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”.
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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.
“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.
But it doesn’t look like you have any actual evidence, huh, Shiftee? 🙁
It looks like Kenny spent a lot of time reading R. Crumb comics. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
Now ‘mitch’ is into porn blogging just when I though he couldn’t get any lower. Mommy must be proud
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.
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/
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?
I’m no knocking Crumb, Clownie. Although I could only get through half of the documentary on him (yawn). It was just an obsevation.
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.
Y’all need to vote for Tiger Lilly. She’s got a katana and she’s not afraid to use it. Ask Ben.
I bet Flash got a good belly laugh over the parrot with the ‘mitch’ head, too. Comic genius.
When did Flash/flash become such a pearl clutcher?
Oh, now I remember… when convenient.
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!
” 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
“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!
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.
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.
I voted the straight Fleen ticket.
How is it born?
I just want to know how Swifty managed to make that character’s hair look so well feathered.
I modeled the hair after Mark “da Wedge” Gisleason’s glossy mane.
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.
When did he slander you, Kermit?
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.
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.
Double post faux pas. Pardon et mois.
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.)
“Blessings from Obama!” “Obama thanks you for your support!”
Considering the Hamster’s height it may be closer to his nose.
No badda, libel is in print.
Hey thanks for the “work-friendly” nomination #1! Where did you find that one? The back side of a stall door?