The Republicanization of MSNBC; Are There Good Conservative Cartoons?

Richard writes:

I enjoy reading your columns, blog, and comics — you provide a keen insight into all sorts of fascinating matters. I’ve contacted you once before (regarding your reference/citation policy), and you replied to me rather quickly. I figured I’d try again, and see what you think about the strip that replaced your’s on the MSNBC comics page. I don’t know if you visit the site (http://www.msnbc.com/comics/default.asp?nfeature=4), but in case you haven’t, the spot formerly occupied by you is now filled by “Prickly City.” Sometimes this strip is amusing and clever, but more often than not it does nothing but make a bad joke about some Democrat. For instance, in today’s edition (13 Feb 2005), the author continues his recent theme of mocking the Democratic National Committee by making Hillary Clinton out to be a an elitist, self-righteous bitch (at least, that’s what I think he’s trying to do). I do not identify myself as a Democrat — I find the current two party system fraught with errors and lacking originality and progressive thought — and I appreciate someone who can make fun of the flaws of any and all political figures. However, when “Prickly City” attempts jabs at Dems, they usually come across as childish and without concern
for the real issues. It appears that the strip attempts to present both sides, but ends up as fair and balanced as Fox News’ Hannity & Colmes. I’m just curious as to what you think about MSNBC’s attempt to make their political comics section more balanced. Are there no good conservative comics? Daryl Cagle has a few on his site, but they never seem as insightful as the more liberal artists. Am I biased because of my left-leaning political views? Are Bush and the Neocons such easy targets that liberal artists have an easier time than the conservative comic strips? Is there anything to mock the Democrats about other than their disorganization and pitiful national and regional election record?

Of course I don’t make a habit of revisiting the URLs where my cartoons used to be. That would be like stalking an old girlfriend’s house: creepy and pathetic. Not to mention a waste of bandwidth. But my readers have pointed out that both the Washington Post Online and MSNBC–which admitted that they dropped my cartoons due to pressure from right-wing extremists–have replaced my work not with something equivalent from the same side of the political spectrum, but rather from the right. This does, of course, tend to confirm the worst suspicions of media observers. Drop a liberal cartoonist due to Republican pressure; replace him with a right-winger. Hmm. What on earth COULD be going on?
As to the broader question of whether there are any good conservative cartoons, I don’t read everything out there. To the contrary, I try to avoid reading editorial cartoons as much as possible for fear that I might inadvertently internalize someone else’s idea and then regurgigate it, thinking that it’s my own. So there may be good conservative comic strips, though neither I nor anyone else I know has apparently seen any.
Back in my salad days, I was asked by the right-wing National Review to rough up some ideas for their magazine. Now I was young, stupid, and so sick and tired of my crappy day jobs (I had three at once, usually), that I was willing to entertain drawing cartoons from a conservative viewpoint just to get into print. So I spent two weeks drawing cartoon ideas that made fun of the homeless, the poor, etc. And you know what? They all sucked. Because there’s nothing funny about making fun of the powerless, and nothing interesting about agreeing with the powers that be. That experience taught me that drawing cartoons from a conservative standpoint would only become a viable proposition after a sweeping left-wing revolution the likes of which this country has never seen.
There are, of course, decent editorial cartoonists who draw from a Republican point of view. Wayne Stayskal, Scott Stantis and Chuck Asay immediately come to mind. But they’re best when they’re angry and bitter and not so hot when they try to be amusing. But of course, that’s my opinion. For whatever it’s worth.

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