his birkenstocks.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Double post faux pas. Pardon et mois.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
So does that mean you’ll piss on both his shoes and birkenstocks, or twice on his shoes or birkenstocks?
(By the way, if it is anything Kermit, it’s libel.)
July 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
“Blessings from Obama!” “Obama thanks you for your support!”
July 10th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Considering the Hamster’s height it may be closer to his nose.
July 11th, 2009 at 8:02 am
No badda, libel is in print.
July 11th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Hey thanks for the “work-friendly” nomination #1! Where did you find that one? The back side of a stall door?