Tag: food

Andertoons in the Smithsonian

andertoons

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As posted recently, my family and I just got back from a two-week road trip from Chicago to Washington DC and points between. It was just an incredible trip, but one of the most exciting and surprising moments involved one of my cartoons.

A few years ago I was contacted by someone at the Smithsonian who was setting up an exhibit that included a history of the food pyramid. They wanted to add my USDA Canine Food Pyramid cartoon at the end of the exhibit just for fun. I of course agreed immediately. As the years went by I wondered occasionally where it ended up, how it might have been used, and if it was even still on display anymore, but figured it was something I’d never get to see.

So one of the vacations stops was the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. We were in the FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000 exhibit. I was admiring the old Marvel Slurpee cups when my wife yelled “Mark! Mark, it’s you!” I walked over and was flabbergasted to see my cartoon on display.

I could not believe it. Never in a million years would I have thought we’d stumble across it on our vacation.

The Mrs. and I took it all in, showed it to the kids, took loads of pics, and then surreptitiously watched other visitors discover and share the cartoon.

I have to say, it was an incredible experience. And a huge thanks to my wife for keeping an eye out for it. I hadn’t even thought to look!

Here’s some more pics of it:

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Turkey Cartoons

andertoons

There is nothing I don’t like about Thanksgiving turkey. The crispy skin, the big hunks of meat, the cooking the stuffing in it… Just writing this is making me hungry!!

Turkeys are also way too much fun to do cartoons about. They’re fun to draw, there’s the whole impending doom thing, and they were Ben Franklin’s choice for the national bird! Jackpot!!

So, since Thanksgiving is almost here, I thought I’d share some of my favorite turkey cartoons. Gobble gobble!

I do so love drawing animals in ordinary day-to-day situations. Working in offices, sitting on the couch, but one of special favorites is the bar. Animals hunched over drinking their problems away is almost funny enough without a caption. Throw in another holiday related animal and some bitter envy and you’ve got yourself a pretty good cartoon (if I do say so myself).

Ok, I always like selling a cartoon, but sometimes just drawing the cartoon is enough. Turkey newscaster with a turkey murder chalk outline? Fun!!

This cartoon, on further reflection, probably has a little too much going on to work well. You have to see that the doctor character is a plastic surgeon, you have to see that the picture the turkey is handing over is a duck… There’s probably a simpler way to do this with a longer caption, but I couldn’t get myself to stretch it out. Sometimes the balancing act gets a little tipsy.

Mostly I draw Thanksgiving turkey cartoons where the bird is dealing with the upcoming unpleasantness, so this one where the turkey is actually dead is a bit of a departure. But once I got “leftovers” in my head I couldn’t get it out, so we get the sort of sad cartoon above. Still, leftovers is kinda funny.

This cartoon is your basic reversal. What would turkeys eat for Thanksgiving?
You’d think they shy away from the whole holiday, never mind a turkey-ish main dish, but there it is. Who knew?!

Turkey Cartoon #4209 by Andertoons

Pop-up thermometers are inherently funny. They just are. I’m not saying they’re not useful, and I have to admit they’re kind of cool, but the name “pop-up thermometer” is awesomely goofy.

We’ll, that does it for our fine feathered fun. Feel free to check out all of my turkey cartoons, and enjoy your feast, everyone!